The number of buy to let homes to rent may soon outstrip the number of homes coming to the market for sale.
Research by Experian shows the number of private homes to rent coming to the market in the first three months of 2012 increased by 6.34%, while the number of homes put up for sale was down 2.53%. Continue reading Buy to lets may soon top homes for sale
The housing market is still trying to shatter the glass ceiling imposed by mortgage lenders restricting home loans, but expectations are exceeding reality for most sellers as sales have plunged 40% since the 2007 boom.
A number of surveys looking at the market all report more activity but less sales. Continue reading House sales 40% down on buy to let boom years
Buy to let is here to stay and even more families will have to rent if the economy does not improve, says new research.
The number of private renters is expected to jump from 18% to 22% by 2025 – up from 7% in 1994 – reports a study from the Resolution Foundation for housing charity Shelter. Continue reading Buy to let here to stay and will only grow, says Shelter
The Green Deal has fallen on deaf ears according to the latest research from the Association of Residential Letting Agents.
The research found that half (51%) of the landlords questioned hadn’t heard of the Green Deal and over a third (33%) didn’t actually know the energy rating of their buy to lets. Continue reading ARLA Call on Landlords to Think Green
Landlords are warned to check out that their letting agents protect their money as a new scheme helping tenants reclaim unfair fees threatens make some firms go bust.
Housing charity Shelter Scotland is leading the campaign against rip-off letting agents – and has helped more than 100 tenants start claims for the repayment of thousands of pounds of illegal charges. Continue reading Letting agents may go bust as illegal fees campaign takes off
Calls to boost buy to let by upgrading pensions to include residential property are gathering momentum in Parliament.
An influential select committee of MPs is urging the government to streamline pension and tax laws for landlords to stimulate investment in private rented housing. Continue reading MPs urge ministers to open pensions to buy to let
Buy to let borrowing was down 5% in the first three months of the year after a barnstorming end to 2011.
In figures that revealed buy to let is treading water rather than buoyant, new landlord loans totaled £3.7 billion, according to the latest official figures from bank and building society trade body the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). Continue reading ‘Buoyant’ buy to let lending sinks by 5%, lenders report
Co-Operative Bank buy to let mortgage customers can breathe a sigh of relief as the wholesale scrapping of interest only loans does not include buy to let borrowers.
The bank’s specialist property investment subsidiary Platform will continue to offer interest only deals to landlords. Continue reading All change on the buy to let mortgage front
Landlords are the wrong target for buy to let regulation, according to the latest behind-the-scenes thinking.
Regardless of the rights and wrongs of the ‘rogue’ landlords debate, politicians and law makers are looking at tightening the rules for letting agents. Continue reading Landlords are the wrong target for buy to let regulation
Our most popular article to date in terms of both debate a viewers was the prospect of the EU regulation of buy to let and how it would affect the UK markets.
The whole issue of buy to let regulation has been hot news over the last few days with Nationwide specialist lending arm “The Mortgage Works” having released the video debate below and also the announcements from the National Landlords Association which are featured below TWP’s video.
Continue reading Buy to Let regulation – The EU and CARRP
