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1086 articlesGovernment under fire for HMO regulation changes
A recent consultation, for buy-to-let landlords to have their say on proposed changes to Houses in Multiple Occupation and residential property licence reforms, has now ended. The survey, conducted by the Department for Communities and Local Government, was held ahead of proposals to amend existing legislation and increase the number of homes in England which […]
Proptechs on hand to help landlords
Proptech companies are booming as they find favour with millennials, who conduct much of their business online, and other generations who like the convenience. These companies are merging to create even bigger businesses and they are attracting billions in funding as well as seeing their shares do well. Recently, online estate agent Purplebricks has seen […]
Professional report suggests ways to improve rental sector
An interesting paper has been prepared into the rental sector in the United Kingdom, which would bring about best practice, regulations for letting agents and statutory minimum standards for residential letting agents. These recommendations, in the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Rented Sector Policy Paper for England, would improve the lives of landlords and tenants […]
New Year’s resolutions for rental properties
The end of the year is an ideal time to review how your property portfolio has performed through 2016. Are there some properties which are more profitable than others? Do some homes need an overhaul, modernising or upgrading? Can any be extended or revamped? Do some need offloading because they are a drain on financial […]
Why is damage by tenants deemed to be a civil matter?
Whilst the majority of tenants are decent and treat property with respect, there are those who can cause a lot of damage. They think nothing of smashing doors, breaking windows or damaging carpets. They may have had parties or simply not been bothered when something gets broken, because it is not their property. Many landlords […]
Speed is of the essence for tenants
With more professionals being priced out of the housing market, many are renting instead. This is particularly true of millennials, who may never be able to afford to buy or who prefer the benefits of renting, such as being able to move around frequently or live in a better area. Top of their wish-list is […]
Photos required for insurance claims
A woman whose house was burgled has lost out on her insurance claim because she did not have photographic evidence of the items stolen. Vivian Harris, aged 70, returned to her London home to find the doors forced open and her jewellery missing. Many of the items, including earrings, bracelets and watches, had great personal […]
Keeping your property warm in winter
Winter can often be a time when problems are found in properties. Tenants go to turn on the central heating or turn up the thermostat and find problems with the boiler or blocked radiators. Now is a good time for landlords to carry out property checks, to put right any problems before they get worse. […]
New campaign against the tenant tax
The fight against the proposed tenant tax continues, with the National Landlords Association launching a new campaign to lobby the Treasury to try to get it to back down. The NLA says that there is a new chancellor and they need everyone’s help to lobby him on Section 24 of the Finance Act 2015. Landlord […]
Government changes force landlords to evict tenants
Tenants are set to be the ones who suffer under government changes to tax allowances for buy-to-let landlords. In a survey by Property118, 54 per cent of respondents said they will be forced to evict existing tenants because of the tax changes and will either sell their properties or re-let to people who can afford […]
Tenants to pay the price of government tax changes
Fears are growing that more tenants will find themselves in arrears or will be forced to look for cheaper properties, thanks to the government’s changes in the tax on buy-to-lets. One of the UK’s largest online letting agents, Upad, has said that this situation could rise significantly in the next year, if landlords increase rents […]
Technology opens up endless possibilities in the property world
Technology is certainly making its mark in the property world, whether it’s buying, selling or renting properties online, making inventories online and viewing or even building homes. This has certainly shaken up the traditional estate agents, who are now having to compete with proptech companies, who themselves are finding new ways of conducting business in […]
Acute shortage of rental properties forecast
Whilst the government has been promoting new house building, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has forecast that the UK is heading for a severe shortage in rental properties. It says the UK needs a building programme specifically for tenants. RICS figures show at least 1.8 million more households will be renting rather than […]
Letting agents to be banned from charging fees to tenants
Letting agent fees are going to be banned under new rules announced in the Autumn Statement. Letting agency fees to tenants have already been banned in Scotland, while in England and Wales the agents have had to publicise their fees so there is transparency. Fees can vary enormously, with some tenants paying as much as […]
Accommodating the needs of older tenants
The number of older tenants who are renting from private landlords is set to increase dramatically in the next few years, for a variety of reasons, including the ageing population, divorce, death of a partner or downsizing. Households aged 65 or more account for less than 10 per cent of private rentals, but this is […]
Rental market remains buoyant
Despite tax worries and Brexit gloom, the letting market continues to grow, with new figures from Agency Express showing the number of new listings to let across the UK rose by 1.3 per cent during September, compared to the same time last year, while the volume of properties let was up by 4.4 per cent. […]
440,000 landlords forced into higher tax bracket
About 440,000 landlords who currently pay the basic rate of income tax could find themselves paying at the higher rate when tax changes are introduced on buy-to-lets next year. The National Landlord Association has released figures that reveal just how many landlords will be affected by the changes. At present, landlords receive tax relief on […]
Discerning tenants demand hotel-type accommodation
With the growing demand for rental properties, as Generation Rent is forced out of the housing market due to soaring prices, tenants are demanding more than a furnished home or flat in a converted housing block. Thanks to advances in the prop-tech industry, the private rental sector can meet their needs much better than before. […]
Why it pays to talk to your tenants
When dealing with inspections or check-outs, if any discrepancies occur, it is always best to talk to your tenant before taking any action. Meeting your tenant gives you a chance to discuss what needs to be done, in order for the full deposit to be returned. If this is just better cleaning or a few […]
Homeowners breaking planning rules by renting properties
Airbnb may offer a cheaper alternative to hotels, as well as the chance to live like a local, but thousands of people may be breaking planning rules in their bid to rent out their homes or rooms. The website started up as an idea to help homeowners make a bit of money from their spare […]
Licensing and Safety Failings Lead to Hefty Fines for Landlord
A landlord in Wales has been fined thousands of pounds over licensing and health and safety failures. Kaneeza Abid, of Alexandra Road in Newport, South Wales, was prosecuted as a result of failing to licence a property and not managing it safely, meaning that it would have been difficult for tenants to escape if a […]
Tenants advised to ignore eviction notices
Tenants who have been served eviction notices are costing landlords thousands of pounds, by staying in properties until the very last minute. Local authorities and other agencies are often advising private tenants to ignore any eviction notices which have been served and waiting until the bailiffs come to evict them. In this way, they can […]
Landlords stay confident despite tax changes
Landlords are continuing to have confidence in the rental market, despite stamp duty and mortgage tax relief changes. A survey shows 72 percent of landlords are considering increasing their buy-to-let portfolio and are not being put off by the three percent stamp duty surcharge from April, or the phasing out of mortgage tax relief. Even […]
App Update v4.6 Release Notes
Continuing from the improvements launched with v4.5 What’s New in v4.6 Added – Paved the way for future “multiple-active” reports, Departments etc. – Added button for taking additional photos on an Item’s Attachments page Fixed – Issue where first selected Inspection in the Fetch list wouldn’t remain highlighted correctly – Issue where Autocomplete would replace […]
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