NEWS
Can we get a buy-to-let mortgage and use the house as a holiday let?
The Guardian has just published this article on sourcing holiday lets through a Buy to Let mortgage Q We are two women who are nearing our mid-60s and won’t get our state pensions until we are 66. I work in schools and earn very little while my partner is a graphic designer who now has […]
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What do home buyers need to consider in the next six months?
Rozi Jones, from Property Reporter has just published ab article on the potential changes in the sales market. It can be seen here
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Women now make up almost half of UK landlords – and their income is growing faster than men’s
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Incorporating Pandemic Clauses Within Commercial Lease Renewals
Nelsons Solicitors have just published a blog on how to manage a Covid clause within a Commercial Lease renewal. It can be seen here
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RROs – late payments, rent arrears and deposits considered by the Upper Tribunal
Nearly Legal have just published An Upper Tribunal appeal decision on a Rent Repayment Order decision that raised three issue. the treatment of payments made by a tenant after the landlord has stopped committing the relevant housing offence, but in respect of rent arrears which fell due while the offence was being committed; secondly, the […]
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Home Office confirms Right to Rent evictions protocol
The Home Office has confirmed that landlords don’t have to evict those tenants who have put in a late application for residency status. In response to a parliamentary written question from the Bishop of Durham, who asked whether European Economic Area nationals who apply late to the EU Settlement Scheme would have the right to […]
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Council’s civil penalty threat over electrical safety in rental properties
Bury council in Greater Manchester has adopted new measures to fine agents or landlords up to £30,000 if their properties fail electrical safety standards introduced in the private rental sector in June of last year.Regulations now apply to all tenancies in England and require landlords or their agents to have the electrical installations in properties inspected […]
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Mortgage boost for landlords with buy to let deals on the rise
New research from online buy to let mortgage broker Property Master reveals there are currently 41 BTL mortgages at the record low rate of 1.5 per cent or below.One lender is offering a BTL mortgage at 1.0 per cent, albeit for existing customers only. Property Master chief executive Angus Stewart says: “With the housing market […]
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Thanet District Council prosecutes Cliftonville landlord for alleged unlawful eviction of tenants
landlord is being prosecuted by a council for the alleged unlawful eviction of tenants from her privately-rented properties. Sohila Tamiz, who manages properties in Athelstan Road and Hadlow Drive in Cliftonville, is accused of being in breach of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. Tamiz appeared before Canterbury Crown Court in December 2020 and three other […]
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Kent and London property tycoon accused of fraud and cannabis cultivation hands over £2 million to law enforcement agencies
A property developer has handed over almost £2 million to the National Crime Agency after a court heard his empire was allegedly funded through criminal activity. Richard Leahy, a landlord from Orpington, was accused by law enforcement agencies of raising money for his purchases through cannabis cultivation, benefit fraud and money laundering. The agency had also […]
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Keep wearing facemasks after July 19, ARLA Propertymark tells agents
New guidance has been issued to agents as the government confirms that most remaining Coronavirus restrictions are to be lifted from July 19, next Monday.However, and perhaps controversially, the guidance recommends continued use of masks and face coverings. The update has come from Propertymark and follows statements from the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for […]
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Is it a good idea for John Lewis to enter the rental market?
Supermarket chains like John Lewis and banks like Lloyds – both entering the private rental sector as large scale landlords – could end up destroying their reputations.That’s the view of tax and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg. Heather Powell, a partner at the firm and head of property, says: “Many retail groups who have invested in […]
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HMRC take less tax from landlords
There’s been a sharp fall in money raised from a campaign encouraging landlords to voluntarily disclose tax owed on rental properties according to an accountancy firm.HM Revenue and Customs’ Let Property campaign, encouraging landlords to admit money owing and encouraging others to inform on landlords, received just 4,330 disclosures in 2020/21. This was a 42 […]
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ARLA warns of widespread evictions without government support
The UK Association of Letting Agents trade body is warning of “widespread evictions” unless government support is offered to tenants.UKALA chairman Tim Clark says: “The restrictions on evictions during the last year, whilst very appropriate for the time, could result in an explosive situation without the government providing more support to tenants. “Landlord mortgage payments […]
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Complaints about lettings agents are soaring, says redress firm
Complaints referred to the Property Redress Scheme against its members grew by more than a quarter during 2020.In its annual report for the period December 1 2019 to November 30 2020 – only just released this week – the scheme received 1,829 initial complaints compared with 1,444 in the previous year, with lettings making up […]
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New mortgage options for first time landlords buying HMOs
Specialist lender Landbay has launched two new buy to let mortgage products for first time landlords who want to invest in HMOs.Whereas most lenders require HMO borrowers to have some experience as a landlord before lending on this type of property, Lindsay appears to be more adventurous. It says it is responding to broker feedback […]
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Right to rent document checks: a user guide
the Home Office has published updated guidance for landlords and tenants on how right to rent checks should be carried out and which documents are acceptable. The guidance provides information about the rules for document checks, examples of acceptable documents and frequently asked questions. It also includes information on: checking the validity of documents retaining […]
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The better the EPC rating, ‘the bigger the discount’
Paragon Bank and Foundation Home Loans have this week announced the launch of new green buy-to-let products for landlords purchasing properties with an EPC rating of A, B or C, as part of a wider effort to encourage more people to improve their efficiency rating. The way a residential building is constructed, insulated, heated, ventilated and the […]
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Estimated number of leasehold dwellings 2019 to 2020– England
MHCLG has published statistics which provide an estimate of the number of leasehold dwellings in England, by tenure, dwelling type and region. In 2019-20: There were an estimated 4.6 million leasehold dwellings in England. This equates to 19 per cent of the English housing stock. Of these, 2.6 million dwellings (56 per cent) were in […]
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English Housing Survey
The English Housing Survey is an annual national survey commissioned by the MHCLG. It collects information about people’s housing circumstances and the condition and energy efficiency of housing in England. The latest survey covers the period 2019 to 2020. Reports relating to specific aspects of housing are set out below. For more general information about […]
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LATEST NEWS
Stigma and Social Housing in England: new report
ARCH has reported on the publication of a new report – Stigma and Social Housing in England – by Mercy Denedo (Durham University) and Amanze Ejiogu (University of Leicester). The report finds that prior to 1970, “stigma attached to living in social housing was not widespread and usually stemmed from the construction and build quality of […]
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Retained Right to Buy receipts and their use for replacement supply: guidance
MHCLG has published guidance on how local authorities can use the money raised from Right to Buy sales to deliver replacement homes. The guidance incorporates major changes to the RTB pooling system that took effect from 1 April 2021. It takes account of the amended terms of the Retention Agreements to be concluded between the […]
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Use of Discretionary Housing Payments: financial year 2020 to 2021
The Department for Work and Pensions has published analysis of local authorities’ use of Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) funds, based on end-of-year monitoring and financial returns received from 327 out of 336 local authorities. The main findings are: Local authorities spent £171m on DHPs, including any additional funding they provided. This expenditure represented 98 per […]
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Private renting – London
the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, warned that the cost of renting privately in the capital could increase by almost 20 per cent over the next five years, unless he is given powers to control the rental market. Analysis by City Hall shows that, if left unchecked, average asking rents in the capital could rise […]
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New guidance issued on complaint handling for governing bodies: Housing Ombudsman
The Housing Ombudsman has reported that 23 complaint handling failure orders had been issued between April to June 2021, highlighting problems with progressing complaints and meeting the Ombudsman’s standards on complaint handling. The second report on failure orders marks one year since the launch of the Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code in July 2020 setting out […]
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