The government’s decision to invest an additional £4m in funding for local councils to tackle criminal landlords and letting agents has been warmly welcomed by The Guild of Property Professionals. The housing secretary, Robert Jenrick, announced on Friday that he has pledged new funding to be used to clamp down… Read More »The Guild supports clampdown on rogue landlords
Greater confidence and more certainty in the housing market following last month’s Tory election victory looks set to boost the housing market and unleash pent-up buyer demand from property buyers, including buy-to-let investors, in the early part of 2020, analysts predict. But Anton Frost, a partner at Carter Jonas letting… Read More »A fall in available rental stock would see ‘increased competition and higher rents’
There are tentative signs that landlords are beginning to return to the buy-to-let market, particularly in London where house price falls and steady rental growth are gradually enticing investors back, according to Knight Frank. The company reports that during the first 11 months of 2019, landlords acquired 11% of homes… Read More »Under-resourced county courts are struggling to cope with the number of possession claims being put forward, ‘causing misery for landlords’
Under-resourced county courts are struggling to cope with the number of possession claims being put forward, ‘causing misery for landlords’ not to mention costly delays, according to Landlord Action. The vast majority of residential possession claims are dealt with in the county courts and enforced by county court bailiffs. But… Read More »Court delays causing ‘extreme stress’ for landlords
An unscrupulous landlord has been fined £27,000 over an unlicensed HMO in Luton with multiple fire and safety breaches. Luton Magistrates Court heard that the unlicensed property at 14 Kenneth Road, Luton, LU2, had poor fire alarm systems and blocked fire exits, missing and broken tiles on the roof, and… Read More »Rogue landlord fined £27k for unsafe HMO
The tax return deadline when filing your online Self Assessment for the tax year ending 5 April 2019 is less than a month away. Filing an annual tax return is a necessary task for every self-employed person, including buy-to-let landlords, with the 31 January deadline for the 2018/19 Self Assessment… Read More »Help and support available for landlords paying tax and keeping records
A new landlord organisation, which is the largest ever trade body in the letting sector, has been officially launched. The National Residential Landlords Association, which came into force yesterday, has a membership of more than 80,000 landlords. The new organisation has come about after the National Landlords Association (NLA) and… Read More »New trade body launches for BTL landlords
Letting agents are being urged to do more to protect buy-to-let landlords by preparing now for the government’s plans to scrap Section 21 of the Housing Act, as part of a new Renters’ Reform Bill. PayProp is advising agents to adapt to upcoming changes to the eviction system by updating key… Read More »Section 21 changes: time to prepare for reforms to the eviction system
A man who rented hundreds of properties that he sub-let to criminal gangs running brothels and cannabis farms has been jailed for seven years and four months. Chinese national Feng Xu used several fake identities to secure accommodation, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA). Feng was arrested in Birmingham… Read More »Man who sublet hundreds of properties to criminal gangs jailed
With savers receiving poor returns from banks and building societies, thousands of people unsurprisingly continue to turn to residential property as a means of supplementing their income, supported by record-low mortgage borrowing rates, growing demand from renters and stable yields, as buy-to-let consolidates itself as the investment of choice for… Read More »Despite tax and regulatory changes ‘there is still money to be made in the PRS’
