Housing minister Grant Shapps has scrapped complicated blanket planning rules for houses in multiple occupation (HMO). He has announced new regulations aimed at cutting 8,500 HMO applications from the planning system every year by removing the need for every new HMO to apply for planning consent.

Landlords could face big fines if they do not act to comply with changes to assured shorthold tenancy agreements from next month. The change means compulsory tenancy deposit protection comes in to force for assured shorthold tenancies for rent up to £100,000 a year from October 1, 2010.

Tax is obviously too taxing for most people as around 1.4 million UK workers have to repay an average of £1,400 each in underpaid tax following errors by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). On top of that, HMRC overcharged another 1 million taxpayers by £238 million last year.

Independent mortgage advisers have thousands more loan products to choose from across the market than direct providers like banks and building societies. Independents could source mortgages for clients from an August average of 4,545 products – up 19% from a July average of 3,807 – while direct lenders could select from a restricted range of […]

Signing a home over to family is not an easy solution to tax problems or trying to avoid paying for care in your old age. In many cases, the switch in owners can cause more issues than the action was meant to solve.

More and more investors and landlords who have not owned up about their property profits are under scrutiny from the taxman. The first indication you are under investigation for unpaid tax is often a benign ‘compliance check’ letter through the door.

Buy-to-let lending through specialist business finance brokers is up 66% in 2010 – but is still way behind the billions borrowed at the height of the property boom. Commercial finance brokers arranged buy-to-let loans totalling £0.718 billion in the year – up from £0.476 billion last year.

Property investors have seen homes double in value over the past 10 years despite the ups and downs of recession. Semi-detached homes were the biggest winners returning an average 111% increase – just over the 110% for terraced houses and 109% for bungalows.

A landlord group has responded to the government’s challenge to identify changes to the law that would make running a business easier. The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) has responded with suggestions that they say would revitalise the private rental sector. Top of the list is carrying on with self-regulation rather than resurrecting the old government’s […]

In these times of austerity, many people are looking at ways to save money but one expense that is well worth the bother is making a will. Simply, if you don’t have a will when you die, you risk everything you have worked so hard for throughout your life not benefitting those you want to […]

The two firms Directors explain how the relationship will enhance the relationship with, and the service available to, the customers of both businesses.

Mrs Anne Nixon, a Mortgage Express customer, has reported to landlord News; “Over the last year I have over-paid 2 of my mortgages by over £7,000 through Mortgage Express’ ‘Choices’ scheme advertised by them as providing ‘flexibility’ ‘building up a pot of money to be accessed when needed’.

Increasing tenant demand and a fall in the number of properties available to let are driving rents higher, says the latest letting market review from the Royal Institute of Surveyors (RICS).   Tenant demand is strongest in London and the East but increased across all regions.

The Bank of England statistics for lending to individuals – which covers homeowner loans and buy-to-let finance – showed net lending secured on dwellings increased by £0.1 billion, below the June increase of £0.5 billion and the previous six-month average of £0.8 billion.

Tenants pick up the phone and call the landlord or letting agent at the first hint of a problem with the home they are renting – but it’s not always down to the property owner to foot repair bills. The landlord has an obligation to make sure a rental property is fit for someone to […]

Mark Alexander  explains why, even though rates at these levels are extremely unlikely, high interest rates due to high inflation over a sustained period could actually be extremely good news for landlords who follow The Money Centre strategy of combining liquidity and high gearing.

Paying tax is not an option – there’s not a box on a self-assessment form for ‘no publicity’ or to cancel your annual payments to HM Revenue and Customs. The rules say that if you earn the money, then you must pay the tax, but you can manipulate the rules to make sure you do […]

We’ve been reviewing our client’s property portfolio’s now for 20 years and making recommendations that have transformed many of our clients to millionaire status. However, we’ve now developed a way to enable us to help far more clients in the future.

Families and friends of someone who has died that have paid out Inheritance Tax (IHT) on land or a home that was sold for less than the value of the property when they took over ownership can reclaim some or all of the tax they paid. Many property sellers are unaware that they can benefit […]

House prices are pretty much at a stand still this year although prices are up an average 6.7% for all types of property on July last year. Prices climbed a modest 0.4% in July, according to the latest house price data from the Land Registry.

Landlords are urged to check out gas safety at their properties and to make sure properly qualified fitters are carrying out work on boilers, heating and cookers. Student landlords should carry out safety checks before the start of the new academic year, says the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the organisation responsible for enforcing gas […]