Residential Landlord - UK property investment news

Landlord association accuses government of 'jumping its own gun' over HMOs

5 Feb 2010 17:19:42 GMT

Deplorable and draconian is how the Residential Landlords Association (RLA) is describing new government measures that will have an affect on how and where people can live. The Association has joined a growing band of organisations which are...

Buy to let landlords relax payment rules to keep their properties occupied

5 Feb 2010 17:19:26 GMT

In the current housing market, landlords are doing all they can to keep tenants in their properties - even if it involves more leniency towards late rent payments, claims a new survey by easyroommate.co.uk. From 2004 until 2008, the number of tenant evictions rose...

Landlord put tenants� lives at risk by ignoring gas defects warning

5 Feb 2010 17:19:10 GMT

A landlord put his tenants� lives at risk by allowing carbon monoxide from a kitchen boiler to leak into his rental property even though he had been warned there were defects by a gas installer. Graham Barnes, aged 49, from Bicester Road in...

National Park will attract more customers for buy to let holiday home owners

5 Feb 2010 17:18:53 GMT

Buy to let holiday home owners from East Hampshire, and East and West Sussex are set to benefit from an increase in tourism and a significant rise in the value of their properties when the new South Downs National Park is created on 31 March this year.

Residential Landlord - In brief

5 Feb 2010 17:18:37 GMT

Despite the furore surrounding the price increases being imposed by the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, the legislation introduced in April 2007 is working, according to the National Landlords Association (NLA).

Buy to let landlords find it difficult to find property investment finance

2 Feb 2010 12:44:16 GMT

Half of landlords who want to expand their portfolios are being frustrated by the lack of mortgage finance according to a survey conducted by LSL Property Services. The poll found that 49 percent of landlords surveyed said the current market is attractive for...

Government is using a 'sledgehammer to crack a nut' over HMOs claim landlords

2 Feb 2010 12:44:02 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has roundly condemned the Government�s recent announcement which will reduce the supply of shared housing. In a statement, Housing and Planning Minister John Healey MP revealed plans which will require planning...

Clarification needed over how courts deal with buy to let repossessions

2 Feb 2010 12:43:08 GMT

The danger that courts may order outright possession to lenders if landlords fail to pay a buy to let mortgage raises cause for concern says the Residential Landlords Association. The organisation made its comments after the recent second reading of Bolton MP Dr Brian Iddon�s private member�s bill which is aiming to...

New guidance released by FSA on sale and rent back property investment

2 Feb 2010 12:42:53 GMT

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has welcomed the new rules and guidance to provide full protection for consumers in the sale-and-rent-back market which were recently published by the Financial Services Authority (FSA)...

Letting agents consider making formal complaint over new TDS fee structure

2 Jan 2010 12:42:35 GMT

Another lettings specialist has criticised the new Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) fee structure and the way it has been introduced to the people and organisations it will affect. While the TDS maintains that the new charging system is necessary to...

Buy to let investors are crucial part of UK's future housing needs says BPF

29 Jan 2010 14:13:56 GMT

Private rented landlords will be called on to fill Britain's housing gap, delegates were told at this week�s British Property Federation (BPF) annual housing conference in London. The latest research from Hometrack found that the gap between social housing and home ownership has increased significantly...

More powers over HMO landlords to be introduced

29 Jan 2010 14:13:40 GMT

New powers to control the spread of high concentrations of shared rented homes and to tackle pockets of unsafe and substandard accommodation run by bad landlords are to be introduced. The announcement was made this week by Housing and Planning Minister John Healey who confirmed that...

Absent buy to let landlord ignored improvement notices

29 Jan 2010 14:13:22 GMT

A buy to let landlord has been fined �2,000 for failing to carry out an improvement notice served on a house of multiple occupation (HMO) in Wales. Carmarthenshire County Council brought a prosecution against Balasubramanian Pulendrathasan and he was...

Record fine for landlord whose property posed threat to mother and her children

29 Jan 2010 14:12:57 GMT

A record fine of �6,000 has been imposed by St.Helens Magistrates on a buy to let landlord for not dealing with housing hazards at his rented property. Paul O�Shaughnessy, of Grange Road, Haydock, rented a house in the same town to a young...

Residential Landlord news - In brief

29 Jan 2010 14:12:30 GMT

A man who converted part of his shop into flats and rented them out without adhering to building regulations has been ordered to pay out more than �1,500...

New TDS pricing structure confuses letting agents and buy to let landlords

27 Jan 2010 16:16:02 GMT

The National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) is calling for urgent and unequivocal clarification for its firms with regards to the new pricing structure being introduced by TDS (The Dispute Service). Caroline Pickering, Chair of the organisation, said...

RLA declares war on bogus statistics that 'darken the reputation of landlords'

27 Jan 2010 16:15:38 GMT

One of the UK�s leading professional bodies for private sector landlords has launched an attack on often �downright false� statistics that it says can darken the reputation of landlords. The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) cites the example of how...

Reluctant tenants are being forced to rent rather than buy say landlords

27 Jan 2010 16:15:13 GMT

The UK housing market is experiencing a trend of �reluctant tenants�, following a shift in supply and demand for properties, according to the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA). ARLA�s research, conducted across UK letting agents and landlords...

Study student property investment and reap buy to let rewards

27 Jan 2010 16:14:50 GMT

Where can buy to let landlords find high yields, strong nationwide rental demand and a sound cash-generative investment. The answer is by investing in student accommodation says property specialist Assetz. Student accommodation has always been one of the...

Landlord converted house into flats and rented them out without permission

27 Jan 2010 16:05:09 GMT

A landlord who illegally converted a Haringey house into four flats and rented them out has been fined �3,000. Costas Charalambous, of Maida Vale, London, W9, was also ordered to pay �1,780 in costs by Haringey magistrates...

Buy to let landlords risk financial ruin or prosecution warns London Fire Brigade

22 Jan 2010 17:22:38 GMT

Buy to let landlords who own houses of multiple occupation (HMO) should beware as the London Fire Brigade believes many of them still don�t have enough understanding of how changes in the law made three years ago affects their premises.

Tenants deny murdering landlord whose dismembered body was found dumped

22 Jan 2010 17:22:21 GMT

The gruesome details of how a landlord was stabbed to death, hacked to pieces and then had his body parts scattered across two counties have been described to a jury in the murder trial involving two of his tenants...

BPF conference raises property investment questions for buy to let landlords

22 Jan 2010 17:22:05 GMT

The question over whether buy to let mortgages should be regulated will be among the topics being discussed at The British Property Federation Residential Conference being held on Wednesday, 27 January, at Allen and Overy, 1 Bishops Square, London.

Landlord asked to help find 'tenants' after flat fire uncovers cannabis factory

22 Jan 2010 17:21:46 GMT

Police have asked a landlord who owns flats in Dorset to assist with information on the tenants after a recent fire uncovered what has been described as a �large scale cannabis factory. What appears unusual about the operation is that it involved a number of flats in...

No price rises on 2010 Mydeposits assures buy to let landlords

22 Jan 2010 17:21:07 GMT

Mydeposits.co.uk, the pay-as-you-go insurance-based tenancy deposit protection scheme, has told buy to let landlords in the private rented sector that it has no plans to increase prices during 2010 despite an announcement by The Dispute Service (TDS) that its costs are going up by 23 percent...

Interesting year ahead for buy to let market says property investment company

19 Jan 2010 17:53:52 GMT

Landlords enjoyed a 7.6 percent annual return on their investments by the end of December 2009 according to the latest Buy to Let Index from LSL Property Services. The value of their properties rose 3 percent in the year while rental income after void periods added a further 4.6 percent.

Student union wants more protection from dodgy buy to let landlord practices

19 Jan 2010 17:53:36 GMT

Leeds University's student union has welcomed a decision fine a rogue landlord who showed a disregard for housing regulations but still believe tougher legislation is needed to safeguard tenants. The union�s comments follow a court case involving...

Sharp rise in cases of overcrowding and sub letting in buy to let accommodation

19 Jan 2010 17:53:21 GMT

A tenant eviction specialist has seen a 15 percent increase in the number of overcrowding cases it has had to deal with during the last year and believes it is a direct result of the recession. Landlord Action also says that London has more cases than anywhere else in...

Property investment in student accommodation set to pay dividends

19 Jan 2010 17:52:52 GMT

An unprecedented demand for student accommodation has resulted in the Liverpool Beacon Hill privately owned Hall of Residence being sold out within two days. The 45-unit building generates net yields of 10...

Landlord told he could face jail if fines are not paid

19 Jan 2010 17:51:50 GMT

A London landlord has been warned he could be given a jail sentence if he fails to pay a �13,000 fine imposed for not having the necessary licences for his bedsits. It follows an unsuccessful appeal by Chuba Obi of Avenue Road, Enfield to overturn the outcome of an earlier hearing in July last year which found him...

Britons turning to buy to let says minister

15 Jan 2010 15:24:22 GMT

Fewer Britons are choosing to own a residential property and are turning to private landlords and the rental sector for accommodation said Housing Minister John Healey when he addressed the Fabian Society recently. The Minister also announced the government is to release a further �290 million to help build almost...

Property investment red tape continues to head list of concerns for landlords

15 Jan 2010 15:24:05 GMT

Regulation tops private rented sector landlords� list of concerns for 2010, research from Paragon Mortgages has revealed. Nearly six out of 10 (58 percent) landlords said that they were worried about the level of regulation required in relation to the running of their property...

'Tidy returns' for buy to let investors in 2009 says property services company

15 Jan 2010 15:23:18 GMT

Buy to Let is back as a property investment class according to David Brown commercial director of LSL Property Services following the release of the recent DCLG House Price data. Brown said: "Landlords lost �23,000 in capital in 2008 on each property.

Record fine for landlord after he fails to put right 'catalogue of housing hazards'

15 Jan 2010 15:22:55 GMT

A landlord has been fined a record �6,000 by St.Helens Magistrates after the court heard of a catalogue of housing hazards at the property the rented out in Haydock to a young woman and her two children. St.Helens Council�s Environmental Health...

E.ON's Landlord's pack can help make properties more energy efficient

15 Jan 2010 15:22:14 GMT

E.ON UK, the power and gas company, has become a Recognised Supplier of the National Landlords Association (NLA). Landlords can also take advantage of E.ON�s new Landlord pack. It is an online tool that highlights how landlords can benefit from...

Landlords face triple whammy over right to obtain possession of property

12 Jan 2010 17:34:26 GMT

A landlord's right to obtain possession automatically under Section 21 is being called into question according to the Residential Landlords Association (RLA). Since the 1980s a Landlord who has followed the correct procedures has been able to obtain possession once the tenancy has ended and, says the RLA.

Majority of buy to let property investors still positive about future of market

12 Jan 2010 17:34:08 GMT

Specialist lender, CHL Mortgages, has revealed the results of its first quarterly survey of landlord customers in which they were asked their views on the current state of the buy to Let market, thoughts on the future of the sector.

Landlords face backlash from tenants who have used 'plastic' to pay rent

12 Jan 2010 17:33:53 GMT

Tenant defaults could soar over the next year amid reports that up to one million households have borrowed money on a credit card to pay their mortgage or rent over the past year, says tenant eviction and rent collection firm Landlord Assist.

Buy to let Landlord fined for not checking safety of gas fire

12 Jan 2010 17:33:34 GMT

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has again warned landlords to be extra vigilant in ensuring the properties they own contain safe gas appliances that are correctly checked and certified. It follows the recent sentencing of landlord Helen Jayne Beckett, of...

Suspended sentence for landlord who tried to illegally evict student tenants

12 Jan 2010 17:32:54 GMT

A landlord who has been letting properties to students for 30 years has been handed a hefty total of fines and a suspended sentence for not maintaining the standards of the shared accommodation and for failing to have the necessary licences for two of the 30 properties...

Fall in house prices brings new cash-rich investors to buy to let market

8 Jan 2010 17:48:45 GMT

The fall in property prices, and meagre returns from savings accounts due to the current interest rates, have attracted people who are cash rich to become new landlords in the buy to let property investment market.

Homeowners consider selling their property investment due to 'worry and stress'

8 Jan 2010 17:48:29 GMT

Around 1.75 million homeowner's state they would now consider selling their home and renting because of the affect the housing market crash has had on property investment, according to new research from Unbiased.co.uk, the professional advice website.

Buy to let market remains consistently strong says Leaders

8 Jan 2010 17:48:14 GMT

After an eventful 2009, January is still proving to be a busy time for landlords in the Buy to Let market according to letting agents Leaders. The independently owned company has found that although the sales market picked up during the course of 2009...

Time landlords have to wait to reclaim housing allowance rent arrears cut in half

8 Jan 2010 17:46:31 GMT

Residential landlords who rent to housing allowance claimants can now start action faster against those who fall into rent arrears. The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has ruled that when a tenant has already skipped one month�s rent.

Foxtons makes plans to appeal decision over 'unfair' renewal fees for landlords

8 Jan 2010 17:45:20 GMT

Any hopes that But to Let landlords and property investors would be able to claim back 'unfair' renewal fees charged by agents following last year's high court ruling against Foxtons have been put on hold for the time being as the letting agent's has announced it plans to appeal against the decision.

A year in the life of being a landlord - 2009 reviewed

5 Jan 2010 12:11:56 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has taken a sideways glance at the ups and downs in the private-rented sector over the last 12 months. JANUARY: The beginning of 2009 sees difficult conditions in the property sales market. As sales grind to a halt increasing numbers of �reluctant landlords� enter the private-rented sector.

Buy to Let landlords find out if they are winners or losers

5 Jan 2010 12:11:38 GMT

Buy to Let landlords and investors who have been selling their properties have been given an insight by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) into whether they are winners or losers as far as the stamp duty holiday is concerned.

Value of property investment begins to rise after 'annus horribilis'

5 Jan 2010 12:11:22 GMT

As 2009 drew to a close, speculators in property investment were able to breathe a sigh of relief compared to this time last year due to the fact that property values across the nation rose by �39.1 billion in 2009. Although on the face of it, this increase is...

Landlord fined �1000 for accommodation with a catalogue of problems

5 Jan 2010 12:11:02 GMT

A landlord has been fined for renting a house to a young female tenant even though the property had a catalogue of problems including rotten windows, damp, lack of heating and broken fittings.

Residential Landlord - In brief

5 Jan 2010 12:10:23 GMT

Grant Bovey, whose company Imagine Homes and its subsidiaries went into administration with debts of more than �50m last year, has been ordered to pay back more than �1m to creditors of his failed buy-to-let empire according to a report in The Times newspaper.

2010 set to be a strong year for buy to let landlords

21 Dec 2009 15:44:13 GMT

2009 saw buy to let re-emerge as an attractive investment for landlords, according to LSL Property Services, which owns the UK lettings agent network which includes Your Move, Halifax, and Reeds Rains.

Government to consider reinstating right to have LHA rent paid direct to landlord

21 Dec 2009 15:44:13 GMT

The National Landlord Association (NLA) has welcomed the announcement that the Government will explore the reinstatement of tenants� right to choose if their rent can be paid directly to their landlord. �Supporting people into work: the next stage of Housing Benefit reform�...

Landlords are becoming more confident in future of buy to let says new poll

21 Dec 2009 15:43:55 GMT

Are you more confident or less confident about the buy to let market than you were last month? This is the question Upad put to 233 UK private landlords as part of its first ever Rental Confidence Index.

Landlords see value of property investments start to increase

21 Dec 2009 15:43:22 GMT

A modest increase in the number of properties coming up for sale is having little effect on the housing market, as prices continue to rise, says the recently published RICS UK Housing Market survey. For the sixth consecutive month, more Chartered Surveyors are reporting that the number of new...

Tenant was illegally evicted by landlord's son

21 Dec 2009 15:20:24 GMT

A Pendle landlord�s son has pleaded guilty at Burnley Crown Court to unlawfully evicting a tenant from his Nelson property. Junead Hussain of Nelson admitted to forcibly removing Peter Boothman from his father's rented property on Vaughan Street in the early hours of 3 December 2008.

Buy to let returns exceed deposit accounts for first time since credit crunch began

16 Dec 2009 12:51:50 GMT

Landlords have seen the mini-boom in the rental market over the summer pause for breath, says LSL Property Services in its latest Buy to Let Index. The company, which claims the UK's largest lettings agent network, reports that while house prices in November chalked up their seventh successive monthly gain...

Landlord standards will become an even greater issue in 2010 says ARLA

16 Dec 2009 12:51:29 GMT

While 2009 was a difficult year for the entire property market, 2010 looks likely to present an even greater challenge for buy to let landlords in the private rented sector (PRS), according to the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA).

Unchanged CGT in pre budget report gives glimmer of hope to buy to let investors

16 Dec 2009 12:51:06 GMT

Comments continue to pour in about the chancellor�s pre budget report and how it will affect the buy to let landlord, and the property industry. Many mention the disappointment over the removal of the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) holiday as it had been hoped that.

Property investors face a two speed mortgage market

16 Dec 2009 12:50:49 GMT

The number of loans for house purchase in the UK reached 55,000 in October, its highest level since December 2007, according to new data released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). The amount of buyers has risen from a trough in January 2009 when only 23,000 loans were advanced.

Stamp Duty and EPCs are private landlord 's most hated laws

16 Dec 2009 12:47:50 GMT

The latest findings from research agency BDRC�s quarterly survey of 500 private landlords reveal that. If you are a private landlord, Stamp Duty Land Tax (SLDTand Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are your two least popular pieces of legislations according to...

Pre-Budget Report will not encourage property investments says FMB

14 Dec 2009 11:48:38 GMT

The Pre-Budget Report doesn�t provide property investors with the tools to fulfil the Government�s ambition to make the UK�s 26 million existing homes greener and more energy efficient, warns the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Brian Berry, Director of External Affairs at the FMB said...

Christmas cheer for landlords in lettings market

14 Dec 2009 11:48:23 GMT

Landlords and letting agents are experiencing high levels of activity in the run up to Christmas, with 65 percent of consumers currently looking for new lettings accommodation still hoping to move in before the end of the year, according to a poll conducted by...

Urgent overhaul of LHA needed says National Landlord Association

14 Dec 2009 11:48:06 GMT

The National Landlord Association (NLA) is still pressing the Government to make immediate major changes to Local Housing Allowance (LHA). The latest research carried out by the NLA shows that total rent arrears across the UK relating to LHA could be as high as �220 million.

Recession and legislation helps improves image of buy to let landlords

14 Dec 2009 11:47:48 GMT

The traditional image of the �greedy� buy to let landlord has improved as a result of the recession says Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction firm. During the property boom period, the public perception of landlords was one driven by greed, with many UK...

Buy to let landlord's property turned into a brothel

14 Dec 2009 11:47:24 GMT

A woman who rented a property from a buy to let landlord in Leeds has been using it to run a brothel under the guise of a massage parlour. It was discovered after a police decided to search of the Phoenix Massage Parlour after seeing it advertised as a brothel on the...

Buy to let investors can expect rents to start rising says RICS Lettings Survey

7 Dec 2009 13:45:49 GMT

Surveyors expect to see rent rises in the New Year as the number of rental properties coming onto the market fell for the first time since January 2008, according to the recently published RICS Lettings Survey (3rd quarter 2009).

Tenants should prepare for the return of a landlord's market

7 Dec 2009 13:45:27 GMT

Tenants who have managed to negotiate rental discounts or taken the opportunity to trade up over the last 18 months should prepare for the return of a landlord �s market, says FindaProperty.com. According to their November Rental Index, the average UK rent rose by 0.1 percent to...

Landlord pleads guilty to failing to provide safe access for pregnant woman

7 Dec 2009 13:45:07 GMT

A private landlord has been prosecuted for persistently ignoring enforcement action prohibiting the use of one his rented flats in Derby. Rajinder Narroya, aged 36, was letting a flat that could only be accessed via a steep 'makeshift' metal staircase to a pregnant woman.

Government launches crackdown on tenants who sublet council homes

7 Dec 2009 13:44:52 GMT

Tenants who are fraudulently earning thousands of pounds a year by unlawfully subletting their council properties at higher rental rates are facing the first ever national crackdown. The fraudsters often use the money raised to live somewhere else but...

Scottish council exceeds average number of buy to let landlord registrations

7 Dec 2009 13:44:32 GMT

Fife Council's Private Landlord Registration Team registered more than 7,000 landlords in Fife in 2008/09, the local Housing Partnership was told at its recent meeting. Housing and Communities Committee and Fife Housing Partnership Chair, Cllr. Brian Goodall, expressed his delight at the...

British Gas teams up with buy to let investors as a recognised supplier

2 Dec 2009 15:39:35 GMT

British Gas has joined forces with the National Landlord Association as part of the NLA�s Recognised Supplier Scheme. The firm will join 17 other NLA Recognised Suppliers in providing landlords with the products and services they need to run their lettings business and ensure they meet their legal requirements.

Top tips to help landlords keep their properties rented out

2 Dec 2009 15:39:19 GMT

In the current market buy to let landlords are keener than ever to ensure their properties are rented out. And it is equally important to all landlords to keep costs down while finding good quality tenants. To help landlords, the online company Rented! has drawn up...

Letting specialist makes a bid to help property investors buying at auctions

2 Dec 2009 15:38:59 GMT

What mistakes do property investors often make at auction? How can buy to let landlords spot a bargain? And, how can you ensure that you�re investing in a money spinner - not a money pit? The specialists at Belvoir Lettings have come up with some advice on tips to help investors avoid the auction pitfalls.

NALS encourages buy to let landlords to offer 'Lets With Pets'

2 Dec 2009 15:38:37 GMT

The UK is well known for being a nation of animal lovers, with more than 43 percent of the population owning pets. And, there's now a great opportunity for lettings agents to encourage a landlord to embrace �would be� tenants that they might have previously...

Residential Landlord - In brief

2 Dec 2009 15:38:16 GMT

The rental market is in the middle of a rectification adapting to supply and demand as the sales market continues to see further improvements. Caroline Kavanagh, Group Lettings Director at...

Landlords and agents angered by TDS subscription increases

30 Nov 2009 13:01:19 GMT

The starting gun has been fired on a deposit protection price war, according to mydeposits.co.uk. The recent announcement by The Dispute Service (TDS) of the �likely severity of the subscription increases� will cause concern for letting agents and landlords...

Landlord chief tells minister - 'If you think regulation, think again'

30 Nov 2009 12:59:44 GMT

Ian Austin MP, Minister with responsibility for the private-rented sector, was rigorously questioned about government plans to introduce a national register of landlords after his speech at the National Landlord Association (NLA) conference this week. Landlord delegates from around the country were...

FSA regulatory scope over buy to let mortgages is unclear claims CML

30 Nov 2009 12:59:29 GMT

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has a mixed response to Treasury's proposals to extend the scope of FSA mortgage regulation to cover second-charge mortgages, buy to let mortgages, and the sale of mortgage books to third parties.

Good news for buy to let investors as demand continues to rise

30 Nov 2009 12:59:13 GMT

Early indicators for 2010/11 show that student rents will continue to rise by 5 percent while high-end studios, particularly those in London, will remain static without any falls. These are the predictions reported in the Knight Frank Student Property Review 2009 which said these findings compare favourably to other...

Landlords must learn from 2009 taking advantage of 2010 opportunities

30 Nov 2009 12:59:02 GMT

Although falling house prices in 2009 offered some potential for landlords to develop their portfolio, overall it was a challenging year for the private rental sector according to James Davis, founder and CEO of Upad.co.uk, the online lettings agent.

Buy to let landlords must meet demands says power company

25 Nov 2009 15:54:01 GMT

People looking to rent homes are becoming increasingly energy savvy, according to new research from E.ON, one of the UK�s energy suppliers. E.ON�s poll revealed that 75 percent of UK tenants see the energy efficiency of a home as the key factor when it comes to choosing somewhere to live...

Plumber handed suspended jail sentence after giving landlord false information

25 Nov 2009 15:53:46 GMT

A plumber who signed the landlord�s gas safety record using a false CORGI registration number has been given two suspended prison sentences and 100 hours community service for endangering homeowners� lives in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

Don't take a chance over fixtures and fittings says National Landlords Association

25 Nov 2009 15:53:28 GMT

Inventories should not be seen as an optional extra says the National Landlord Association (NLA), which has just launched a new service to help with this aspect of the rental business. By not taking a proper inventory at the start of a tenancy, landlords are taking risks with their money, warns the NLA.

Buy to let investors team up with property organisations to campaign over Stamp Duty

25 Nov 2009 15:53:12 GMT

The Association of Residential Lettings Agents (ARLA) and the National Landlord Association (NLA) have teamed up with several other property organisations to campaign for the government to modernise Stamp Duty. Other partners in the 1808 Coalition...

Landlords given advice on how to tell if a property is being used as a drugs den

25 Nov 2009 15:52:07 GMT

At what point do you start to suspect your tenants of using your property as a cannabis factory? This is the question Jonathan Daines, co-founder of website lettingaproperty.com put to a Merseyside landlord who recently found out his tenants were in fact...

Buy to let landlords see rents increase due to strong tenant demand

22 Nov 2009 15:29:07 GMT

Rental supply has plunged by 20 percent in the last quarter due to the market going through a sharp correction in the balance of supply and demand, according to figures from a leading lettings chain in the UK. Over the last two years there has been a...

Landlord costs set to increase warns eviction specialist

22 Nov 2009 15:28:46 GMT

Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction firm, fears new regulations for social housing landlords could lead to a similar approach - and therefore more bureaucracy - in the private rental market. The Tenant Services Authority has announced plans to introduce a new �regulatory framework for social housing�, which details the standards required of landlords.

Investors wait to see what effect end of stamp duty holiday will have on prices

22 Nov 2009 15:28:25 GMT

Buy to let investors face a return to the previous bands for stamp duty when the current holiday ends on the 31 December 2009. But this could have a detrimental effect on the recovery of the housing market in regions that are already lagging behind, according to the latest...

Man who helped form NLA stands down as director

22 Nov 2009 15:28:08 GMT

The National Landlord Association (NLA) vice chairman John Socha is stepping down as a director of the organisation at its Annual General Meeting on 20 November. Socha joined the Small Landlords Association (SLA) in 1996 and became its...

Buy to let investors are avoiding new build properties claims letting agent

22 Nov 2009 15:27:53 GMT

Although buy to let investors are increasingly optimistic about the recovery of the housing market they are avoiding new build flats more than ever, reveals research by one of London�s lettings agents.

Latest CML figures prove that buy to let 'is here is to stay'

17 Nov 2009 16:04:55 GMT

Gross lending in the buy to let mortgage market grew in the third quarter for the first time in two years, according to data published today by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). At �2.1 billion, lending was 10 percent higher than in the previous three months. The third quarter also saw a similar first increase in...

Landlord group criticises North East city councillor for vendetta against students

17 Nov 2009 16:04:39 GMT

The National Landlord Association (NLA) has strongly criticised Cllr. Ron Armstrong (Liberal Democrat, North Jesmond) for continuing his vendetta against the City's student population. It follows his explanation published on the Jesmond Residents' Association...

Letting agent expelled for not protecting deposit paid by tenant to landlord

17 Nov 2009 16:04:22 GMT

A London agent has been expelled from the Property Ombudsman scheme after a complaint concerning the rental side of the business resulted in a �1,600 fine which (at time of writing) the agent has not paid. The firm, which lists properties both for sale and rent...

Housing minister reaffirms that property repossession must still be the last resort

17 Nov 2009 16:04:04 GMT

The Government is increasing its efforts to help struggling property owners get a grip on their finances and avoid the trauma of repossession, by extending a campaign offering impartial free advice, tightening rules to ensure repossession is always the...

Buy to let landlords with higher earning tenants bear brunt of economic slowdown

17 Nov 2009 16:03:42 GMT

Residential landlords who rent out more expensive flats and homes to tenants with higher incomes are facing growing arrears, according to Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction and rent collection service. While it is easy to assume that lower income...

Council tells buy to let landlords with empty properties - use them or lose them

13 Nov 2009 17:24:52 GMT

Haringey Council has stepped up enforcement action on owners of empty houses that have been abandoned for a long time, telling landlords that if they don't use them they might risk losing them. The authority has issued its warning to landlords prior to this year's...

Landlord opened new block of flats for students without HMO licence

13 Nov 2009 17:24:30 GMT

The Unite group, the UK's largest student accommodation landlord, has admitted it cannot explain why the company did not apply for a full HMO licence for a block of flats already being used in Scotland. Tenants started moving in to the 81 flats, which are...

Anger over proposals to make landlords responsible for tenants� unpaid water bills

13 Nov 2009 17:24:13 GMT

Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction and rent collection firm, is outraged by the Walker Review of Water Charging which suggests that residential landlords could be made liable for unpaid water bills left by departing tenants.

Buy to Let investors offered advice on how to reduce void periods in winter

13 Nov 2009 17:23:56 GMT

December is historically the quietest period of the year for Landlords and Letting Agents and one specialist operation says it is already seeing signs of the rental market slowing. There has been a gradual decline in property searches over the months of...

Property investors with IVAs may be forced to extend terms of their contract

13 Nov 2009 17:23:38 GMT

Property investors forced to take out IVAs due to the slump in the economy and housing market are among those being urged to seek advice as falls in property values may affect their ability to discharge their debt. Debtors who were relying on the equity in their...

2010 Buy to Let and rental market will be governed by borrowing ability

11 Nov 2009 16:26:26 GMT

Landlords will need to be increasingly open minded as unemployment remains challenging and some tenants may well be in a position where they do not have a spotless credit history. This is one of the conclusions from Caroline Kavanagh, Group Lettings...

Welcome to a new world of 'socially aware' buy to let landlords says newspaper

11 Nov 2009 16:26:09 GMT

The economic downturn has unearthed a new type of �socially aware� landlord which is good news for tenants, claims a recent article in The Times newspaper. The story explains how the public image of landlords began to get tarnished in the 1950s by the actions of people like Peter Rachman...

Landlord begins county court action against residential lettings agency

11 Nov 2009 16:25:54 GMT

A landlord has taken out county court action to recover �1,500 in rent he claims he is owed by a woman dubbed by the media 'Britain's most evil mum'. Lisa Hayden-Johnson, aged 35, who runs Torbay Residential Lettings in Torquay, was given the title after a...

Buy to Let property investors see rise in rental yields

11 Nov 2009 16:25:37 GMT

A recent increase in property sales has given buy to let investors in Essex a boost, according to a local estate agent. As more people put their properties on the market, the number available to let has dropped, leading to a rise in rental yields. Adam Johnson, lettings...

Gap between mortgage rates and base rate still a barrier to property investment

11 Nov 2009 16:25:05 GMT

The Libor rate, the rate at which banks lend to each other, has dropped and is now pretty much in line with the base rate, but lenders need to reflect this with their mortgage rates, says Andy Cuthbert, Managing Director of dot financial services.

Buy to let investors can benefit from being in vicinity of good schools

6 Nov 2009 17:27:45 GMT

Property investors with homes to rent that have access to a good school can benefit from higher demand from parents and a premium when it comes to the value of the property. Access to a good school is the single most important consideration when parents with...

Sandwich lease options may not deliver for investors says mortgage specialist

6 Nov 2009 17:27:26 GMT

As �No Money Down� financing for buy to Let investors has virtually been stamped out by lenders, sandwich lease options are now being offered as the saviour for property investors wanting to make money out of property with little or no financial commitment...

Buy to let holiday home owners urged to get their own websites

6 Nov 2009 17:27:11 GMT

Many Buy to Let holiday accommodation owners rely on property search portals rather than setting up their own websites says third quarter market research by Ecommo. The purpose of the market research was to find out about holiday accommodation owner�s internet habits and marketing profiles...

Advice for MPs who have to deal with residential landlords

6 Nov 2009 17:26:51 GMT

Sir Christopher Kelly�s review of MPs� expenses has prompted the National Landlords Association (NLA) to publish its top tips for MPs who may be about to join the millions of other renters. 1. RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH: The great benefit of renting is...

Landlords should cater for the needs of the bicycle chain gang

6 Nov 2009 17:24:19 GMT

The growing popularity of cycling to work in London is feeding new demands from prospective tenants says London�s Lettings agent. According to the London letting agent cyclists prefer properties that provide safe storage space for their bicycles and that are...

Buy to let investors see house prices rise for sixth month in a row

4 Nov 2009 19:15:59 GMT

Buy to let investors saw the value of their houses rise for a sixth consecutive month in October according to the latest figures from the Nationwide House Price data. But the strong upward momentum in property values seen over the summer is showing some...

Deposit dispute evidence caught on camera by landlords and letting agents

4 Nov 2009 19:15:25 GMT

A growing numbers of landlords and letting agents are using video footage as evidence in tenancy deposit dispute cases. Mydeposits.co.uk, one of the government-approved protection schemes, reports that its online dispute service is now receiving up to...

Landlords warned to be on the lookout for tax rebate scam

4 Nov 2009 19:15:04 GMT

The Westcountry Landlords' Association (WLA) is warning its members to beware of an e-mail tax rebate scam currently doing the rounds. A member of the association received one of the emails in October and was immediately suspicious. A warning has now been put on the WLA website explaining that the...

Furnishing company sees increase in buy to let investors returning to market

4 Nov 2009 19:09:21 GMT

Fully Furnished, the UK�s leading furniture solutions provider to the property industry has, at the end of Q3, reported an increase of 82 percent in their sales packages for buy to let properties year on year. Alec Watt, MD of Fully Furnished explained that this...

One property being repossessed every 11 minutes says Credit Action charity

4 Nov 2009 19:09:02 GMT

Despite talk of the green shoots of recovery in the buy to let and housing market, a property is currently being repossessed every 11 minutes, claims a story in the Daily Telegraph this week. The newspaper based its research on new figures from debt specialists...

'Firmer tone to the market' rekindles interest from buy to let property investors

30 Oct 2009 15:27:49 GMT

Buy to let investors are now gravitating towards houses rather than flats says the latest research from RICS' which was published this week. The RICS� new buyer enquires series also reported that demand from first time buyers has increased...

150,000 tenant evictions before end of the year predicts Landlord Assist

30 Oct 2009 15:27:30 GMT

Buy to let conditions will remain difficult for landlords in 2010, predicts Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction service. By the end of this year, approximately 150,000 tenant evictions will have gone before the courts, and with the economic downturn...

Property investment tactics exposed by BBC programme

30 Oct 2009 15:27:09 GMT

Paul Shamplina, director and co-founder of Landlord Action, is scheduled to appear on BBC London�s Inside Out programme on Monday 2 November at 7.30pm, after he was filmed helping to expose the property investment sourcing tactics used by The Ahuja Group...

Landlord ends up in court after failing to make gas checks

30 Oct 2009 15:26:52 GMT

Landlord Helen Jayne Beckett, of Lodge Hill, Addingham, Ilkley, has been fined �1,000 and ordered to pay �1,500 costs after pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 36(3) of the Gas Safety (Installations and Use) Regulations 1998 and of contravening a previous...

Estate agent recommends clients rent before they buy

30 Oct 2009 15:26:28 GMT

An estate agency is recommending to potential home buyers that they could be better off renting while they wait for the right property to come onto the market at the right price. Prime Purchase says there is currently good availability of property in the country rentals market in the prime areas in which they operate...

How to avoid being a shocking landlord

27 Oct 2009 12:48:37 GMT

With over 30 people killed each year by faulty electrics in the UK, safety specialists First Stop Safety are urging landlords to carry out regular testing on all portable electrical devices in rented properties to ensure they are safe for tenants and meet all legal requirements. According to government statistics released...

Majority of buy to let landlords still facing problems with rental arrears

27 Oct 2009 12:47:45 GMT

Although there have been positive signs for landlords in recent weeks, including a recent RICS survey which showed rents are on the up, it�s not all green shoots as some tenants are still facing financial pressures, which are leading to increased rental arrears.

Landlords must make first impressions count when dealing with tenants

27 Oct 2009 12:48:09 GMT

There�s no doubt that first impressions of properties run by buy to let landlords count when it comes to successful letting. From the moment a potential tenant pulls up outside the property for a viewing they will be assessing whether it�s the right home for them.

Requests for advice on buy to let mortgages reach a record high on website

27 Oct 2009 12:47:20 GMT

The number of enquiries regarding Buy to Let borrowing reached an all time high in the Mortgage Advice Drivers report for September compiled by the professional advice website Unbiased.co.uk. Buy to Let mortgage advice accounted for 17 percent of...

Extralet scheme for landlords relaunched by city council

27 Oct 2009 12:47:07 GMT

Landlords and individuals who own properties in Exeter that are available for rent are actively being sought by the City Council. The authority recently relaunched its popular Extralet scheme, which offers owners a guaranteed rent for the property in return for it being made available for people on the...

Bring forward the Local Housing Allowance review demands landlord association

23 Oct 2009 16:56:50 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has claimed a lobbying victory following the Conservative Party announcement that they will reinstate direct rent payments to landlords where housing benefit tenants choose, if they become the next Government.

Landlord ordered men to force tenant from his property

23 Oct 2009 16:56:20 GMT

An Islington landlord who had his tenant bundled onto the pavement was fined �10,000 plus costs at Clerkenwell and Shoreditch County Court recently. The rough eviction of Salih Aricioglu, 25, by several men instructed by landlord Levent Kaan was ruled...

Trends in buy to let market reflected by rise in tenant disputes

23 Oct 2009 16:56:03 GMT

The Property Ombudsman, Christopher Hamer, reveals in his latest quarterly report that the number of new cases concerning disputes involving lettings is still on the rise. The principal causes of disputes over lettings arise when agents are alleged to have failed to make adequate checks of tenant references...

Good news for property investors as rental figures rise again

23 Oct 2009 16:55:06 GMT

There has been a rise in rental figures for the second consecutive month this year according to figures released by Belvoir, the independent specialist letting agency. "Belvoir has over 140 franchises nationwide and the Belvoir rental index figures for...

Buy to let landlord fined for failing to provide safe access for pregnant woman

23 Oct 2009 16:54:55 GMT

A private landlord has been prosecuted for persistently ignoring enforcement action prohibiting the use of one his rented flats in Derby. It emerged last year that Rajinder Narroya, aged 36, was letting a flat only accessible via a steep 'makeshift' metal...

Landlords benefit from tribunal decision over rent arrears

21 Oct 2009 13:56:01 GMT

A Housing Benefit Tribunal decision to uphold an appeal that a tenant�s rental arrears should begin as soon as the due date has passed has been welcomed by the National Landlords Association (NLA). According to Housing Benefit regulations, a landlord can...

Buy to let investors increase rents as first time buyers are frozen out of market

21 Oct 2009 13:55:42 GMT

Landlords pushed up rents for the fourth consecutive month in September, raising them 1.2 percent. This followed a 1.4 percent increase in August. Over the last three months, national rents have risen at an annualised rate of 13 percent, outstripping the recovery in...

Eviction specialists bewildered by varying costs of HMO licences for Landlords

21 Oct 2009 13:55:23 GMT

Local authorities must change the way they charge landlords to licence houses in multiple occupation (HMO) says Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction and rent collection service. Current legislation dictates that larger houses in multiple occupation require a mandatory licence...

Property investors hope mortgage regulation plans will improve system

21 Oct 2009 13:55:04 GMT

Buy to Let property investors who have been thwarted by the lack of mortgage products now available to them will be hoping that the FSA�s intention to refine the system of mortgage regulation will have a positive affect on the market in the future.

Landlords predict tenant demand will rise even further during the next year

21 Oct 2009 13:54:31 GMT

A record number of landlords are experiencing growing levels of tenant demand, with many predicting that demand will continue to rise over the next 12 months. Paragon Mortgages Trends research reveals that just over half of landlords...

Confidence in buy to let rent levels is growing

16 Oct 2009 11:13:57 GMT

Average weighted rental returns for houses are unchanged at 5.1 percent and for flats they are up a little from 5.0 percent to 5.1 percent, compared with three months ago. This was one of the findings from the third quarter survey for 2009 of the private rented sector conducted by ARLA...

Landlord jailed after presenting false gas document

16 Oct 2009 11:13:19 GMT

A Cambridgeshire landlord has been jailed for 16 months after he admitted perverting the course of justice and four separate charges of breaking gas safety law. Istiaq Ahmed, of Green Leys, St Ives , Cambridgeshire, was due to be sentenced for health and safety...

Landlords with listed investment properties offered tips

16 Oct 2009 11:13:00 GMT

Buy to Let landlords who have invested in listed properties as part of their portfolio can get advice on how to make improvements without breaking any rules at a show taking place at London�s Olympia from 20-21 February 2010. The fourth Listed Property Show...

Local authorities must improve relations with landlords say Tories

16 Oct 2009 11:12:41 GMT

Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps MP, re-affirmed the Conservative Party�s commitment to ensuring local authorities work better with landlords during the recent party conference in Brighton. Speaking at a joint reception between Crisis, the national charity for single homeless people, and the National Landlords...

Investments for landlords who like to be beside the seaside

16 Oct 2009 11:12:09 GMT

Landlords who specialise in holiday lets in seaside resorts could have a new avenue of properties to consider in the near future. A pilot scheme to build 21 luxury beach huts is now to be rolled out...

EU could force landlords to make 'reasonable adjustments' for disabled

12 Oct 2009 12:44:58 GMT

A property specialist is concerned that new legislation from the EU could force UK landlords to convert rental properties for disabled tenants they don�t even have. Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction service, has studied the European Commission's...

Wanted - New vision for buy to let

12 Oct 2009 12:44:37 GMT

Crisis, the national charity for single homeless people, and the National Landlords Association (NLA), have joined forces to call on the Conservative Party to deliver a new vision for the private-rented sector (PRS) which focuses on encouraging growth and professional standards and tackling rogue operators...

Another council launches landlord accreditation scheme

12 Oct 2009 12:44:23 GMT

The list of local authorities offering an accreditation scheme for landlords continues to grow with news that another scheme is to be launched on 19 October in Stockton. Private landlords are being invited to join the scheme which will help support the promotion of viable and robust private rented sector housing...

Landlord and his management companies handed �32,400 fine

12 Oct 2009 12:44:06 GMT

A private landlord, and two management companies where he is a director, have been fined a total of �32,400 for failing to licence a House of Multiple Occupation and for posing a fire risk to tenants. Camden Council brought the prosecution against Alexander Begun after...

Property investors can turn to RICS to help solve planning disputes

12 Oct 2009 12:43:54 GMT

Landlords who find themselves mired in disputes and red tape when attempting to get planning permission to extend or improve their properties can now get a helping hand from RICS. The organisation has launched a pan industry Planning Mediation Service which can...

Best Buy to Let bargains being snapped up

7 Oct 2009 18:04:58 GMT

An eagerness from Buy to Let investors to snap up the highest yielding residential properties in London has seen the proportion of those offering yields of above seven percent fall by almost a quarter (24 percent) in just three months, according to figures from Letting Agent ludlowthompson.com...

Buy to let landlords ready to sit tight on their property investments

7 Oct 2009 18:04:44 GMT

Buy to Let investors are no longer reviewing the mortgage market on a regular basis and intend to hold onto their assets for the long term. This was one of the findings from the Young Index results for Q3 2009 from Young Group...

Taxation under the spotlight at free forum for landlords

7 Oct 2009 18:04:30 GMT

Landlords in West Kent who would like to find out more about taxation are being invited to attend a free event on Wednesday 7 October. The event, known as the West Kent Landlord Forum, will focus on the complex taxation issues surrounding property letting and provide an update on the latest legislation...

Campaign aims to encourage more landlords to accept pets

7 Oct 2009 18:04:15 GMT

The recent property downturn which created additional �reluctant landlords� and an over-saturated rental market has made the Dogs Trust �Lets with Pets� campaign even more important say the organisers. The aim of the campaign is to encourage more landlords and...

Lack of documentation lands HMO landlord in court

7 Oct 2009 18:04:03 GMT

A landlord who provided an incomplete application to operate a house in multiple occupation (HMO) was prosecuted by Cardiff Council recently. Mayrn Ishfaq of Penywain Road, Plasnewydd pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to have the relevant licence for...

Private rented sector 'getting back on its feet'

2 Oct 2009 15:36:01 GMT

The residential rental market is beginning to stabilise with property oversupply decreasing across the UK and the number of new tenancies increasing, according to the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA). Results from the latest ARLA survey of its members show that the historical decline in numbers of...

Buy to let mortgages could be regulated by FSA

2 Oct 2009 15:35:46 GMT

Buy to Let mortgages, which have been harder to come by in the current economic climate may soon be regulated in the say way as residential mortgages. New regulations are being considered by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) which will impose...

Residential landlords should be given tax breaks to help prevent housing crisis

2 Oct 2009 15:35:09 GMT

The only way to stop a housing crisis is to reintroduce something similar to a 1980s style system of tax breaks for institutions or business landlords, according to residential property services company LSL Property Services. The property services group says...

Identity fraudsters target renters who are on the move

2 Oct 2009 15:34:51 GMT

UK renters are falling prey to identity fraud as post is stolen and personal details used for illegal purposes. Figures released today by life assistance company, CPP, show that one in seven tenants have had their post intercepted and for some this has led to...

'There are alternatives to the Tenancy Deposit Scheme' claims buy to let specialist

2 Oct 2009 15:34:34 GMT

Letting agents who belong to the tenants deposit scheme (TDS) are facing an unavoidable increase in costs says Bryn Cole, Managing Director of Paragon Advance, which provides products and services to the lettings industry...

Buy to let market a solid investment for those in the know

29 Sep 2009 17:20:08 GMT

Rents rose sharply in August, up 1.4 percent, marking the third consecutive monthly increase and the fastest growth since July 2008 according to the latest Rental Index from LSL Property Services. The company which owns a network of lettings agents, including national chains Your Move and Reeds Rains, analysed...

Residential property investors turn to council tenants for guaranteed income

29 Sep 2009 17:19:40 GMT

Private residential landlords can benefit from renting out their properties to council tenants says a report on the Financial Mail�s website thisismoney.co.uk. In his story reporter Richard Dyson says that almost one million households on housing benefit are now renting...

Buy to let landlords warned against trying to carry out a DIY eviction

29 Sep 2009 17:19:24 GMT

Landlords should seek professional help and not take the law into their own hands when evicting tenants, warns Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction and rent collection firm. The rental market has been among the worst hit in the UK housing...

Scottish landlords prepares for tenant�s deposit protection scheme

29 Sep 2009 17:18:56 GMT

Companies involved in protecting tenant�s deposits have welcomes the announcement by the Scottish Government that it will introduce a national scheme for safeguarding tenancy deposits similar to the system now used in England and Wales.

Landlords must check agents are covered for maintenance liability

29 Sep 2009 17:17:47 GMT

Many letting agents are carrying out maintenance on rental properties unaware that they are not fully insured, putting their personal safety, professional reputation, landlords and tenants at risk according to letting insurance specialist...

Mortgage borrowers more satisfied but buy to let loans are still hard to come by

25 Sep 2009 14:18:15 GMT

A survey by Which? Money that found that the average satisfaction of customers arranging mortgages had risen from 58 percent to 62 percent appears at odds with a recent study by Paragon Mortgages when it came to buy to let...

Agent ponders 'Will Lib Dems tax on �1m properties work in practice?'

25 Sep 2009 14:14:20 GMT

The Liberal Democrats proposal to put a 'property tax' on properties over �1m is unlikely to be popular with residential landlords who operate in the �1m+ buy to let market. Leaving aside the arguments about the political merits of redistribution of wealth...

Residential landlords invited to free services exhibition

25 Sep 2009 14:14:01 GMT

A free Landlord Services Exhibition is being held by Suffolk based Waveney Council to show them the services and support available from the local authority. The council believes the private sector has an increasingly important role to play as...

More advice for landlords at Kent conferences

25 Sep 2009 14:13:49 GMT

Private landlords can learn more about improving the quality of their housing at one of two conferences in the Kentish town of Chatham this month. The events on Saturday, 26 September, and Wednesday, 30 September, have been organised by Medway Council�s Housing Team and will give landlords who...

More people looking to get into buy to let claims newspaper report

25 Sep 2009 14:13:37 GMT

Despite the problems Residential Landlords have in getting a mortgage, the Buy to Let dream is back according to a recent report in the Daily Mail. It reported that big price comparison websites were finding that more than one mortgage enquiry in 10 now...

Buy to let investors to get protection from bad agents

22 Sep 2009 16:54:16 GMT

A property industry initiative to raise standards and enhance consumer protection has been launched by The Property Standards Board (PSB), in association with RICS, ARLA and the NAEA. Its aim is to provide a focal point for the residential property sector to come...

Oxford plans for landlord accreditation scheme

22 Sep 2009 16:53:16 GMT

Oxford is the latest council to announce the launch of a landlord accreditation scheme to raise the standard of private rented accommodation in the city. Private rented accommodation makes up more than 25 per cent of the housing stock in the city and the local authority...

Landlord admits endangering tenants' lives

22 Sep 2009 16:52:50 GMT

A landlord who endangered tenants' lives through dormant smoke alarms and a perilous flight of stairs was ordered to pay more than �6,000 after being prosecuted by Newham Council. Bartholomew Akuwudike, of Barking Road, East Ham, admitted three charges of failing to comply with...

Buy to let mortgage products set to increase

22 Sep 2009 16:52:24 GMT

Although the number of Buy to Let products available has lowered to an average of 80 or so since May, this figure has remained stable and is predicted to rise in September and October as lenders launch new products in the run to the end of the year say financial specialists Mortgage for Business.

Rise in buy to let mortgage enquiries signals stabilisation in rental market

17 Sep 2009 12:49:43 GMT

The buy-to-let market is showing signs of stabilising after being hit hard by the credit crunch, says Landlord Assist, the tenant eviction and rent collection service. Their comments come following a report from internet comparison site moneysupermarket.com, which details that the level of buy to let mortgage enquiries...

Landlords not doing enough to protect their property investments

17 Sep 2009 12:49:28 GMT

Some landlords have not done enough to protected their families against potential risk if they were to die, suffer a critical illness or become temporarily disabled says research carried out on behalf of The Money Centre. Many landlords have purchased property for...

Registered letting agents to get 'licensed by NALS'

17 Sep 2009 12:48:58 GMT

With the licensing of both letting agents and landlords rapidly climbing up the housing agenda, NALS, the National Approved Letting Scheme, will offer licensing to all its existing registered letting offices from this week. It follows extensive consultation throughout...

Tenant hid relationship with landlord to claim more than �12,000 in benefits

17 Sep 2009 12:48:39 GMT

Another case involving a landlord connected with a benefit scam was heard at Cambridge Magistrates Court on Friday 11 September. Magdalene Maryszczak, of Sherlock Close was found guilty of benefit fraud after obtaining more than �12,000 by hiding the fact...

Buy to let minister to speak at landlords' conference

17 Sep 2009 12:48:12 GMT

Ian Austin MP, the Government Minister responsible for the private-rented sector, will be addressing the NLA National Conference in Birmingham in November. The Minister will join the debate on the business of letting, the impact of the recession...

Buy to let landlords must join forces to stop LHA website

14 Sep 2009 14:41:31 GMT

Millions of pounds of taxpayers� money is being wasted by the new method of paying housing benefit, the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) claims The National Landlords Association (NLA). LHA was introduced last year for new tenancies when it replaced the old housing benefit system. Under the new rules, instead of...

Buy to let rent arrears 'improving'

14 Sep 2009 14:41:12 GMT

Rent arrears on buy-to-let properties are now improving after peaking in January, according to figures released today by London lettings agent ludlowthompson.com. In January 4.5 percent of payments from the company�s managed tenants were at least a day late but that figure has since fallen by almost a third to just 3.15 percent in June...

Letting agents told to insure against landlord claims

14 Sep 2009 14:40:55 GMT

Lettings agents are being urged to protect their livelihoods and the livelihoods of their clients by ensuring they are covered by Professional Indemnity (PI) insurance. Professional Indemnity insurance covers the agent and their business for costs they may...

Landlords could slip into septic tank mire

14 Sep 2009 14:40:34 GMT

Landlords could find themselves caught up in the �crackdown� by the Environment Agency (EA) on property owners who haven�t yet applied for a licence if they own a septic tank or cesspit which drains into a watercourse. The legislation has already caused...

Property investor accused of trying to murder his wife to get life insurance

14 Sep 2009 14:39:42 GMT

A property investor and entrepreneur is currently standing trial accused of trying to run over and kill his wife so that he could collect on a life insurance policy worth �500,000. While giving evidence to Worcester Crown Court, Chloe Hollins, aged 40, explained how...

Landlord listing scheme only increases buy to let costs

8 Sep 2009 16:04:43 GMT

Launch of an online database, which shows all members of the National Landlords Association, has been criticised by Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction and rent collection service. MyNLAlandlord.org.uk has been designed by the NLA to allow tenants to check whether their landlord abides by the highest...

Landlord accreditation scheme celebrates milestone

8 Sep 2009 16:04:25 GMT

A property owned by Rochdale landlord Steven Mitchell has become the 500th to be accepted into the Borough Council�s landlord accreditation scheme. To celebrate, Mitchell was presented with a special �giant� certificate at the house in Hartley Lane, Rochdale, by the...

Unlicensed Landlord ordered to repay housing benefit to the council

8 Sep 2009 16:04:05 GMT

A Kent landlord who had already been prosecuted for running a house in multiple occupation without a licence has been ordered to pay back housing benefit for continuing without licensing the property. Paramjit Singh Bansal was fined �2,500 in November last...

Buy to let 'King and Queen' prepare their empire

8 Sep 2009 16:01:38 GMT

Landlords Fergus and Judith Wilson, who appeared in the Times Rich List, after making millions in the buy to let market, are selling their 700 Kent property portfolio according to recent reports in the national media. The couple, both former maths teachers, were...

Liverpool students to be offered prison accommodation

8 Sep 2009 16:01:14 GMT

A former prison is to be turned into low cost rented accommodation for students in the Liverpool area. Students Lettings Point, whose head office is on the Wirral International Business Park, in Bromborough, purchased the Grade II listed building formerly...

Landlords' association launches new website to help tenants check credentials

4 Sep 2009 11:17:19 GMT

Unscrupulous landlords, claiming to be professionals, are renting properties to tenants even though they lack even the most basic understanding of how to manage their lettings business claims the National Landlords Association (NLA).

Reluctant buy to let investors put unsold properties back on the market

4 Sep 2009 11:17:01 GMT

The trend for reluctant landlords appears to be coming to an end according to members of the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) who have reported a drop in rental properties coming onto the market because they cannot be sold.

Still plenty of demand from buy to let investors claims Scottish property specialist

4 Sep 2009 11:16:44 GMT

Buy to Let property investors, and agents acting on their behalf, are experiencing a shortage of property in the marketplace, according to high-end search agent Saint Property. Director Matthew Sinclair believes there are still plenty of buy to let property investors in the...

Ministry of Justice steps in to offer advice to tenants who fall behind on rent

4 Sep 2009 11:16:15 GMT

People behind with payments on their rent to residential landlords will have a new way of finding the best solution to their arrears problems with the publication of information and advice by the Ministry of Justice. New animated videos, interview clips and articles...

Landlords invited to refurbished letting agents' office

4 Sep 2009 11:16:00 GMT

The Surbiton branch of letting agents Leaders is hosting a landlord evening and the grand opening of their newly refurbished and re-branded office 19/21 Claremont Road on Thursday, 10 September from 4.30 to 7pm. Local landlords, tenants and businesses are invited to attend the event...

Value of residential property rises for fourth consecutive month

28 Aug 2009 14:25:32 GMT

The price of a typical house rose for the fourth consecutive month in August, increasing by 1.6 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis says the latest report from the Nationwide. The three month on three month rate of change, which is generally seen as...

Buy to let landlords can provide solution to housing shortage in North West

28 Aug 2009 14:25:16 GMT

The need for private residential landlords to help overcome the chronic social housing shortage in the North West is now even greater following a report that revealed the situation is reaching a crisis point. The BBC claims to have obtained figures showing that in Greater Manchester there is on average of one property for every 19 applications...

No joy for buy to let 'King and Queen' in case of the missing toilet lid

28 Aug 2009 14:24:59 GMT

A couple who have been described as the 'King and Queen' of the buy to let market after they reputedly went up the property ladder faster than anyone in Britain over the last 10 years, left court empty handed this week after a dispute involving a broken toilet lid.

Coastal town to restrict use of 'To Let' boards on sea front

28 Aug 2009 14:24:41 GMT

The East Sussex seaside town of Hastings is joining its near neighbour Brighton in restricting the over use of �To Let� and For Sale signs along the beach front. In the future letting agents will have to get permission before erecting boards. Hastings Borough Council has...

Fire safety reform still a burning issue for holiday home landlords

28 Aug 2009 14:24:20 GMT

Although it is almost three years since the law known as the Regulatory reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, was introduced in October 2006 Fire Safety Risk Assessments for buy to let holiday home owners remains 'a hot topic'.

Former buy to let entrepreneur winds up another property company

25 Aug 2009 18:06:17 GMT

Another property company set up by Grant Bovey is being wound up after only a few months of trading according to recent national newspaper reports. Bovey, who is the husband of television presenter Anthea Turner, hit the headlines last year when his buy to let business...

Buy to let deposits under threat after property company goes into administration

25 Aug 2009 18:05:59 GMT

Buy to let investors have been caught up in the collapse of a Lancashire based property company which was marketing homes in the North West of England. Dylan Harvey Residential has been placed into administration...

Young people in UK twice as likely to rent from landlords long term

25 Aug 2009 18:05:27 GMT

Leaders, the independently owned letting specialists, experienced a large growth in the level of new lets during the last two months. The company claims its 40 branches exceeded their lettings forecasts by a significant margin and broke their branch records for total numbers of properties let.

Laws must help both landlords and tenants says eviction specialist

25 Aug 2009 18:05:13 GMT

Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction and rent collection company, is supporting Government proposals to offer greater protection for the rising number of vulnerable tenants who face eviction as a result of their landlord falling into mortgage arrears.

Residential Landlord - In brief

25 Aug 2009 18:04:09 GMT

A landlord who added a fourth storey extension to his own London home without planning permission has been fined �10,000 and ordered him to pay prosecution costs of �2,571.

Buy to let market stabilises but lending still constrained by shortage of funding

21 Aug 2009 11:51:16 GMT

The buy to let market showed the first signs of stabilising in the second quarter as arrears improved significantly and the decline in new lending began to slow, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). There were 21,600 new buy to let loans advanced in the second quarter, a relatively modest 4 percent decline...

Residential landlords face new legislation over water charges

21 Aug 2009 11:51:02 GMT

The Residential Landlords Association (RLA), British Property Federation (BFP) and the National Landlords Association (NLA) are calling on Landlords to help provide information on how they pay their water charges in the face of a review on how payments are collected from residential properties...

London rental prices begin to stabilise following saturation of the market

21 Aug 2009 11:50:46 GMT

Rental prices in London are starting to level out after falling in 2008 due to an over-supply of rental stock to the market. This was the latest findings from research conducted by Winkworth Estate Agents. In 2008, as more and more sales properties were converted...

HMO landlords warned of more spot checks following successful prosecution

21 Aug 2009 11:50:30 GMT

Landlords in Luton have been notified by the Borough Council that it is undertaking a series of unannounced spot checks during the coming months on known and suspected properties operating as HMO's. People in control of these properties will be prosecuted...

Empty homes to be renovated and rented out to tenants

21 Aug 2009 11:50:12 GMT

A regional government investment of �1.5m is to be used to renovate and refurbish empty homes to bring them back into use for tenants who need accommodation. Pathmeads Housing Association, part of Genesis Housing Group, has won a contract with...

Residential repossessions fall but landlords still need to be wary

18 Aug 2009 14:45:36 GMT

Statistics released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) show that the number of residential repossessions fell in the second quarter of the year, while cases of arrears levelled off. This is a positive sign for the housing and buy to let sectors says the residential Landlords Association (RLA).

Buy to let landlords offered more help and advice at council get-togethers

18 Aug 2009 14:45:21 GMT

Two more councils are hosting special events for Landlords in September. The annual Gloucestershire Landlord Expo is being held on16 September 2009 at the Gloucester Rugby Club when topics affecting the Private Rented Sector will include...

More properties go under the hammer at auction houses

18 Aug 2009 14:45:07 GMT

Property investors and buy to let landlords looking to extend their portfolios in the current market have been targeting auction houses where bargains can often be found. Property auctioneers mustbesold.com sold 70 percent of the properties at its most recent...

Landlord may have to pay back 12 months rent to tenants

18 Aug 2009 14:44:51 GMT

A private landlord may have to repay rental income to her tenants after being prosecuted by Cardiff Council for failing to licence a property under the 2004 Housing Act. Sabiha Almas Siddique, of Rhydypenau Road in Cardiff, was sent a licence application pack by the...

Police uncover another cannabis factory in landlord's property

18 Aug 2009 14:43:48 GMT

Another landlord has been left with a hefty repair bill after police discovered his tenants were using his Scunthorpe property as a cannabis factory. Two men were arrested following the discovery and have been charged with producing a controlled drug.

UK disunited over landlord registers says NLA

14 Aug 2009 13:03:45 GMT

Confusion reigns over landlord registers, according to the National Landlords Association (NLA). Currently, each of the four countries within the UK is adopting a widely different approach to whether landlords should or should not be on a central database.

Maximum fine for buy to let landlord after tenant dies in bathroom tragedy

14 Aug 2009 13:03:21 GMT

A faulty 30 year old electric radiator contributed to a mother of two being electrocuted while taking a bath in her rented accommodation in Cornwall. The property�s landlord, Hilary Thompson, aged 82, of Portscatho, was fined �5,000, the maximum for a single charge...

Realistic selling prices help generate increase in mortgage transactions

14 Aug 2009 13:02:30 GMT

New data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders shows further signs of stabilisation in the mortgage market, but transactions are still weak on a historic basis. Lending for house purchase and remortgaging both increased in June, albeit from very low levels. There were...

Council orders demolition of landlords' illegal extensions

14 Aug 2009 13:02:11 GMT

Contractors have been instructed to demolish a rear extension of a property that had previously housed a series of illegal bedsit units in Hounslow. Landlords Din Dayal Verma and Ashok Verma had ignored demands by Hounslow Borough Council to demolish the extension at the property they owned.

First ever Landlords Expo arranged on Merseyside

14 Aug 2009 13:01:50 GMT

Landlords from all over Merseyside will be crossing the water to Wirral next month as the Floral Pavilion Theatre and Conference Centre hosts the first ever Merseyside Landlords Expo. Many exhibitors are already signed up to the event, which takes place on September...

Students unite with buy to let landlords to condemn government HMO plans

11 Aug 2009 16:53:25 GMT

Government proposals allowing councils to prevent people living in affordable shared houses have sparked furious opposition from landlords backed by the National Union of Students (NUS). Ministers want to clamp down on houses of multiple occupation (HMOs)...

Base rate stays the same but asset purchase facility increased to �175bn

11 Aug 2009 16:52:50 GMT

The mortgage market is still in limbo following the recent predicted decision by the Bank of England to maintain the base rate at 0.5 percent for the fifth month running, says Simon Gammon, head of Knight Frank Finance...

New laws could allow tenants to stay if landlord's property is repossessed

11 Aug 2009 16:52:34 GMT

Housing Minister John Healey has unveiled the plans to give new legal protection to tenants in danger of being thrown out on the street with little or no notice if their private landlord is repossessed. When mortgage borrowers have let their properties without the knowledge or consent of lenders, tenants...

Tenants still unaware that landlords must offer tenancy deposit protection

11 Aug 2009 16:52:19 GMT

There could be as many as 400,000 tenancies with unprotected deposits according to Mydeposits.co.uk, one of the Government-approved tenancy deposit protection scheme. And even more worryingly, says the organisation, some tenants are still completely...

Residential Landlord - In brief

11 Aug 2009 16:52:03 GMT

A landlord in Sussex has been fined �4,000 after being found guilty of allowing a house in Eastbourne to be occupied when a council prohibition order was in force.

Landlords have renewed confidence in rental market

6 Aug 2009 15:33:38 GMT

The challenges landlords have been facing during the recession have been highlighted in the latest quarterly survey by research agency BDRC. These challenges include rental arrears, voids, struggles with loan repayments and repossession actions against their properties, plus the burden of new government legislation...

Young, trendy and renting property

6 Aug 2009 15:33:22 GMT

18 to 30 year olds are more likely to rent than their parents according to new research by the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA). A survey of over 1,800 people revealed that 31 per cent of 18 to 30 year olds had rented three or four properties...

Buy to let agents flout discrimination law

6 Aug 2009 15:33:04 GMT

A BBC investigation claims it has discovered that some letting agents in Boston, Lincolnshire, are flouting race relations laws by discriminating against migrant workers on behalf of landlords. Secret filming techniques were used to show a Polish worker being told...

Property investment firms forced to change their Ads

6 Aug 2009 15:32:47 GMT

Twelve firms offering sale and rent back services have agreed to change their adverts or take down their websites completely after the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) challenged some of their statements made to consumers. The OFT issued formal notifications to the firms in January about advertising for...

Landlord fined after switching off bedsit fire alarm

6 Aug 2009 15:32:26 GMT

Norwich City Council has prosecuted a landlord for putting his tenants at risk by switching off his property�s fire detection system. Magistrates heard how James Abergel of Denbigh Road, let out another property in Rosary Road, as bedsits.

Landlord Shona wins NLA Property Women of the Year award

4 Aug 2009 18:04:54 GMT

Shona Davison, a landlord from Sheffield claimed the title of NLA Property Woman of the Year 2009 at the award ceremony attended by the country�s leading property entrepreneurs in London this week. 11 regional winners, the NLA Green Property Woman and...

Buy to let landlord prosecuted for poorly maintained gas appliance

4 Aug 2009 18:04:35 GMT

A Worcester landlord has been prosecuted after tenants at his property were taken to hospital on suffering from suspected exposure to carbon monoxide after complaining about the smell of fumes coming from the gas boiler. Shazad Ishaq pleaded guilty to...

Kent councils unite to form Landlords' Accreditation Scheme

4 Aug 2009 18:04:15 GMT

Seven of Kent Councils have teamed up to form the Kent Landlords� Accreditation Scheme (KLAS). The authorities taking part are Medway, Maidstone, Swale, Gravesham borough councils and Thanet, Dover and Shepway district councils.

'Blue Book' aims to assist buy to let investors when dealing with estate agents

4 Aug 2009 18:03:54 GMT

Buying a property is the biggest financial transaction that many people make and with this in mind, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has decided to reinforce the standards of its members by updating formal guidance and advice on ethics.

City works hard to ensure landlords maintain standards in HMOs

4 Aug 2009 18:03:38 GMT

Nottingham City Council, which has a dedicated team of officers to focus resources on HMOs and the issues of poor housing conditions and management most often found in this type of property, has released details of recent successful prosecutions against landlords who have transgressed their legal requirements.

Time is running out for landlords to operate sale and rent back schemes

4 Aug 2009 18:03:09 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA has issued a reminder to companies and landlords in the sale and rent back (SRB) market that the deadline for them to apply for FSA permission to keep operating is nearly here. From 1 July 2009, SRB landlords and companies have had one month to submit a complete...

Lack of buy to let regulation allowed amateur landlords to jump on bandwagon

4 Aug 2009 18:02:51 GMT

Buy to let should be regulated by the FSA believe 54 percent of the mortgage brokers questioned during research by Exact. The research by the mortgage specialists, polled 549 mortgage intermediaries, showed that two out of every five brokers said...

First time buy to let investors are 'seizing the opportunity' to start portfolio

4 Aug 2009 18:02:30 GMT

East Midlands housebuilder David Wilson has seen a rise in buy to let investors enquiring about its homes in a bid to make the most of once in a generation prices. According to the developer it is not just seasoned investors seizing the opportunity but more significantly an emerging group of first-time buy to let investors...

Buy to let lending still lagging behind in mortgage approvals

4 Aug 2009 18:02:12 GMT

Although there was a slight pick up in lending during June, buy to let lending was less positive according to the latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). The number of buy to let mortgages approved in the first three months of the year totalled 22,400.

Landlords appear in court for failing to obtain HMO licences

4 Aug 2009 18:01:54 GMT

Two landlords have been heavily fined after failing to obtain a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Licence from their local councils. Mohammed Javaid of Southall, Middlesex, pleaded guilty at Birmingham Magistrates Court and has been fined �6,000 plus costs of �3,279 for failing to have a licence.

Buy to let investors see a glimmer of hope but meaningful recovery remains uncertain

17 Jul 2009 16:15:46 GMT

Investors who have seen the value of their portfolios fall in the current climate could see an improvement as price expectations rose for the first time since May 2007, according to the RICS� UK housing market survey published this month.

Landlords are facing 'one of those years' says London lettings agent

17 Jul 2009 16:15:28 GMT

There has been an upturn in rental market activity, but rents have fallen by 5 percent and the market is still fragile says London letting agents Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward. The company, which has 50 offices across the capital, has seen more activity at this point in July 2009 than it experienced at the same time last year.

High court ruling is a victory for buy to let landlords throughout the country says NLA

17 Jul 2009 16:15:09 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA), has joined other organisations which have welcomed the recent ruling by the High Court that will see an end to unfair renewal fees for landlords where the letting agent has done nothing to earn the fee. Currently, if a landlord in London and the South East who has been...

Property ombudsman deals with increasing number of disputes

17 Jul 2009 16:14:51 GMT

Frustration with lettings agents is still the biggest cause of people contacting The Property Ombudsman and asking for help says the more recent report which covers the second quarter of 2009. The Ombudsman, Christopher Hamer, revealed that more than...

Landlords fined for breaching fire safety regulations

17 Jul 2009 16:14:34 GMT

Two more landlords have been fined recently after falling foul of fire safety regulations. Peter David Lewin was fined a total of �3,000 plus costs by Reading Magistrates for putting tenants' lives at risk by failing to take adequate fire safety precautions at his property in Caversham.

Buy to let landlords expect fairer deal from letting agent

15 Jul 2009 14:20:57 GMT

The average gross yield for rents in prime central London has fallen below 4 percent for the first time since September 2007 according to Knight Frank�s Prime London Investment Index results for June. The yield for the month was 3.79 percent...

National Landlords Association draws up list of Property Women of the year finalists

15 Jul 2009 14:20:00 GMT

The shortlist of finalists for the National Landlords Association (NLA) Property Women Awards 2009 has been announced. The awards were launched in April this year, to recognise the way savvy women are revolutionising the rental sector, and changing the role of a stereotypical landlord...

Asset-purchasing scheme has not created significant improvement in lending

15 Jul 2009 14:19:41 GMT

The Bank of England's commitment to complete the next �25bn of asset purchases within the next month suggests that the August Monetary Policy Committee meeting, coinciding with the release of an Inflation Report, may be a more appropriate time to...

Advice events kick-starts Eden's landlord accreditation scheme

15 Jul 2009 14:18:54 GMT

A free information and advice evening for landlords run by Eden District Council, has been hailed a huge success after nearly 100 people attended the event. The event was for current and prospective landlords, and aimed to provide landlords with information about Eden District Council�s Landlord Accreditation Scheme...

Buy to let landlords watch the rise and fall of rental yields in the capital

10 Jul 2009 12:26:50 GMT

The average gross yield for rents in prime central London has fallen below 4 percent for the first time since September 2007 according to Knight Frank's Prime London Investment Index results for June. The yield for the month was 3.79 percent...

Government deposit schemes still pose problems for landlords

10 Jul 2009 12:26:33 GMT

A tenancy service specialist has warned that landlords and tenants often do not realise the potential problems for them when government deposit schemes are used. The comments from Bryn Cole, MD of Paragon Advance Ltd follow a recent case in which an 81 year old widow was sued and lost the court battle even though her tenant�s deposit had been...

Landlords say plans to build student accommodation will create ghettos

10 Jul 2009 12:26:09 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has strongly condemned plans to focus limited housing resources on building potentially unnecessary student accommodation in the North East instead of sorely needed housing for families.

�30,000 bill for landlord after tenant broke his neck while escaping from fire

10 Jul 2009 12:25:49 GMT

Landlords across Derbyshire are being warned to take their responsibilities for fire safety seriously after a judge ordered one landlord to pay �30,000 in fines and costs for breaches of safety legislation. A tenant broke his neck when he had to jump from his bedroom window on the upper storey of his rented accommodation to escape a fire that had broken out.

Overseas property investors move in to Scottish buy to let market

10 Jul 2009 12:25:26 GMT

Buy to Let landlords in Scotland are facing competition from investors from Europe and the rest of the world who are turning to the Scottish housing. Overseas buyers are taking advantage of favourable exchange rates and lower house prices in order to snap up properties.

Buy to let tempts redundancy investors

7 Jul 2009 15:06:33 GMT

More than a third (35 percent) of finance professionals would be tempted to invest a redundancy payout in a Buy to Let property, according to new research from the website PropertyEarth.net. While 30 percent of finance professionals would use a redundancy payout to cover everyday living costs, property is the preferred...

Agents warn landlords: expect rental problems

7 Jul 2009 15:06:13 GMT

There has been an increase in tenants struggling to meet their rental payments, reports the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA). Two thirds (65 percent) of ARLA members surveyed said they had noticed an upsurge in the number of tenants having difficulties paying their rent in the last six months.

Buy to let investors not tracking mortgage options

7 Jul 2009 15:05:53 GMT

Buy to let investors have all but given up hope of a better mortgage deal according to the latest index results from the Young Group. Results from the Q2 2009 survey of investor market sentiment show that fewer than one in four residential property investors are tracking their mortgage options on a regular basis.

Landlords asked to help develop private rented sector strategy

7 Jul 2009 15:05:38 GMT

As the private rented sector becomes increasingly important for a wider range of households, North Lincolnshire Council is looking at how it can better work with private landlords across the area. Councillors and council officers have recognised that poor housing has an impact on many aspects of...

Landlord strategy guru moves on

7 Jul 2009 15:05:04 GMT

Elizabeth Brogan, the Senior Policy Officer at the National Landlords Association (NLA), has left the organisation after five years. Brogan joined the NLA in July 2004 and her first task was to tackle negotiations about the then Housing Bill which covered such controversial areas as tenancy deposit protection and the licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO)...

Buy to let finance in current market is key obstacle for property investors

3 Jul 2009 12:36:15 GMT

The residential property market appears to have found a floor, at least for the time being, says Simon Rubinsohn, the RICS chief economist. His comments follow the recent release of the Nationwide house price data that found property prices have risen slightly in three...

Landlord changed locks and left tenant�s belongings outside

3 Jul 2009 12:35:57 GMT

A landlord has been found guilty of criminal damage to a tenant�s belongings, as well as unlawful eviction. It is the first time a landlord in the Bradford area has been prosecuted for criminal damage. Susan Lowe of 1 Crowther Cottages, Marsden denied the charges at Bradford Crown Court relating to an unlawful eviction of a private tenant and her partner in July 2007.

Landlords given test of competency at development day

3 Jul 2009 12:35:35 GMT

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council recently held its first Landlord Development Day in its Town Hall. Marion Money, the Kent representative of the National Landlords Association, provided training to local landlords and agents who undertook a test of competency at the end of a day.

Buy to let investors invited to strengthen partnership working

3 Jul 2009 12:35:15 GMT

Tamworth Borough Council recently organised its first Landlord Summit to encourage landlords to come together to discuss issues relevant to the town. The Staffordshire authority hopes the summits will become a regular arrangement to help...

Managing agent fined after tenants suffer carbon monoxide poisoning

3 Jul 2009 12:34:47 GMT

A Staffordshire man has been fined after four people were taken to hospital suffering suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at the rented property he managed as an agent. Paul Bird was fined �2,000 and ordered to pay �2,220 in costs at Burton on Trent Magistrates Court recently after pleading guilty to four...

NLA gives evidence on landlord finance

30 Jun 2009 16:16:28 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA) was due to be called to appear before the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee this week. As part of the Committee�s new inquiry into mortgage arrears and access to mortgage finance, the NLA has been asked to give evidence on how landlords have had significant difficulties in buying and selling property as well...

RBS boss uses property conference to blast 'stand alone' politicians

30 Jun 2009 16:16:13 GMT

RBS boss Stephen Hester claimed that bank leaders and politicians stood back and did nothing as Britain went bust. He made the damning statement during a speech in front of the property industry and City minister Lord Myners at the British Property Federation�s annual conference in London.

Property investment: signs of stabilisation

30 Jun 2009 16:15:56 GMT

The property market is stabilising according to the Nationwide building society, which is basing its claim on the fact that house prices rose for the second month running in June. The Nationwide reported that house prices rose 0.9 percent this month making the annual rate of decline 9.3 percent, down from...

Buy to let developer offers guaranteed return

30 Jun 2009 16:15:29 GMT

Property developers are placing high stakes on more Brits holidaying at home this recession with buy to let holiday home deals guaranteeing good rates of return. Developer Trevor Osborne, past president of the British Property Federation, is so confident of the booming British tourism industry that he�s pledging to...

Property investors invited to set up BASE

30 Jun 2009 16:15:02 GMT

For those looking to find out more about property investment in the current financial climate, Crest Nicholson is holding an information day for investors on the 11 July at its BASE development in Brentwood. It follows the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) recent announcement that now is an opportune time for investors to start building up their...

Buy to Let property investors accentuate the positive

26 Jun 2009 15:04:48 GMT

Increasing numbers of Buy to Let investors are keen to return to the market as they believe property prices will stabilise and rise during the next 12 months, according to the latest Index results from the Young Group. Young Index is a quarterly gauge of market sentiment within the Buy to Let sector.

More support for buy to let landlords

26 Jun 2009 15:04:30 GMT

Several local authorities are attempting to support private residential landlords by holding special events and seminars throughout the year. Somerset is holding its first ever Private Sector Landlords Exhibition on Wednesday, 15 July, and it has attracted the support of all five Somerset local authorities.

Landlord and his partner gave false information about relationship

26 Jun 2009 15:04:06 GMT

A landlord who gave misleading information to help his partner claim an overpayment in benefits to the tune of nearly �25,000 was ordered before magistrates recently. Mohammed Abul Khayer was caught in a major crackdown on benefit fraudsters by Luton Council that has now resulted in 22 local residents being prosecuted.

City council cracks down on HMOs

26 Jun 2009 15:03:51 GMT

A man from Leeds has become the second landlord from the city to be fined for failing to licence a house in multiple occupation, after Leeds City Council took him to court. Mohammed Arass Butt pleaded guilty to failing to properly licence a property he owned on Stratford Terrace, Beeston.

Residential Landlord - In brief

26 Jun 2009 15:03:04 GMT

A Kent Landlord has been prosecuted by the county�s Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) for failing to ensure adequate fire safety measures were in place. Jawid Sied of Northdown Road, Cliftonville, appeared at Margate Magistrates Court recently following the issue of an Article 31...

Landlords should see easing pressure on rental incomes

24 Jun 2009 14:21:11 GMT

Rents dropped across the residential lettings sector but rental expectations suggest the trend is set to moderate, says the RICS Lettings Survey published this week. The net balance of Chartered Surveyors reporting falls rather than rises in rents fell from 48 percent to 55 percent, the lowest level in the series� history (1999)...

Fall in property repossessions will help stabilise buy to let sector

24 Jun 2009 14:21:00 GMT

The actions being taken by lenders and the government's interventions to improve support for some struggling property owners, has resulted in the CML reducing its forecast for repossessions for this year from 75,000 to 65,000. This was one of the predictions by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) in its...

Landlord Action reports record for court hearings in one day

24 Jun 2009 14:20:20 GMT

Landlord Action, a company specialising in tenant eviction, experienced a record number of hearings in one day this month when they acted for landlords in 16 court cases around the country. Landlord Action director Paul Shamplina believes that this is a sign of...

Investment properties face flood risk

24 Jun 2009 14:20:02 GMT

But to Let landlords with properties in potential flooding areas may be alarmed by latest research from the UK Climate Impact Programme (UKCIP) which suggests that 800,000 homes could be affected by floods in the next 25 years. The organisation says the government must act now in response to their warning that...

Scottish landlords urged to sign up for training

24 Jun 2009 14:19:46 GMT

A training program which aims to help landlords improve and maintain properties and enhance their property management skills is being run by Landlord Accreditation Scotland in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council at the end of the month. The aim of the partnership is to support private landlords with information and...

Buy to let landlords face new VAT laws after European Court ruling

19 Jun 2009 11:33:30 GMT

Tenants in rented residential property face a possible increase in service charges of 15 percent now and 17.5 percent from 1 January 2010 following a European Court ruling delivered on Thursday 11 June. The European Court was asked to reach a decision following a case in the Czech Republic, in which the tax authorities...

List of banned agents are just a click away for property investors

19 Jun 2009 11:33:13 GMT

Landlords can now go online to view a public register compiled by the OFT of estate agents who have been given warnings or been banned from estate agency work. Under the Estate Agents Act 1979 the OFT can issue warning and prohibition orders against...

Expelled agents agree to pay awards made against them

19 Jun 2009 11:32:59 GMT

Two estate agents expelled by The Property Ombudsman service at the end of May have now agreed to pay the awards made against them. The agents are Brooklands, of 94 High Street, Newton-Le-Willows, Merseyside, and DP Estates, of 12 Crouch Hill...

Borough offers help to homeowners forced to become private landlords

19 Jun 2009 11:32:16 GMT

Tewkesbury Borough Council has recognised that in the current climate many residents may end up as accidental landlords. The authority has therefore teamed up with LACORS to help people thinking of renting out their home. A statement from the Borough Council says: "As the credit crunch continues, many home...

City council introduces Selective Licensing Area for landlords

19 Jun 2009 11:26:59 GMT

Landlords in an area of Leeds are going to have to prove they are a fit and proper person, and that their property meets certain conditions before they are granted a licence to rent out their properties. New special powers granted to Leeds City Council cover parts of Cross Green and East End Park in which there are an estimated 400 private residential landlords.

Young people move away from property investment and prefer to rent

17 Jun 2009 10:18:54 GMT

More young people are turning to renting homes as the recession and credit crunch continues to dent the love affair with owning a property. Research has shown that historically most people aspire to own their own home, but a recent survey commissioned by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) suggests that...

Lenders must act fairly when dealing with buy to let mortgage arrears

17 Jun 2009 10:18:32 GMT

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) is publishing new guidance to reinforce that lenders act fairly in dealing with cases of arrears on Buy to Let mortgages. It follows previously issued guidance for lenders dealing with arrears on owner-occupied mortgages, which came into effect at the end of January.

Private rental sector initiative looks for 'something different'

17 Jun 2009 10:18:13 GMT

A new initiative which could see hundreds of millions of pounds worth of new investment into the private rented housing sector has received 64 expressions of interest, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) announced this week. The HCA�s Private Rental Sector Initiative (PRSI) is designed to attract institutional investors.

New minister for landlords

17 Jun 2009 10:17:38 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has welcomed Ian Austin MP as the new minister with responsibility for the private-rented sector. After two years of being in charge of the country�s rental sector, Iain Wright MP has now moved to another Government department leaving Austin.

Help and advice for landlords in South East London

17 Jun 2009 10:17:08 GMT

Landlords living or renting in South East London are being invited to a special landlord�s day at Lewisham Civic Suite in Catford on Tuesday, 23 June, between 1.30-6.30pm. Admission is free and there are free refreshments available all afternoon.

New association for landlords could be on the horizon

12 Jun 2009 12:04:26 GMT

A phoenix could be rising from the ashes of what was the former National Federation of Residential Landlords. Last month a High Court judge dismissed a legal challenge to the NLA/NFRL merger which was announced in July 2008. Opponents to the move, who said they wanted to recover the Federation for its members, are now facing a huge legal bill.

Government incentives needed to help landlords modernise rental accommodation

12 Jun 2009 12:04:09 GMT

A new incentive scheme is needed to help encourage landlords to modernise homes says the Association of Residential Lettings Agents (ARLA). With the number of properties for rent growing by over 17 percent last year, thousands of tenants are living in homes in need of modernisation...

Free advertising offered to buy to let landlords

12 Jun 2009 12:03:51 GMT

Following hot-on-the-heels of its national launch, upad, the online property rentals company, is giving away �100,000 in free online advertising to UK landlords. Between 10th and 19th June 2009, upad will allow almost 1,700 ads to be posted at no cost, enabling landlords and estate agents across the UK...

Buy to Let repossessions escalate says BBC report

12 Jun 2009 12:03:35 GMT

During the Buy to Let boom, property investors were buying places which they hadn't seen, or which hadn't been built yet, in a race to secure accommodation to rent out. But according to a recent report compiled by the BBC, for many that race has been...

Residential Landlord - In brief

12 Jun 2009 12:03:15 GMT

Three Lancashire-based companies which failed to pay over rental payments collected on behalf of landlords and failed to refund deposits collected from tenants have been wound up in the High Court following an investigation by Companies Investigation...

Tenancy deposit company attempts to clear up confusion for landlords and agents

10 Jun 2009 17:47:04 GMT

Tenancy Deposit Solutions Limited (TDSL), trading as mydeposits.co.uk, has released a statement pointing out that the company should not be confused with MTD Secure Limited trading as mytenancydeposit.co.uk. TDSL says MTD does not operate a Government-authorised Scheme for the protection of tenants� deposits within England and Wales.

Buy to let landlords told to watch out for legal and financial baggage

10 Jun 2009 17:46:47 GMT

Repossession is both devastating and a personal tragedy. But for a buy to let property investor it presents an opportunity to invest near the bottom of the market cycle at prices substantially below market value with strong yields and positive cash flow, says...

Landlords get timely reminder on how to spot cannabis factories

10 Jun 2009 17:46:29 GMT

With the launch of National Tackling Drugs Week, the National Landlords Association (NLA) is again taking the opportunity to warn landlords about the dangers of cannabis factories in their rental properties. Police forces across the country have reported a rising number of rented homes being used as...

Housebuilder claims new development is perfect for buy to let property investors

10 Jun 2009 17:46:13 GMT

Budding landlords considering purchasing a buy to let property investment opportunity are being urged to look at David Wilson East Midlands� Meadows Edge development in Melton Mowbray. The local housebuilder has six one-bedroom iLife properties for sale...

Council displays its commitment to working with private landlords

10 Jun 2009 17:45:41 GMT

Private landlords in Goole were recently invited to attend a business seminar in the town as part of a new scheme by the East Riding of Yorkshire Council's private sector housing team. The informal event, held at Goole Leisure Centre on Monday, June 8, was organised as part of the Council's commitment to working in partnership...

New legislation brought in to tame unscrupulous sale and rent back landlords

8 Jun 2009 10:19:34 GMT

With more people finding themselves homeless as a result of bad practice in the Sale and Rent Back market, the Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) has welcomed a recent FSA announcement regarding regulation. The CAB social policy officer Peter Tutton said: "We have seen where the sale and rent back sector has...

Renting to students can reap dividends for buy to let investors

8 Jun 2009 10:19:16 GMT

Renting out properties to students can help landlords beat the recession, says Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction and rent arrears collection firm. It says that while much of the Buy to Let market is in the doldrums, student letting remains an appealing prospect as accommodation remains in hot demand.

MPs turning to rented accommodation is good news for landlords and taxpayers

8 Jun 2009 10:18:57 GMT

With the controversy over MPs expenses rumbling on, a property expert is estimating that taxpayers will save more than a million pounds a year if ministers and Lords are forced to rent accommodation near the Palace of Westminster rather than buy second homes in...

Scottish landlords urged to smarten up to avoid having empty properties

8 Jun 2009 10:18:36 GMT

Edinburgh landlords are being urged to consider property upgrades to stay ahead of the competition. With more rental properties on the market than at any other time over the past five years, tenants have a wide choice of high quality accommodation with up-to-date fixtures and fittings.

Residential Landlord - In brief

8 Jun 2009 10:18:20 GMT

A BBC business journalist who said on Breakfast Television that he would eat a computer mouse if The Bank of England�s Monetary Policy Committee changed the base rate this month has been spared the microchip meal following the announcement that the...

New code of conduct for buy to let landlords explained in 'plain English'

3 Jun 2009 11:52:40 GMT

A new code of conduct and complaints system for residential landlords has been launched by the British Property Federation (BPF). The new scheme also offers a free downloadable tenancy agreement form which has been welcomed by Shelter, the housing charity.

Student tenants provide a counter-cyclical buy to let investment

3 Jun 2009 11:52:23 GMT

Rental growth and high occupancy rates continue to attract investors to the student accommodation sector, though the limited availability of appropriate investment vehicles risks frustrating attempts by individual investors to benefit from the sector, according to a new report from Savills Research.

Deposit dispute evidence against landlords goes online

3 Jun 2009 11:52:01 GMT

Buy to Let owners now face the prospect of being accused over the internet by tenants who dispute repayments of their deposits. Mydeposits.co.uk has launched an online dispute service means tenants can now make a complete claim online, something the company claims no other deposit scheme offers.

Two agents expelled by Ombudsman after failing to make payments

3 Jun 2009 11:51:47 GMT

Two estate agents have been expelled by The Property Ombudsman service after failing to pay awards made against them. One of the firms operated in the lettings market and can legally still deal with rental property despite the dismissal. Both were informed of the decision a month ago and asked for their dismissals to be delayed while they paid the outstanding sums.

Landlord under investigation after dawn raids on flats and houses

29 May 2009 11:04:41 GMT

Harrow Council has broken up a property racket which allowed a landlord to make up to �36,000 a month by cramming families into single rooms in unsafe flats and houses. Raids led by the authority found families paying up to �1,000 for one room - in some cases little bigger than a box room...

upad goes nationwide and invites landlords to join Facebook revolution

29 May 2009 11:04:22 GMT

The introduction of a �Facebook Rental Surgery� is just one of the ways upad is embracing social networking as it rolls out its rental service nationwide. upad launched in London in October 2008, offering landlords a way of advertising their properties for a one-off cost of...

Buy to let landlords warned to be on their guard as identity fraud soars

29 May 2009 11:03:58 GMT

Misdirected post and utility bills wrongly addressed to landlords or previous tenants can provide fraudsters with ready material to steal identities and gain control of financial assets. And with identity fraud soaring by 40 percent during the recession, landlords and tenants at high risk of becoming victims this type of crime....

Buy to let repossession figures are 'inflated' says mortgage specialist

29 May 2009 11:03:40 GMT

The Buy to Let industry has been reacting to the Ministry of Justice and Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) recent mortgage possessions data showing Landlord Possession Actions during the first quarter of 2009. The figures showed that 35,745 landlord possession claims were issued using the...

Female domination of lettings market to be recognised by NLA awards

29 May 2009 11:03:07 GMT

This year�s NLA Property Women Awards, organised by the National Landlords Association (NLA), is hotting up with nominations coming in from every part of the UK. Alongside the top prize is the NLA Green Property Woman Award, for those landlords who have made their lettings business and properties as...

Legal challenges to NLA/NFRL merger dismissed by High Court

26 May 2009 13:09:29 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA) is claiming a victory after the High Court dismissed legal challenges to the NLA/NFRL merger. In July 2008, the NLA believed it had come to an agreement with the National Federation of Residential Landlords to form the largest landlord association in the UK...

Lettings market in the south becoming more balanced in favour of landlords

26 May 2009 13:09:07 GMT

There is a shift in the lettings market in the south from one that has been more favourable to tenants over the last few months to a more balanced market claims a leading lettings agent. Leaders� managing director, Paul Weller, said: "Whilst it is still more of a tenants'...

Landlords and tenants should vote with their feet on letting agents

26 May 2009 13:08:46 GMT

Letting agents came in for some harsh criticism over the way they dealt with tenants in the �Let Down� report published by the Citizens Advice Bureau recently. But tenants are not the only victims of excessive letting agents fees and poor service, says Smartlandlord.co.uk...

Buy to let landlord prosecuted for breach of notices

26 May 2009 13:08:26 GMT

A private residential landlord has been fined after Rugby Borough Council took a second prosecution against him for failure to comply with 12 improvement notices. Nasir Ali of Manor Road in Rugby, had previously been prosecuted by the Council in August 2007 for the same offences, and was then fined �2,500 plus costs...

Extra costs may stop investors entering buy to let market

26 May 2009 13:08:03 GMT

The increasing costs of becoming a landlord may deter people from entering the Buy to Let market, warns Landlord Assist, the tenant eviction and rent collection company. Their comments come following the release of Government proposals aimed at regulating the property rental market. Under the new scheme, landlords...

'Flipping' MPs could hurt property investors warns accountants

22 May 2009 13:12:58 GMT

Buy-to-Let owners who gain substantial tax advantages by �flipping� second homes could now lose out due to the current controversy surrounding MPs expenses. The ability to generate tax free income by �flipping� relies on tax law which, somewhat ironically, was extended in the last recession to help individuals forced to...

Landlords and tenants being 'ripped off' by letting agents says Citizens Advice

22 May 2009 13:12:13 GMT

Private tenants are being badly let down by a system that allows letting agents to operate completely unchecked, routinely ripping off tenants by imposing unjustified and excessive charges and providing a poor or non-existent service, claims a new report from Citizens Advice.

Number of buy to let landlords taking on benefit claimant tenants has doubled

22 May 2009 13:11:45 GMT

More of Britain's private residential landlords are renting their properties to housing benefit claimants according to the latest Landlords Panel report from research agency BDRC (www.bdrc.co.uk). Buy-to-Let mortgages are increasing in cost and reducing in availability, but many private tenants are under increased financial...

Worcestershire landlord appointed as new NLA board director

22 May 2009 13:11:27 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has announced the appointment of a new member of the Board of Directors. Sussanne Chambers, a Worcestershire landlord for 21 years and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, is described as having a passion for property management and her...

TV star hands over prize for 'Best Large Letting Chain'

22 May 2009 13:10:49 GMT

National letting agents Martin & Co has been awarded the UK�s �Best Large Letting Chain� at the Estate and Letting Agency Awards (ESTAs) in London. The award was presented to Ian Wilson Managing Director of Martin & Co by media personality and journalist Phil Spencer of Channel 4�s...

Landlords' body opposed proposed collection of rental property addresses

18 May 2009 19:13:06 GMT

Government proposals for a register of English landlords would require landlords to list both their own details and those of their rental properties. The proposal, one of many recommendations included in the Government�s recently published response to the Rugg Review into the private rented sector, is for a register to be run by an independent organisation.

Buy to let lending continues to fall

18 May 2009 19:12:49 GMT

New buy to let lending fell for the sixth consecutive quarter in the first three months of 2009, reflecting the continuation of extremely challenging funding conditions as well as general housing market weakness, the Council of Mortgage Lenders has reported.

Investment property repossessions rise but outlook less gloomy says CML

18 May 2009 19:12:16 GMT

Buy to Let owners were among the 12,800 first charge mortgage repossessions in the first quarter of this year, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. The figure compares with 10,400 repossessions in the fourth quarter of last year, and 8,500 in the first quarter of 2008.

Rent guarantee package offered to help landlords combat arrears

18 May 2009 19:12:00 GMT

In a bid to safeguard its landlords, Lighthouse Property Services is including 12 months� Rent Guarantee insurance as standard within its private sector management packages. The change by the letting agent followed increasing reports that tenants are falling into rental arrears as the recession bites.

Even smart landlords lose out when tenants get behind

18 May 2009 19:11:31 GMT

By the time a landlord gets a possession order, unwanted tenants have very often already left owing thousands of pounds, Landlord Action partner Paul Shamplina has told The Telegraph. Shamplina, who has been responsible for around 14,000 tenant removals, was the subject of a...

Buy to let landlord registration will have 'little effect'

14 May 2009 11:49:26 GMT

Introduce a national registration system for landlords will not have the required effect, fears Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction and rent collection service. Plans being floated by the Government would require all private landlords to be registered before being permitted to let residential property.

Scottish landlords see rents fall amid glut of properties to let

14 May 2009 11:49:11 GMT

Private sector rents are falling throughout Scotland according to research by Citylets, an online letting portal.Levels of rental stock are rising as more home movers are forced to let their unsold properties. This is causing rents to drop, despite high demand, and increasing the likelihood of void periods for...

Tenant referencing highlighted as leading cause of letting agent disputes

14 May 2009 11:48:28 GMT

Disputes involving lettings agents have shown a slight rise of three percent this quarter, although the figure is way down on the 200 percent rise over the whole of last year as many more lettings agents joined the Property Ombudsman redress scheme. As in 2008, the most prominent reasons for disputes arising from...

Rents to landlords among payments highlighted in MPs expenses controversy

14 May 2009 11:48:04 GMT

The investigation into MPs expenses has drawn attention to some payments claimed for renting second homes from residential landlords. Newspapers highlighted one example in which Sinn Fein chiefs Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness and the party�s three other MPs claimed �310,000 to rent second homes...

Mortgages choice falls dramatically for buy to let investors

14 May 2009 11:47:51 GMT

New buy to let landlords face a difficult task finding a suitable mortgage warns the price comparison website moneysupermarket.com. Its research shows that in the last two years the number of buy to let mortgages available has fallen from 4,384 to just 213 - a reduction of 95 percent.

Government plans landlord licensing

11 May 2009 14:38:00 GMT

Rapid growth in private landlords in England and Wales has resulted in more tenants being exploited and abused by unscrupulous operators says the government. Ministers are now drawing up plans that would force all private landlords to pay a registration fee before they could rent out a property.

Voluntary licensing scheme for letting agents

11 May 2009 14:37:47 GMT

The need for letting agents to be licensed came into the spotlight again this week when two different stories on the subject emerged. The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) has proposed a voluntary licensing system, but this could be overshadowed by a proposal by Margaret Beckett, the housing...

Buy to let landlord convicted of benefit fraud

11 May 2009 14:37:20 GMT

A landlord has been convicted of benefit fraud amounting to more than �8,000 after failing to let the local authorities know that some of the tenants he received housing benefit for had moved on. Eugene Burton, aged 57, of the Mersey House Caravan Park, in Partington, near Manchester, pleaded guilty to being...

Bank of England keeps base rate at 0.5 percent

11 May 2009 14:37:03 GMT

The Bank of England�s Monetary Policy Committee has voted to maintain the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves at 0.5 percent. The Committee also voted to continue with its programme of asset purchases financed by the issuance of central bank reserves and to increase its size by...

Television programme whats to hear from buy to let landlords

11 May 2009 14:36:40 GMT

Landlords are being asked to help in the making of a programme on pensions for ITV1�s Tonight with Trevor McDonald. The programme makers want to speak to buy to let property investors who have decided that this is a better way to boost their retirement fund rather than making pension contributions.

HCA launches private rented sector initiative in a bid to attract investors

6 May 2009 17:21:02 GMT

Pension funds could be encouraged to invest in the private rental sector in a bid to help boost the housing market as part of a new proposal by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). The organisation has launched an expression of interest process for the new initiative...

Women buy to let investors offer a little bit extra

6 May 2009 17:20:21 GMT

Women in property are positive about the future with 62 percent planning to expand their property portfolio in the next 12 months and a further 32 percent admitting that the credit crunch has had no impact on their portfolio plans. These were the findings of a survey by National Landlords Association (NLA) which also...

Yorkshire and the Humber top list of cheapest rents in UK

6 May 2009 17:20:04 GMT

The average monthly rental bill has grown by �4 (1 percent) to �638, according to lettings agent, Your Move. But it�s not all bad news for tenants. Those who sign up for a lease now, are saving �1,020 a year on their rent compared to those who signed up last summer.

Good Scottish landlords being let down by compulsory registration scheme

6 May 2009 17:19:47 GMT

Shelter Scotland has called for a review of the compulsory landlord registration scheme, introduced three years ago to protect tenants, after it discovered that one in four rented properties were not registered. The charity�s director Graeme Brown insists there needs to be a better enforcement of the scheme despite claims from the government that it is working efficiently.

Council introduces selective licensing scheme for private landlords

6 May 2009 17:19:31 GMT

A licensing scheme for private landlords was launched last week in parts of Hartlepool. The local authorities have stressed that the overall aim is to improve the management of the private rented sector. The selective licensing came into force on Friday (May 1).

Chancellor's budget fails to incentivise buy to let landlords says ARLA

6 May 2009 17:14:41 GMT

The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) has labelled the Chancellor�s recent Budget, 'wholly unsatisfactory' for having failed to improve rental housing stock for a growing number of tenants. Ian Potter, operations manager of ARLA said: "Alistair Darling had a clear opportunity to improve the bottom end of the rental market and...

Landlord has to pay �7,515 after ignoring improvement notice

6 May 2009 17:52:04 GMT

The landlord of a property in Newham has been heavily fined in Stratford Magistrates Court for serious breaches to the Housing Act 2004. Kuldip Singh Minhas claimed he was waiting for his tenant to move out before undertaking the improvements...

Council's proposal to become a private landlord comes under fire

6 May 2009 17:14:11 GMT

A plan by Camden Council to privately rent out some of its housing stock to help generate revenue for the authority�s coffers has received a frosty response from residents in the North London Borough. It has been revealed that Camden is looking at renovating up to 500 properties which would then be rented out to tenants on the open market.

Neighbours complain after buy to let investor leaves rotting waste in garden

6 May 2009 17:13:55 GMT

A buy to let landlord has come under fire for allowing huge piles of rubbish and rotting waste to build up in the garden of one of his properties. Morteza Saffar, who it is believed owns around 50 properties in the Norwich area, has already been the subject of controversy...

Landlord's agent gets suspended prison sentence for benefit fraud

6 May 2009 17:13:09 GMT

A 58 year-old man from Normanhurst, Ashford in Middlesex, has been given a suspended prison sentence for having fraudulently received benefits amounting to �9,400.01 between July 2007 and June 2008 to which he was not entitled.

OEA chairman commits to improving quality of service in residential lettings sector

22 Apr 2009 19:23:26 GMT

Lord Richard Best, a prominent figure in the UK housing sector, has become chairman of the independent council that oversees the Ombudsman for Estate Agents scheme. A leading authority on social provision in the UK who was recently appointed to lead a new Commission on the Future for Housing in Northern Ireland...

No hiding place for slum landlords in Glasgow

22 Apr 2009 19:23:05 GMT

A campaign by the Evening Times in Scotland to highlight shocking cases of over-crowding and sub-standard housing in places like Govanhill in Glasgow has led to a warning from housing minister Alex Neil that there will be no hiding place for slum landlords in the city. The SNP minister told the newspaper that he would use whatever powers are at his disposal to...

What the media says about Buy to Let this week

22 Apr 2009 19:22:43 GMT

IF an alien landed in the capital, it would be forgiven for thinking that we�d been taken over by 'To Let' boards, says The London Paper which covers the pluses and pitfalls about renting in the Capital in a feature by Peter Knight. IN 2006, Buy to Let mortgages were among the most searched subjects on the internet...

Hull landlords given some warming news

22 Apr 2009 19:22:25 GMT

Private residential landlords in Hull are being informed that they may be eligible to have gas central heating installed in their properties at a reduced rate under a discounted gas central heating scheme. It is one of the pieces of help and advice being offered by...

Residential Landlord - In Brief

22 Apr 2009 19:22:00 GMT

A residential landlord has pleaded guilty to defrauding his local authority of benefits intended to help a tenant who had moved out. Tarlochan Dhaliwal, aged 28, of Park Crescent, Erith, Kent, admitted defrauding Bromley Council of housing benefits totalling...

Former motor racer points out pitfalls of becoming a Buy to Let landlord

20 Apr 2009 12:38:46 GMT

The law in this country is not very helpful to good landlords. This is the opinion of motor racing legend Stirling Moss who built up a Buy to Let property portfolio following his retirement from the circuit in his early 30s after a crash which nearly killed him...

Tax breaks for big investment companies will be to the detriment of small landlords

20 Apr 2009 12:38:24 GMT

Will The Government Ignore Its Own Report On The Private Rented Sector? This is the question being posed by David Lawrenson, an independent property expert and author. He said: "I see the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) would like institutional investors to support the private rented sector by trying to get them to build lots of new build homes...

Former landlord threatened with jail after cutting corners on gas safety

20 Apr 2009 12:38:06 GMT

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a warning to landlords about cutting corners with gas boilers after magistrates ordered an Essex man to pay �20,000 in fines and court costs. Former landlord Adrian Ellis admitted five breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998 when...

Council hosts Private Landlords Forum

20 Apr 2009 12:37:48 GMT

South Staffordshire Council is hosting an event for residential landlords who rent houses privately in their area. The Private Landlords Forum is being held on Wednesday 22 April, at the Council Offices in Codsall, starting at 6.30pm. The key speaker at the event will be Wayne Owen from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE)...

Scottish landlords urged to attend private rented sector training sessions

20 Apr 2009 12:37:24 GMT

Aberdeenshire landlords are being invited to sign-up for a series of training sessions which aim to promote best practice in the private rented sector. It has been organised by Landlord Accreditation Scotland in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council.

Semi-detached houses top list in 'reluctant rentals' market

17 Apr 2009 14:26:13 GMT

The Association of Residential Lettings Agents (ARLA) has found further proof that a glut of inexperienced landlords is being created as more frustrated sellers turn to the lettings market. Lettings agents responding to the ARLA Members� Survey of the Private Rented Sector reported an increase of property coming onto...

The rise and fall of buy to let holiday home ownership

17 Apr 2009 14:25:52 GMT

Growth has slowed to a near standstill in some of the recognised Buy to Let holiday home hotspots such the South West of England and East Anglia, where numbers are up by just 0.7 percent says Savills Research department. There have also been significant falls in second home ownership in areas such as...

Buy to let landlords offered chance to debate the future of eco towns

17 Apr 2009 14:25:30 GMT

Residential Landlords who are keen on going green have been watching the proposals for eco towns with interest since the Government announced it would consider plans put forward by local authorities. Since the announcement, 45 councils have come forward with plans for new homes and jobs to respond to...

Vandalised investment property features on Facebook website

17 Apr 2009 14:25:10 GMT

The practice of uploading photographs on to Facebook, the internet social networking site, led to one landlord discovering that her property was being damaged and abused by her tenants. Carolyn Lorimer was looking at some of her friend�s photographs of a party she had attended when she noticed the venue was very...

Pet dog found hanged after landlord tells owner it can't stay

17 Apr 2009 14:24:50 GMT

A man who hanged his mother's springer spaniel after her landlord told her she couldn�t keep it in the property she was renting, has been jailed by Bradford Magistrates for 24 weeks and banned from owning animals for life.

Rail improvements will enable landlords to charge higher rents in new 'hotspots'

14 Apr 2009 19:08:24 GMT

Buy to Let investors looking for places where rents are likely to increase in the next few years will be looking at the planned improvements to the UK rail network which will attract commuters needing accommodation within easy reach of London...

Buy to Let landlords 'penalised' by tenancy deposit protection legislation

14 Apr 2009 19:08:07 GMT

Landlords are becoming the victims of the recession and need to be protected from problem tenants, says Landlord Assist, the tenant eviction and rent recovery specialists. Their comments follow recent figures published by mydeposits.co.uk, that state that when disputes go to adjudication 91 percent are settled in the tenant's favour...

Property investors told to act now to avoid EPC fines

14 Apr 2009 19:07:53 GMT

Landlords should be aware of the hefty fines that will now be imposed if they don�t adhere to the latest legislation, which makes it a legal requirement for all residential properties to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) as part of a HIP before they can be marketed for sale, or a standalone EPC for pre-marketed lettings...

Courts ask to defer possession of rented accommodation if landlord defaults

14 Apr 2009 19:07:37 GMT

The property industry is broadly supporting a joint campaign recently launched to protect tenants who face sudden homelessness because their rented accommodation is repossessed, but issued a reminder that it was often the non-payment of rent that...

Updated RICS Code of Practice given government seal of approval

14 Apr 2009 19:07:13 GMT

RICS Code of Practice for Service Charge Management published today (6th April 2009) has received Government approval from the housing minister, Iain Wright MP, Communities and Local Government. The code of practice, first published in 1997, has...

Judge says buy to let landlords need to protect the public

9 Apr 2009 14:23:04 GMT

A landlord with 193 properties across the UK has been put on notice not to repeat the failings that led the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to prosecute him for not complying with an Improvement Notice served on him to provide one of his tenants with a gas safety...

Landlords see property rents fall again in Central London

9 Apr 2009 14:22:42 GMT

Demand for rental property in Prime Central London has increased by 20 percent over the past year, but this has been more than offset by a 67 percent increase in supply says Knight Frank. The letting agent reports that this has led to rents in the Capital falling by 7.4 percent during the first quarter of the year - the second largest...

Tenants warned to watch out for bogus landlords in new online rental scam

9 Apr 2009 14:22:21 GMT

Prospective tenants looking for a flat or house to rent are being warned about a new online rental property scam. When they make contact with the 'landlord' the potential tenant is asked to show they can afford to pay a deposit by transferring money to a friend or relative using a money transfer agent like Western Union...

Safe houses for Kensington and Chelsea buy to let landlords

9 Apr 2009 14:20:03 GMT

Residential Landlords with properties in the swanky London borough of Kensington & Chelsea will be pleased that new research has found this area to be the safest place to live in England and Wales. The risk of criminal damage, burglary and flooding was found to be by far the lowest, while at the other end of the...

New HIPs rules are not beneficial to buyers or sellers say property professionals

9 Apr 2009 14:19:43 GMT

The controversy over Home Information Packs (HIPs) rumbles on with one group of property professionals claiming they are stopping people from putting their properties up for sale. HIPs were back in the headlines this week because from now on property investors and other homeowners must make one...

Local Housing Allowance failing both landlords and tenants

7 Apr 2009 15:29:30 GMT

Major changes to the way housing benefit is paid to tenants wastes millions of pounds and will result in increased homelessness, according to a piece of research just published by the National Landlords Association (NLA). Local Housing Allowance (LHA) was introduced for new tenancies in April 2008 when...

Letting agent loses in fight against'unfair terms' for landlords

7 Apr 2009 15:29:12 GMT

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has been given further backing in its attempts to prevent Foxtons from using what it considers to be unfair terms in its lettings agreements with landlords. A Court of Appeal Judgment has confirmed the OFT�s views on the application of the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contract...

HIPs update puts brakes on sales of investment property

7 Apr 2009 15:28:59 GMT

Landlords selling their properties must now have a HIP in place � not just ordered - before it can be put on the market. From 6 April 2009 it also became necessary for vendors to complete a new Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) detailing important...

Jail for buy to let landlord who refused to pay fines

7 Apr 2009 15:28:30 GMT

A landlord, whose methods had been the subject of a BBC documentary, has been given a 12 month jail sentence for refusing to pay the �20,000 he had been fined for various indiscretions. Christopher Mincham had been given a �16,000 fine for fly tipping on Hayling Island and a further �4,000 for renting out a property...

Buy to let landlords responsible for tenants� recycling

7 Apr 2009 15:23:21 GMT

The London Borough of Hounslow is reminding private residential landlords that it is their responsibility to ensure that their tenants are disposing of their waste correctly. In its latest newsletter it says landlords should make sure all tenants know how and where to dispose of their rubbish, and how to recycle as much...

Landlords warned on gas safety changes

2 Apr 2009 11:52:47 GMT

There have been changes in the legislation regarding gas safety in rented property. From the 1 April 2009, engineers must now be registered with Gas Safe Register, which replaces CORGI as Great Britain�s gas safety body and is now the new hallmark for gas safety in the UK.

One in three Buy to Let landlords have rent in arrears

2 Apr 2009 11:52:35 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has published research revealing 37 percent of landlords currently have tenants in arrears. Looking back over the last six months, 44 percent of landlords have experienced rental arrears. This goes some way to explaining the significant rise in repossessions...

Tenancy deposit growth means more buy to let disputes

2 Apr 2009 11:51:56 GMT

At the approach of the second anniversary of mandatory tenancy deposit protection next week (Monday, 6 April), the Tenancy Deposit Scheme reports that it is protecting over �800 million pounds in tenants deposits, an increase of a quarter of a billion pounds in less than 12 months.

Third of landlords unprepared for digital switchover

2 Apr 2009 11:51:34 GMT

Over half of private sector rental properties in England and Wales are still not fully ready to go digital, despite the fact that switchover has already begun, according to research carried out by Sky. The company carried out detailed physical surveys of 129 blocks of flats...

Accidental landlords offered more advice

2 Apr 2009 11:51:13 GMT

As a growing number of accidental landlords continue to enter the market, email4property.co.uk, a UK network of estate agents, has launched an online guide for first time landlords. The guide offers new landlords advice on all aspects of the lettings market from tips on selecting a lettings agent to information on the ongoing...

Property investors attracted by higher buy to let returns

30 Mar 2009 19:12:31 GMT

There has been a renewed interest in the buy to let sector, reports Knight Frank�s residential development team, because it looks more attractive to invest in property rather than leaving savings in the bank not making any returns right now.

Landlords told 'go part furnished for letting success'

30 Mar 2009 19:12:13 GMT

Residential Landlords are often tempted to offer a property unfurnished, to save both time and money, but given that there are no strict rules on furnishing a property, this could turn out to be a major factor in attracting a suitable tenant. Carl Mimmack from letting agent Accord, which has offices in...

Scots happier than English with their landlords

30 Mar 2009 19:11:53 GMT

NLA Scotland has welcomed the review of the private-rented sector published today by the Scottish Government indicating that Scottish tenants are marginally happier with their landlords than tenants south of the border. The review, highlighting the greater role Scotland�s private residential landlords...

Not buy to let, but build to let

30 Mar 2009 19:11:25 GMT

Until the property market settles down, there will be an increased demand for private rental housing. However, the buy to let market will remain muted at this time. This was one of the statements made by residential experts from CB Richard Ellis at a recent...

Council tells landlords 'work with us or face the consequences'

30 Mar 2009 19:10:59 GMT

Housing officers called in to investigate a complaint of damp, mould, rats and rubbish in rented accommodation in the London Borough of Hounslow discovered that although the shared house had originally been registered, the company who managed the property had sold it on.

NFRL landlords to be questioned over disputed NLA merger

26 Mar 2009 13:44:57 GMT

The dispute over the merger between the National Federation of Residential Landlords (NFRL) and the National Landlords Association (NLA) took another turn during High Court proceedings in London last Thursday. Following instructions by the judge, the legal teams representing those involved were told to draw up a list of questions that could be put to the NFRL.

Rents fair better than property prices

26 Mar 2009 13:44:37 GMT

Rents dropped across the residential lettings sector as would-be-sellers continued to flood the rental market with unsellable properties, says the recently published RICS Lettings Survey. Between the third and fourth quarters of 2008, the net balance of Chartered Surveyors reporting rises (rather than falls) in rents fell...

Letting specialists demands protection for landlords

26 Mar 2009 13:44:21 GMT

The 200 percent annual increase in letting-related complaints reported by Christopher Hamer, the Ombudsman for Estate Agents highlights the need for the public to be more aware of rapid changes in the property letting industry claims the MD of a nationwide lettings agency.

One and two bedroom properties best for London property investors

26 Mar 2009 13:43:57 GMT

The time is ripe for would-be landlords in London, believes James Davis, founder of online property rental site, upad.co.uk. Davis does not agree with reports that London property rental prices have decreased by 15 percent over the last year, although he does...

Top guns provide top buy to let yeilds

26 Mar 2009 13:43:34 GMT

Buy to Let investors who purchase a new George Wimpey property at The Presidents near Mildenhall or Concept in Red Lodge, Suffolk can enjoy yields of between 6 and 10 percent according to local rental agents.

Agents call for rental sector protection

23 Mar 2009 18:25:23 GMT

The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) has called on Chancellor Alistair Darling to strengthen his proposals to protect tenants from repossession, alongside urging the Treasury to implement measures to increase both supply and quality in the private rented sector.

Landlords suffer unplanned drop in rents

23 Mar 2009 18:24:51 GMT

First there were 'accidental landlords' and now there are 'unplandlords' according to a website which claims to feature more than 100,000 rental properties. According to Gumtree.com rental prices in the UK have dropped dramatically in the last quarter, by as much as 6 percent in some areas, due to the knock-on effect of...

Tenant lottery leaves landlords at risk

23 Mar 2009 18:24:37 GMT

You probably wouldn�t leave your credit card in a stranger�s hands for fear of what damage they might do with it, so why are residential landlords so willing to leave one of the most expensive things they own - their property - in the hands of strangers they know nothing about? A new survey by buy to let specialist...

Buy to let disputes double

23 Mar 2009 18:24:26 GMT

Ombudsman for Estate Agents Christopher Hamer is seeing a major switch towards disputes covering lettings as the profile of the property market changes. During 2008, the period covered by his latest annual report, membership of an agents� Ombudsman scheme rose by 17 percent. At a time when overall sales activity across the market dropped by as much as...

Landlords fail to claim energy efficient tax allowances

23 Mar 2009 18:22:26 GMT

Residential Landlords are not claiming back tax on energy efficient improvements they have made to their rental properties, according to a recent HMRC report. As a result of this hundreds of thousands of pounds are going unclaimed each year. Landlords can claim back the costs of buying and installing energy...

Rise in uni applicants is boost for buy to let landlords

17 Mar 2009 16:41:52 GMT

Property investors who specialise in student accommodation are preparing for a bumper year, as poor unemployment prospects drive a surge in university applicants keen to avoid entering the current job market. University applications increased 8 percent in...

NLA helps landlords weed out cannabis factories

17 Mar 2009 16:41:30 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA) is warning residential landlords to be vigilant of the way their properties are used, following a BBC news report into cannabis factories. Although this is not a new problem, the NLA is reminding landlords to be aware of what could be going on behind the doors of...

Buy to let investors face a 'ticking time bomb'

17 Mar 2009 16:41:12 GMT

Thousands of landlords could lose their buy to let investments as they struggle to meet repayments once interest rates return to more normal levels, warns Property Portfolio Rescue. The property recovery specialist estimates that landlords could make up over 20 percent of all repossessions by the end of...

New service helps identify trustworthy landlords

17 Mar 2009 16:40:25 GMT

The Landlord Accreditation Scheme in Wales has launched a brand new service, The Landlord Finder, to help tenants identify reputable residential landlords and agents. The new finder can be found on the Landlord Accreditation Scheme website Welshlandlords.org.uk. It gives details of landlords who have...

Free entry for buyers and sellers at property auction

17 Mar 2009 16:34:34 GMT

Residential landlords and buy to let investors looking to buy or sell property can take advantage of what the organisers are claiming is the UK�s first free national property auction. Property auctioneer Pattinson, the company launching the new scheme...

Road to recovery presents buy to let landlords with more rental opportunities

11 Mar 2009 16:30:56 GMT

Buy to Let investors who have seen the value of their homes decline will be hoping Savills research department is right when it says the worst of the falls in the residential market could be over. Savills warns further price falls are expected but changing market conditions mean that the rate of fall may not be as great as it has been.

Investment specialist fears rate cut will widen gap between mortgage offers

11 Mar 2009 16:30:35 GMT

The decision by the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to reduce the base rate by a further 0.5 percent will broaden the divide between the mortgage �haves� and �have nots� says Neil Young, CEO of the Young Group.

York landlords get a glimpse into the future of the private sector

11 Mar 2009 16:30:16 GMT

City of York Council has published its Private Sector Housing Strategy 2008-2013. It sets out how the council and its partners will work to improve the condition and management of owner occupied and privately rented homes in York. The last private sector housing strategy was published in 2003 and the new...

Landlord prosecuted for unlawful eviction

11 Mar 2009 16:29:44 GMT

Portsmouth City Council has successfully prosecuted a landlord for unlawfully evicting a tenant. The landlord was given a 12 month community order involving 150 hours of unpaid work by Portsmouth Magistrates. He was also ordered to pay �650 towards court costs. The eviction occurred after a dispute about payment of rent.

ASBOs for estate agents? Must be a sign of the times

11 Mar 2009 16:28:19 GMT

ASBOs are being introduced by councils in an attempt to stem the tide of To Let and For Sale boards posted all over their boroughs. Anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) are usually associated with teenage hoodies making a menace of themselves.

Property investment: average house price now �157k

6 Mar 2009 14:31:37 GMT

Residential landlords keeping an eye on the value of their property investments in the current economic climate won�t welcome the fact that the average house price is now �156,753, down almost �28,000 on January 2008. The news was revealed in the latest figures from Land Registry.

Dragon continues to breathe fire into property investment market

6 Mar 2009 14:32:42 GMT

Dragons Den star James Caan told a recent meeting of Oxford University students that despite the current downturn in the economy, the UK property business is still the focus of his investments. And one of these investments is a website that helps residential landlords and tenants.

Landlord first to be fined for lack of licence

6 Mar 2009 14:33:00 GMT

Last year Salford City Council became the first local authority to issue a landlord licence under its selective licensing for all landlords in the area. Now it believes it has recorded another �first� in the Greater Manchester area after successfully convicting a landlord who failed to get a licence for his rented property in Salford.

Landlord has to pay repair bill after takeover of private rental property

6 Mar 2009 14:33:16 GMT

A privately rented home, which became the first property in the country to be taken over by a local authority because of its almost derelict condition, has been completely renovated. And the cost of the repairs and improvements will now be charged back to the residential landlord who will be given back...

Buy to let brothers run up �41,000 in fines

6 Mar 2009 14:35:02 GMT

Two brothers who owned and rented properties in London have amassed a total of �41,000 in fines over the last year for disobeying planning and safety laws. In January Sajid and Shakil Ismail were fined �4,000 at South Western Magistrates� Court after...

Landlords must act fast to minimise rent arrears

3 Mar 2009 15:16:13 GMT

There will be almost 7,000 buy to let properties repossessed this year if repossessions continue at the same rate as the last quarter of 2008 (see story below) says Landlord Assist. With unemployment anticipated to reach 3 million by 2010 this figure could increase significantly...

Lending for buy to let properties hits a new low

3 Mar 2009 15:15:48 GMT

New lending for buy to let continued to decline in the fourth quarter of 2008 according to figures released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders. There were 37,000 new loans, worth �3.9 billion - 12 percent down (19 percent by value) on the third quarter, and 56 percent down (65 percent by value) compared with...

Jittery residential landlords see London rents dip

3 Mar 2009 15:15:31 GMT

Tenants in London are enjoying new buying power as an oversupply of rental property, combined with uncertainty in the job market, causes rents in the capital to slip by an average of 15 percent, reports Cluttons. Tenants in secure jobs are seizing the opportunity to trade up the lettings ladder, securing bigger, more...

HSE launches awareness campaign aimed at property investors

3 Mar 2009 15:15:15 GMT

Buy to let investors are on the list of property specialists being targeted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as part of a campaign to increase health & safety awareness. Robert Parkes, of HSE�s National Construction Division, said...

More falls predicted before property investment recovers

3 Mar 2009 15:14:59 GMT

Residential Landlords could see the value of their properties all even further before they start to bounce back according to Jones Lang La Salle. The agent�s latest residential market forecast predicts that house prices in the UK are set to decline on average...

Buy to let owners flock to holiday market

26 Feb 2009 19:02:36 GMT

With 63 percent of Brits planning to shun hotels for a buy to let holiday home this year, new research by Holiday Cottages Group reveals it�s not bad weather and spending time in close proximity to the other half that gives people the holiday blues - it�s bad decor! In the current economic climate, the demand for UK holiday homes to rent has soared...

Landlords warned on carbonmonoxide risk

26 Feb 2009 19:02:17 GMT

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued another warning to residential landlords about potentially unsafe gas installations in tenanted properties following a fatal tragedy. It follows the prosecution of Shahid Hussain, a member of a family who manages a family business that owns and rents out a number of properties in Burton-on-Trent.

Northern Rock boost investment expectations

26 Feb 2009 19:01:53 GMT

Resumption of new mortgage lending by Northern Rock will help ease property finance crisis says the Council of Mortgage Lenders. Northern Rock has announced that it is to increase mortgage lending by up to �14 billion over the next two years. A new business strategy has been agreed that will see around �5billion of new...

Cottage is property investment star

26 Feb 2009 19:01:03 GMT

Buy to let investors who want to appeal to film buffs have a chance to snap up a slice of true cinema history in the form of the remote Cumbrian cottage which Richard E Grant and his sidekick escaped to in the cult 1986 film Withnail and I when it goes under the hammer...

Property investors must not cut corners on safety says HSE

26 Feb 2009 19:00:38 GMT

With many property developers already suffering from the effects of the economic downturn, some may be tempted to cut corners when developing property, but compromising on safety can cost them dear, and could put them out of business.

Glasgow launches new landlord accreditation scheme

23 Feb 2009 18:10:31 GMT

Glasgow's 16,000 private residential landlords and letting agents are being encouraged to sign up to a new national accreditation scheme. Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Community and Safety Services (GCSS), in partnership with Landlord Accreditation Scotland (LAS), launched the Glasgow leg of the...

Police Issue buy to let drugs warning

23 Feb 2009 18:10:15 GMT

Police are urging landlords to do regular checks on their rented properties after two men were jailed for setting up a cannabis factory in Burton. It follows an earlier warning from Norwich Union that a landlord�s insurance may not cover them if it is found they didn�t make adequate checks on tenants found to be running...

Rental property used for fake DVD scam

23 Feb 2009 18:09:59 GMT

A police raid on a rented property in the Wythenshawe area of Manchester uncovered a pirate DVD factory which was producing counterfeit films, music and games. Market trader Steven Healey was recently jailed for running this and another counterfeit DVD operation...

Buy to let landlords confused by tax rules over old boilers

23 Feb 2009 18:09:30 GMT

A property author and landlord expert is calling on the government to extend the Landlord Energy Savings Allowance to cover the replacement of old boilers. David Lawrenson of www.lettingfocus.com said: "The current tax regime in the UK is confusing and does little to encourage landlords to replace old boilers.

Older rental property tenants invent new credentials

23 Feb 2009 18:09:01 GMT

Nearly a quarter of old aged pensioners fake references when applying for a new property, according to new research published by the Letting Protection Service (LPS). In a poll of 10,000 landlords, 21 percent claimed to have received a fake reference from a prospective tenant aged 60 and over...

Illegal cannabis farms can leave buy to let landlords out of pocket

18 Feb 2009 19:36:11 GMT

As both house prices and interest rates fall, Residential Landlords with finance are still looking for bargain opportunities says the recently published RICS� UK housing market survey. Expectations that sales will increase have turned positive once again with 10 percent more Chartered Surveyors expecting sales to pick up in the coming months.

Landlord counts the �5,000 cost of failing to comply with improvement notice

18 Feb 2009 19:35:13 GMT

A Landlord who failed to keep her property up to a safe standard was ordered to pay more than �5,000 in fines and costs at Preston magistrates� court recently. Elizabeth Jones of the Boulevard, Preston was ordered to pay a �1,500 fine together with...

'Difficult situations will rarely resolve themselves' says Landlord Assist

18 Feb 2009 19:34:57 GMT

Landlord Assist, the dedicated service run by property law experts to secure property and arrears of rent for landlords of residential property, has launched a new company blog. The blog, which can be viewed at www.landlordassist.blogspot.com, provides news updates on current events, plus...

NLA helps buy to let landlords keep log of fire safety measures

18 Feb 2009 19:34:37 GMT

A Fire Safety Logbook to help landlords maintain high standards of fire safety in their properties has been published by The National Landlords Association (NLA). The online tool, which is available free to NLA members, allows residential landlords to keep a record of...

'View now to avoid disappointment' is misleading says upad

18 Feb 2009 19:33:53 GMT

Would-be tenants searching for their ideal home on the internet have a one in three chance of being disappointed because the property they would like to rent has already been let. This is the key finding of research carried out by online property rental specialist upad.co.uk who claim that letting agents are uploading...

Landlords looking for bargains help raise expectations

15 Feb 2009 15:57:18 GMT

Buy to let investment loans could help overcome empty homes problem

15 Feb 2009 15:57:04 GMT

Residential Landlords in a Lancashire district may be offered loans as part of a new Empty Homes Action Plan to renovate problem sites. It is one of the options being considered by Pendle Borough Council to overcome the problem of an estimated 2,000 empty homes in its area.

One in four properties now at risk from flooding says Landmark Group

15 Feb 2009 15:56:50 GMT

With the current weather producing 94 flood warnings across the country, properties belonging to residential landlords will be among the one in four homes in England and Wales are at potential risk from flooding according the Landmark Information Group.

Norwich reaches out to landlords

15 Feb 2009 15:56:27 GMT

Landlords in the greater Norwich area are being offered a helping hand through a variety of soon to be launched initiatives. The Norwich landlord forum hosted by Norwich City Council, in association with the greater Norwich housing partnership (GNHP), made up...

Website offers landlords a 'Fresh Start'

15 Feb 2009 15:56:14 GMT

Residential landlords are being given an extra incentive to sign up to Charnwood Borough Council�s specialist website that aims to give a fresh start to empty homes. The Authority�s Strategic Housing and Health Directorate has negotiated a number of discounts for property owners who register for the online Tenant Finder, Fresh Start and Landlord�s eForum.

Low rates could bring a new era in residential investment claims agent

11 Feb 2009 18:55:33 GMT

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee�s decision to cut interest rates by 0.5 percentage points to 1 percent presents an opportunity for investors says one property company. Property experts broadly welcomed the recent cut but still maintain other measures are still needed to stimulate the market.

Swift action needed to combat unscrupulous sale and rent back companies

11 Feb 2009 18:55:15 GMT

A Government consultation document setting out the details of the proposed legislation over the unregulated sale and rent back sector will close on 1 May 2009. The consultation will decide if companies offering sale and rent back agreements, which may target...

�174m rented housing improvements package agreed

11 Feb 2009 18:54:37 GMT

Newham Council has signed a 20-year �174 million contract with Swan Housing Group under the Government's Private Finance Initiative that will see improvements to around 1,300 properties in Forest Gate. The contract will ensure that around 900 rented council dwellings are brought up to the Government's Decent Homes Standard by 2012 with...

Water supply for tenants in HMO contained high levels of bacteria and chemicals

11 Feb 2009 18:54:19 GMT

A landlord who failed to ensure a wholesome supply of water to his property pleaded guilty to failing to comply with an Emergency Prohibition Order (EPO) pursuant to Section 43 of the Housing Act 2004 when he appeared before Holyhead Magistrates Court recently...

Landlord prosecuted over house hazards

11 Feb 2009 18:54:01 GMT

A landlord who ignored calls for him to improve his cold, damp property has been ordered to pay almost �2,000. Andrew Bevan, who lives in Southend on Sea, was convicted of failing to comply with an Improvement Notice for the house he let on Kara Street in Seedley, Lancashire.

Property investors get bank rate boost

6 Feb 2009 13:38:59 GMT

This week�s further base rate cut by the Bank of England is unlikely to have a material effect on the overall state of the mortgage market, the Council of Mortgage Lenders has concluded. On Thursday the Bank brought the base rate down to an all-time low of 1 per cent. Landlords with interest only and tracker mortgage arrangements stand to benefit from the cut.

Landlord sues agent over 'Russian prostitute' row

6 Feb 2009 13:38:41 GMT

A residential landlord is suing Foxtons estate for more than �16,000 in damages for allowing a 22-year-old �Russian prostitute� to move into one of her Chelsea properties. The woman did not pay further rent after handing over payment for the first month in advance. She left after three months, but not before damaging the property.

Buy to Let recession guide

6 Feb 2009 13:38:06 GMT

'�Accidental' landlords are being warned that they must take care if they are not to suffer even more as the recession takes hold. "We have observed a 68 percent increase in the number of rental properties in January compared to a year ago, with a large majority coming from homeowners not wanting to sell in a depressed market," said Virginia Skilbeck, director of...

Landlord's admission brings reduced fine

6 Feb 2009 13:37:44 GMT

A landlord has had his fine reduced from �7,500 to �2,500 in recognition of making an early guilty plea to charges arising from his failure to license a house in multiple occupation. Gravesham Borough Council told Dartford Magistrates Court that Paramjit Singh Bansal, of Milton Road, Gravesend had jeopardised...

Investment properties go under the hammer

6 Feb 2009 13:37:16 GMT

Buy-to-Let residential landlords looking for investments will be studying the opportunities on offer at Blundells� first auction of 2009 in Sheffield. Sixteen lots will be going under the hammer at Sheffield Park Hotel, Chesterfield Road South, on Tuesday, 17 February. Price guides range between �20,000 and �165,000.

Buy to let landlords face another increase in number of squatters

4 Feb 2009 14:17:25 GMT

Despite the government's assurances that repossession will be an absolute last resort it is anticipated that the number could hit 75,000 over the next year. With increasing numbers not being able to pay the mortgage or rent, Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction service are seeing an increase in...

Sale and rent back landlords targeted in OFT crackdown on adverts

4 Feb 2009 14:16:37 GMT

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has issued formal notices to 16 sale and rent back firms asking them to substantiate claims they make in their adverts. Sale and rent back firms buy homes from individuals, usually at a significant discount, and then rent them back to the previous owners...

House prices drop as rental property increases

4 Feb 2009 14:16:20 GMT

Residential landlords in England and Wales saw house prices fall by two percent in December. According to the latest figures from Land Registry the average house price is now �158,946 representing an annual decrease of 13.5 percent. But another property company says there has also been a 30 percent increase in rentals...

Not much support for �bad tenant� petition to Prime Minister

4 Feb 2009 14:16:04 GMT

An E-Petition on www.number10.gov.uk, the official website of the Prime Minister's Office, which pleaded �give more rights to landlords to evict bad tenants� attracted less than 20 signatures. The petition submitted by Asif Mirza said: "There are many good tenants but occasionally you come across a tenant who...

Residential Landlord - In brief

4 Jan 2009 14:15:03 GMT

Kettering Borough Council is the latest authority to team up with its local Landlord Accreditation Scheme to raise the standard of privately-rented homes and reward good residential landlords in the area. The City of Lincoln Council also gave its support to the East Midlands Landlord Accreditation Scheme...

BPF draws up plan to persuade big firms to invest in becoming landlords

30 Jan 2009 11:11:23 GMT

Representatives from the property industry met at the British Property Federation�s (BPF) Annual Residential Conference in London to call for a radical shift to rental. With repossessions almost doubling and other property owners facing negative equity, the BPF believes a professionalised, branded rental sector...

London borough launches 'unique public-private partnership' to help tenants

30 Jan 2009 11:11:05 GMT

More than 10,000 homes in Hammersmith and Fulham are set to benefit from a new efficiency partnership designed to radically transform the lives of social housing tenants and local leaseholders, and address the needs of the city's most vulnerable communities. Hammersmith and Fulham Homes (H&FH) is...

Are you being left in the dark? - Top electrical tips for buy to let investors

30 Jan 2009 11:10:21 GMT

Electrics can be a tricky and confusing subject for Landlords, but with new energy saving products on the market, now is the time to save energy and money. There is more and more legislation that both tenants and Landlords should...

Buy to let landlords guaranteed rent by City Council

30 Jan 2009 11:09:54 GMT

Residential Landlords in Norwich have helped the City Council exceed its target to add 1,000 extra homes to the city�s affordable housing stock earlier than expected. In a bid to meet the ever increasing demand on waiting lists, the council set itself the challenge of getting 1,000 new affordable homes in Norwich between April 2006 and April 2009...

Landlord loses appeal against conviction at Crown Court

30 Jan 2009 11:09:35 GMT

A landlord has failed in his appeal to have his conviction overturned for dumping rubbish from one of his houses in an alleyway. Mehrban Haq, of Rawstrone Street, Blackburn, was convicted following a trial last July for failing to show that he had exercised...

Call for more regulation of letting agents

28 Jan 2009 14:02:16 GMT

The provisions of the Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007 should be extended to lettings and management agents recommends Professor Colin Jones's Review of Regulation and Redress in the UK Housing Market published by the Department for Business...

Landlords should shop around to avoid money for nothing 'renewal fees'

28 Jan 2009 14:01:59 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has called on landlords in London and the South East to shop around for letting agents that do not charge unfair, �money for nothing� renewal fees. The organisation believes many residential landlords in London and the South East continue to be charged fees of around...

Property investment hit by lowest lending figure since 2001

28 Jan 2009 14:01:44 GMT

Gross mortgage lending reached an estimated �12.6 billion in December, down 11 percent from �14.2 billion in November and 47 percent on December 2008, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. This is the lowest monthly figure since April 2001.

Council offers help to find good residential landlords

28 Jan 2009 14:01:21 GMT

Help with finding a good private landlord is one of the services being put in place by the City of Edinburgh Council in an effort to prevent homelessness in the city. The City Council has commissioned the new services to assist people who are faced with the possibility of losing their home and are part of the...

Buy to let landlords warned about licence obligations

28 Jan 2009 14:00:41 GMT

A selective licensing scheme for residential landlords is now operating in part of Bolton which is one of seven places chosen for the plan by the Department for Communities and Local Government. The purpose of the scheme, which came into force on November 10, is to ensure that the area�s tenants are treated fairly by private landlords.

Landlords face spectre of rent arrears as credit crunch bites harder

23 Jan 2009 12:44:22 GMT

With the current economic situation and property slump reducing the value of their property investments in the past year, residential landlords on variable-rate mortgages breathed a sigh of relief following the recent cuts in the base rate. But already they are faced with another problem - the growing prospect of...

Council launch first prosecution of landlord under Housing Act

23 Jan 2009 12:44:05 GMT

The City of York Council has carried out its first prosecution of a residential landlord under the Housing Act 2004 after he failed to complete repairs in a tenant�s home. William Silcox of Pinnar Lane, Southowram, Halifax was fined �300 after pleading guilty to non- compliance with a Housing Act Notice when...

Women lead the charge to become landlords of their second homes

23 Jan 2009 12:43:47 GMT

New research by Holiday Cottages Group reveals an increasing number of second home owners are now considering renting out their other property. According to its survey of more than 2,000 second home owners, 55 percent are planning to join the holiday lettings market because of the current economic climate...

NLA merges with private landlords association in Scotland

23 Jan 2009 12:43:26 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has merged with the South of Scotland Private Landlords Association (SoSPLA). The organisations say this latest merger safeguards the interests of landlords in Southern Scotland and furthers their ability to communicate with government at all levels, from...

It's all going rental! 10 tips for landlords in 2009

23 Jan 2009 12:30:35 GMT

Renting a home in the UK will no longer be taboo in 2009, according to James Davis, founder of online property rental site, www.upad.co.uk. He predicts that the UK property market is heading towards the European model where it is commonplace for...

�80m property investment fraud uncovered - and more could be on the way

21 Jan 2009 13:12:11 GMT

The National Fraud Strategic Authority (NFSA) is predicting more property investment scams will be exposed as the house price slump continues. The statement follows a case involving five company bosses who operated a buy to let scheme that defrauded property investors out of an estimated �80m.

Landlords prepare to tough it out during credit crunch

21 Jan 2009 13:11:53 GMT

A large majority of UK landlords refuse to be forced into selling properties as a result of the credit crunch according to a report by the Residential Landlords Association (RLA). The organisation, whose members own more than 100,000 properties throughout...

'Unfit' landlords prosecuted for ignoring improvement notices

21 Jan 2009 13:11:23 GMT

A Landlord has been fined nearly �10,000, including legal costs, after ignoring seven improvement notices served on him by Camden Council relating to his property. The house belonging to Gihan Herath had severe damp, poor insulation and dangerous...

Landlords advised to check for dangerous levels of toxic gas

21 Jan 2009 13:11:04 GMT

Residential Landlords and homeowners are being advised to find out if their property could potentially be exposed to dangerous levels of toxic gas, and other environmental risks, via the website www.homecheck.co.uk. It follows a recent study by the University of Oxford that claims approximately 1,100 people in the UK die every year from...

Council launches training sessions for private landlords

21 Jan 2009 13:10:42 GMT

Council launches training sessions for private landlords A training programme which aims to help residential landlords improve and maintain properties and their property management skills is being launched by Landlord Accreditation Scotland in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council.

Buy to let investors may have to apply for registration in the future

16 Jan 2009 15:39:40 GMT

Residential landlords who use the services of estate agencies may be affected by a major change being proposed by a leading industry figure. Bill McClintock, chairman of the board of the company operating the Ombudsman for Estate Agents (OEA) scheme, is calling for the registration of individuals working within the estate agency industry.

RICS reports number of property transactions is at a record low

16 Jan 2009 15:39:26 GMT

The average number of property transactions per surveyor fell to a record low in December despite buyer interest remaining strong says the RICS� UK housing market survey published this week. The average number of transactions per agency (over the last three months) is now at 10.1, a drop from...

Domestic waste dumped on City Council land

16 Jan 2009 15:39:02 GMT

Two landlords have been fined for offences after being taken to court by Nottingham City Council. Keith Prior from Clifton was ordered to pay a total of �430 for the illegal deposit of domestic waste in the area. Nottingham Magistrates� Court was told that he deposited a sofa, two matching chairs, mattress, a bed base and...

Watch out for tenants in the South East

16 Jan 2009 15:38:17 GMT

Tenants in the South East of England are most likely to damage property according to new analysis from The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS). More than 40 percent of DPS disputes between landlords and tenants have occurred in that region. In some circumstances tenants have trashed houses, let...

Landlord who claims he can't afford to make boiler checks faces jail

16 Jan 2009 15:37:36 GMT

A Kent residential landlord will be returning to court next month (February) to find out whether he is going to be sent to jail for a continued breach of health and safety regulations on two properties he rents out in Yarmouth.

Buy to let investors provide housing solutions during recessions

13 Jan 2009 18:27:42 GMT

Residential landlords are continuing to take the long view over their buy to let property investments according to a review by the Association of Residential Lettings Agents (ARLA). They expect to hold them for up to 20 years and, even if house prices continue to fall, they do not intend to sell.

Fears about money and personal safety mean delays to vital property repairs

13 Jan 2009 18:27:27 GMT

Residential landlords may be turning a blind eye to vital home repairs because of fears over money claims a home improvement website. According to a survey commissions by eGenie.co.uk three out of four property owners are putting off hiring professionals to carry out maintenance work because they...

Landlord admits not having HMO licences for student accommodation

13 Jan 2009 18:27:05 GMT

Birmingham City Council has prosecuted a residential landlord who failed to obtain Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Licences. Mohammed Sajad Akbar, of Moseley, pleaded guilty at Birmingham Magistrates Court and has been fined a total of �14, 591. Mr Akbar had rented four properties to students in Selly Oak...

Government department refuses to accept responsibility for repairs

13 Jan 2009 18:26:02 GMT

A company, which acts as the landlord to a Windsor property, is suing a government department for more than �300,000 for allegedly not keeping it in good repair. The trade publication Building magazine carried a story about the dispute involving Marchmont (Friargate) and the first secretary of state.

Council landlord services are poor says Audit Commission report

13 Jan 2009 18:25:48 GMT

The landlord services provided by Bridgnorth District Council have been labelled a poor 'no-star' service, following a recent assessment by the Audit Commission. This was the first inspection of the council�s landlord services and was made...

Landlords warned not to cut back on safety checks

13 Jan 2009 18:25:22 GMT

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has again warned all landlords to ensure gas appliances are safe for tenants following the successful prosecution of a landlady who failed to ensure the safety of gas appliances in one of her properties.

Unregulated letting agents to be withdrawn from Tenancy Deposit Scheme

9 Jan 2009 18:22:26 GMT

At the insistence of their insurers, The Tenancy Deposit Scheme will only provide deposit protection and alternative dispute resolution to letting agents who are members of recognised professional bodies. From 6 April 2009, only regulated letting agents and corporate and individual landlords will be covered by...

Action needed to prevent base rate cut just being an exercise in spin says NAEA chief

9 Jan 2009 18:22:05 GMT

If the major lenders do not pass on the latest base rate cut and without stronger commitment from the Government to fully address the problems of the housing market the Bank of England�s recent announcement is practically an exercise in spin claims Peter Bolton King, Chief Executive of the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA).

More rental property part of government's �18m deal

9 Jan 2009 18:21:18 GMT

An �18m deal to provide more rental accommodation and affordable housing has been announced as part of the Government's programme of action to tackle current difficulties in the housing market. The deal has been done through the Government�s National Clearing House with Bovis Homes, which enables...

Buy to let lender tops mortgage list

9 Jan 2009 18:21:01 GMT

Residential landlords looking for good mortgage deals may turn to HSBC which was recently found to be the most consistently competitive mortgage lender during 2008 through analysis by online mortgage company www.mform.co.uk. The bank, which did not take part in the Government banking bail-out...

Landlords warned not to cut back on safety checks

9 Jan 2009 18:20:46 GMT

2009 will be a challenge and an opportunity for the rental market, says ARLA

5 Jan 2009 18:42:32 GMT

Despite the turbulence of the economy at large, 2008 was generally a favourable year for the lettings market claims the Association of Residential Lettings Agents (ARLA). Its members found no shortage of new instructions from vendors who were having difficulty selling at the prices they had become...

Property market could see bounce as high as fall

5 Jan 2009 18:42:08 GMT

Residential landlords saw the values of their property fall by 12.2 percent in November, according to the latest figures for England and Wales from Land Registry. The average house price is now �161,883 representing a monthly decrease of 1.9 percent. London experienced an annual decrease in its average property...

Buy to let investors take rough with the smooth in Prime Central London

5 Jan 2009 18:41:50 GMT

Prime Central London rents fell by 9.6 percent over the last three months of 2008 according to Knight Frank�s rental index, by far the largest drop since the company started publishing its quarterly figures in 1995. Rents have now fallen for three consecutive quarters, by a total of 12 percent, taking rents back to the level...

Landlords face large fines for failing to provide EPCs

5 Jan 2009 18:41:32 GMT

The National Landlords Association in Scotland has warned landlords that they face massive fines if they do not provide Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for prospective tenants. Since 4 January 2009, all landlords starting new tenancies in Scotland must provide tenants with an EPC or risk being hit with a fine of...

It's never been better for student landlords claims building society

5 Jan 2009 18:40:41 GMT

Bath Building Society says it has the answer for student's accommodation needs with its unique Buy for Uni mortgage product, which it claims is the only one of its kind in the UK market. The society maintains that the recent fall in house prices across the UK...

'Glimmer of hope' for property investment

23 Dec 2008 15:57:58 GMT

There are glimmers of hope in the latest house price statistics, the National Association of Estate Agents has reported. Although house prices 'plummeted' across the country the percentage of first time buyers increased - for the third month in a row. NEAE estimates that between October to November, the average...

Absent landlords make VAT demand stronger

23 Dec 2008 15:56:54 GMT

A VAT break for properties that have been empty for more than two years should be extended to all empty properties, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has told the Government. Cutting VAT on the renovation and repair of residential properties from 15 per cent to 5 per cent would encourage owners of...

NLA 'working hard' to support hard pressed landlords

23 Dec 2008 15:56:25 GMT

A landlords' organisation has pledged to redouble its efforts to persuade the Government not to add further bureaucracy and over regulation to the private rented sector. 'The National Landlords Association will continue to develop and grow as the pre-eminent organisation for landlords in the UK and for the private-rented...

Mortgage lending down again

23 Dec 2008 15:53:48 GMT

November gross mortgage lending was barely half the amount of a year ago, the Council of Mortgage Lenders has revealed. The estimated 14.6b pounds was also 22 per cent down on October. 'While there is typically a decline from October to November, this is considerably larger than usual reflecting the market disruption and continued deterioration of confidence in the economy'...

Buy to let investor fined after ignoring notices

23 Dec 2008 15:52:15 GMT

Buy to let investors have been warned to take prompt action when issued with home improvement notices after a Peterborough landlord was fined and landed with a repair bill after ignoring council demands for improvements to his rental property.

MPs want amnesty for buy to let landlords to pay undeclared tax debts

16 Dec 2008 18:15:30 GMT

Buy to let landlords are among a �high risk� group of people who evade their fair share of tax in the black economy and should face far tougher penalties claim MPs. The allegation was contained in a report in The Telegraph and followed a previous disclosure by the newspaper that the Public Accounts Committee...

Landlord agrees to make way for 4.5m pound redevelopment project

16 Dec 2008 18:15:02 GMT

Lengthy negotiations have been held between a private residential landlord and Wakefield Council to purchase and demolish his property to make way for a �4.5m regeneration project on a Hemsworth Estate. The estate has been plagued by anti-social behaviour and vandalism and the planned redevelopment...

Boss of failed Buy to let company attempts to rise from ashes

16 Dec 2008 18:14:46 GMT

The head of a Buy to Let Empire that went bust earlier this year owing millions to creditors has set up a new company offering minimum investment and maximum return property deals. Jim Moore formerly ran Inside Track Seminars (ITS) and Instant Access Properties (IAP) which promised to help investors make...

Expanding letting agency reports increase in figures

16 Dec 2008 18:14:29 GMT

Specialist lettings agency Belvoir has released figures claiming an impressive 21 percent month-on-month increase on its 2007 figures. It has opened three new offices in Chichester, Newcastle Central and Glasgow North, which together with the resale of a Cheshire office brings the total number of Belvoir Franchises...

Residential Landlord - In Brief

16 Dec 2008 18:11:34 GMT

The National Landlord Association is sponsoring Cardiff Council�s next Landlord Open Day being held on Monday 16 March 2009 at City Hall. Doors will open at 4.20pm and refreshments will be supplied throughout the afternoon...

FSA must introduce Buy to Let mortgage regulation says repossession expert

12 Dec 2008 18:15:27 GMT

A year after calls for investment warnings on all Buy to Let mortgages, the FSA has taken no action, claims solicitors and repossessions specialists Moore Blatch. The firms warns that with the number of loans in arrears approaching 2 percent and repossessions now standing at 0.22 percent the scale of the problem calls for...

Scottish registration scheme a step forward but rogue landlords must be weeded out

12 Dec 2008 18:15:09 GMT

The national approval rate for Scotland's Landlord Registration Scheme has risen to 85 percent, up from only 15 percent in April 2007. But the Scottish National Landlords Association (NLA) still urges local authorities to focus on tackling those rogue landlords who are �playing' the system and not working within it...

Increased HIPs regulation will not help ailing housing market say opponents

12 Dec 2008 18:14:54 GMT

The Government�s recent announcement that it is increasing Home Information Pack (HIPs) regulation has attracted criticism from members of the property industry who say it will increase the costs on people trying to sell their home at a time when the housing market...

Landlord who ignored formal notice fined 2,000 pounds

12 Dec 2008 18:14:26 GMT

A Residential Landlord who failed to comply with a notice to rectify hazards at a shared house that was divided in to bed-sits has been fined �2,000. Mark Neale prosecuting told Nuneaton Magistrates Court that the Council� s Environmental Housing Section had advised the owner of the house in Marlborough Road...

Home hunters dislike of Christmas lights dims on list of most hated eyesores

12 Dec 2008 18:13:24 GMT

Buy to let investors who are trying to attract new tenants may want to take heed of a recent annual survey which lists home seekers� most hated eye-sores. With Christmas just around the corner it�s interesting to note that festive lights have slipped down the rankings of home seekers� most hated eye-sores...

Residential landlords insist mortgage support scheme must cover buy to let

10 Dec 2008 13:13:00 GMT

Buy to let owners will be exempt from the Government's new Homeowner Mortgage Support Scheme designed to prevent repossessions by helping those who experience a significant and temporary loss of income as a result of the economic downturn. The details of the scheme are still being worked out with lenders but the...

Landlords expecting increase in rental arrears

10 Dec 2008 13:12:42 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA), which provides landlords with a tenant referencing service through NLA Tenant Check, has published research showing that 71 percent of landlords expect rent arrears to increase during 2009. Of those questioned, just one percent felt that rent arrears would decrease...

Oversupply of rental property caused by 'reluctant landlords'

10 Dec 2008 13:12:22 GMT

Nine out of 10 investment landlords are marking time, neither selling nor buying residential rental property, even though asset values and rental yields have fallen, according to the fourth quarter Association of Residential Lettings Agents (ARLA) Members Survey of the Private Rented Sector, published this week...

Make sure you have proof before trying to withhold deposits from tenants

10 Dec 2008 13:12:06 GMT

Buy to let investors they must provide sufficient evidence should they need to withhold part or all of a deposit warns mydeposits.co.uk, one of the Government-approved tenancy deposit protection schemes. Some disputes arise because the landlord...

Student power forces landlord to refund rent on top of 8,000 pound fine

10 Dec 2008 13:10:54 GMT

A Nottingham residential landlord has been ordered to refund 80 percent of his tenants rent after he failed to apply for a HMO Licence and let the house they were living in fall into disrepair. Michael Singh owned the property at 69 Lenton Boulevard and rented it to five students from the University of Nottingham...

Base rate cuts could provide Treasury with 400m pound windfall from Buy to Let sector

4 Dec 2008 14:25:59 GMT

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee decision this week to reduce the official Bank Rate by one percentage point to 2 percent could boost treasury coffers by more than 400 million pounds, according to property portfolio managers, Young Group which provides Property Portfolio Management services to...

Specialist unit provides expert advice on repossessions

4 Dec 2008 14:25:39 GMT

Buy to let investors who need advice on the legalities of property management, possessions and repossessions can take advantage of a specialist Property Recoveries and Litigation unit developed by law firm Spratt Endicott. The new unit will provide expert, legal support specifically for landlords, agents and developers.

Landlord Action group calls for urgent review of Local Housing Allowance

4 Dec 2008 14:25:24 GMT

Residential landlords are turning their backs on families on housing benefit following changes to the law claims the Landlord Action organisation. The introduction of the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) in April has meant a growing numbers of landlords losing out on rent; and the situation is worsening as the credit crunch...

Scottish tenants embrace the benefits of opting for longer rents

4 Dec 2008 14:25:07 GMT

Problems with buying property in Scotland are leading more people to take longer leases with residential landlords, according to one a Scottish letting company. Braemore Property Management has said that more tenants, particularly those whose property plans...

Private rented sector must thrive says minister at first NLA conference

4 Dec 2008 14:24:42 GMT

The Government is committed to not bringing forward knee-jerk legislation that would hamper the growth of the private rented sector, but instead will target the rogue operators which give responsible Residential Landlords a bad name. This was the claim of Iain Wright MP, minister with responsibility for the private-rented...

No swift recovery to the housing market expected says Nationwide

2 Dec 2008 13:21:50 GMT

Buy to let investors saw the value of their properties fall by 0.4 percent in November according to the latest Nationwide house price index, but the annual rate of fall has moderated to 13.9 percent. The price of a typical house is now �158,442. This is about �25,000 less than this time last year but is still about �25,000 higher than in November 2003...

DWP consultation with landlords over housing benefit is 'a mockery' says BPF

2 Dec 2008 13:21:34 GMT

Residential landlords have not been properly consulted about changes in housing benefit policy by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) according to the British Property Federation (BPF) which therefore wants the moves dismissed...

Buy to Let mortgage availability hit by a 'double whammy'

2 Dec 2008 13:21:13 GMT

Demand for Buy to Let mortgage products has decreased compared to before the credit crunch began say 73 percent of mortgage intermediaries. These findings came from a survey conducted by Pink Home Loans which also revealed that only 11 percent of the mortgage intermediaries questioned have...

Letting agent chosen to run special development for over 55s

2 Dec 2008 13:20:58 GMT

Lighthouse Property Services, which specialises in student and private lettings, has been selected as the sole letting agent for 18 new apartments in Lincoln aimed at over 55s who want independent but supported luxury living. Venables Court is a United Health development providing two-bedroom...

Residential Landlord - In brief

2 Dec 2008 13:20:30 GMT

A Wales-wide scheme has been launched by Deputy Minister for Housing, Jocelyn Davies to provide advice and support to residential landlords in order for them to provide good, well managed accommodation. The Landlord Accreditation Wales Scheme sees the landlord receives the accreditation...

Landlord gets 99,000 pound fine for failing to make improvements

28 Nov 2008 15:44:39 GMT

A KENT landlord has been fined a massive 99,000 pounds and ordered to pay costs of 5,835 pounds by magistrates after admitting he failed to comply with regulations on the management of houses in multiple occupancy. Ludomir Szulc, who the court heard rented out bedsits in his eight-bedroom property in Priestlands Park...

Landlord changed locks on house while tenants were out for a meal

28 Nov 2008 15:44:22 GMT

A buy to let investor who carried out an illegal eviction has been ordered by Rugby Magistrates to pay a total of 3,075 pounds made up of a 660 pounds fine, 2000 pounds costs and 400 pounds compensation to his former tenants, plus a Victims Surcharge of 15 pounds . Thomas Barney, ignored advice given by Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council...

OEA sees increase in disputes between estate agents and residential landlords

28 Nov 2008 15:44:02 GMT

Estate agents who are finding the pressure too great in the residential sales market should think carefully before they switch into lettings instead. That's the advice of Bill McClintock, chairman of the company that operates the Ombudsman for Estate Agents scheme.

Calls for Government to push development of new homes for private rent

28 Nov 2008 15:43:43 GMT

More property organisations and industry specialists have been broadly welcoming Chancellor Alistair Darling's recent Pre-Budget Report, but many are still concerned that it will not be enough to jump start the housing market. Jon Neale, head of development research at Knight Frank, said: "The additional 150m pounds announced for the construction of...

Trade body for Registered Home Inspectors closes its doors

28 Nov 2008 15:43:20 GMT

The Chairman and Board of the National Association of Registered Home Inspectors (NARHI) has confirmed that from October 31 2008 it ceased operations. This, claims the organisation, is due in the main to the failure of Government policy to make Home Condition Reports (HCR) a compulsory element of the...

Council takes over privately let house of horrors in landmark case

26 Nov 2008 11:39:20 GMT

Medway Council has become the first authority in the country to be granted powers to take over the running of a privately let house after the residential landlord failed to carry out improvements. It took a tribunal panel just 15 minutes to award to award the council�s housing team an Interim Management Order (ITO) during a recent residential property tribunal.

'Repossession is only ever a last resort' says CML

26 Nov 2008 11:39:01 GMT

Buy to let mortgages, which have in the past shown better performance than the overall market in terms of payment profile, are beginning to suffer according to the latest quarterly data on arrears and repossessions published by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). The data was released shortly before...

Disputes in first year of TDS lower than expected but are now on the increase

26 Nov 2008 11:38:35 GMT

During the first year of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, the dispute rate was less than predicted according to the Annual Report of The Dispute Service which was published this week. Disputes accounted for 1.76 percent of the total number of registrations.

Darling's proposals may postpone rather than change lender's decisions

26 Nov 2008 11:38:14 GMT

The Pre-Budget Report (PBR) issued by chancellor Alistair Darling this week will not transform today's housing market but will at least give it more of a fighting chance. This is the view of Neil Chegwidden, Head of Residential Research at Jones Lang LaSalle. Overall, there were a raft of small measures in the PBR, such as the temporary reduction in VAT...

Buy to Let market is well placed to withstand credit crunch reports annual guide

26 Nov 2008 11:37:58 GMT

The annual Buy to Let Guide published this week reaffirms the need for residential landlords and the private rental sector as prime elements of the housing market and is expected to encourage further sensible investment in the rental sector.

Reluctant landlords are risk to rental market claims NLA

21 Nov 2008 11:02:45 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA), which represents private residential landlords, believes the new breed of �reluctant landlords� pose a major risk to the overall health of the British rental market. It follows the research published by RICS that shows the number of new landlord instructions to let in...

NALS puts its name forward for overseeing mandatory licensing of lettings agents

21 Nov 2008 11:02:26 GMT

The National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) has welcomed discussions with Iain Wright MP, the Housing Minister responsible for the private rented sector, in order to drive forward the better lettings agenda in line with Government policy and public need. The talks follow the recent findings of the Rugg report which was a Review of Private Rented Sector Housing...

Government accused of not preparing Scottish landlords for introduction of EPCs

21 Nov 2008 11:02:07 GMT

The Scottish Government is failing landlords on the forthcoming introduction of Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) legislation says the National Landlords Association in Scotland. With less than two months until the introduction of EPCs for Scottish rental properties. The organisation is concerned that without a concerted effort to promote EPCs...

Landlord allowed 'dangerous' flat to be reoccupied by migrant workers

21 Nov 2008 11:01:09 GMT

A LANDLORD has been fined �2,000 plus costs after pleading guilty to having tenants in a flat in Burton which was deemed dangerous by inspection teams. Alan Wong, from South Wimbledon, London, admitted not complying with a Prohibition Order under Section 32 of the Housing Act 2004.when he appeared before the town's magistrates.

Amateur landlords create downward pressure on rents

19 Nov 2008 13:38:57 GMT

Rents dropped across the residential lettings sector during Q3 as would-be-sellers flooded the rental market with unsellable properties, says the RICS Lettings Survey published this week. The net balances of surveyors reporting new instructions to let both flats and houses (an indicator of supply) are now at historical highs.

Majority of residential landlords and tenants have harmonious relationship says poll

19 Nov 2008 13:38:36 GMT

The vast majority of tenants get on well with their residential landlord, according to a new poll carried out by The Deposit Protection Service (DPS), the scheme for the safeguarding of tenants' deposits. The new figures show that 84 percent of tenants get on well with...

Family evicted from rented home and given ASBOs to prevent them returning to area

19 Nov 2008 13:38:16 GMT

A family with a long history of anti-social behaviour, including an armed response unit being deployed to the property, a dangerous dog being shot dead by Police, a drive by petrol bombing and a 10 hour armed siege have finally been evicted from their rented accommodation.

Young professionals forced to stay in rental properties for longer

19 Nov 2008 13:38:00 GMT

In light of a brand new report launched by Experian which found that the housing markets in the south-west and Midlands are set to see the steepest price corrections and with repossessions expected to soar to a 15-year high in the coming months, renting is a much better option.

New landlords' put home content at risk claims AA

19 Nov 2008 13:37:39 GMT

As the credit crisis sets in, over a third of Brits admit they would now seriously consider renting out part of their home if their financial situation gets more difficult. However, new research from AA Insurance reveals that up to three million homeowners who have chosen this route could in fact have an invalid home...

Accidental landlords return to sales market as realistic pricing takes effect

16 Nov 2008 17:00:08 GMT

The flurry of accidental residential landlords who joined the lettings market in the summer when their homes failed to sell, are now giving up on 'riding out the slump' and are returning to the sales market with more realistic price expectations, reports Cluttons.

Fine for landlord who put tenants at risk

16 Nov 2008 16:59:49 GMT

A landlord who put more than a dozen tenants at risk by failing to fit fire doors or to ensure that fire alarms were working has been fined �2,800 by Woolwich Magistrates Court. He was also ordered to pay the Council's costs of �1,939.37. In total, Charles Hawkes pleaded guilty to 17 offences relating to a three-storey house in Glenluce Road, Blackheath.

Savers and borrowers split over 0 percent interest rate prediction

16 Nov 2008 16:59:24 GMT

There has been a mixed reaction to the claims of a founding member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee who said that interest rates may have to be slashed to zero if Britain is to avoid a full-blown depression. Charles Goodhart, who is regarded as one of the country's leading economists, was a member of the MPC for three years up until 2000.

City council uses new powers to access heating in privately rented flats

16 Nov 2008 16:59:04 GMT

Buy to let investors in the Norwich area could be ordered to find better ways of heating their properties or face prosecution. The warning was made by the City Council after it was discovered many flats in a residential housing block were too cold for human habitation. Although the flats are privately owned, the Council is using new powers to inspect all 84 of the...

Landlord accused of obtaining mortgages by deception

16 Nov 2008 16:58:41 GMT

The trial of a buy to let investor accused of using forged references and false information to apply for mortgages worth over �1.5m for but to let properties, some during a period when he was serving a prison sentence, began this week...

Winter repair bills for landlords set to soar

12 Nov 2008 17:35:41 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA) is warning buy to let investors about the huge repair bills they face if their tenants do not know what to do in a winter property emergency. With almost three million households in the private-rented sector, and weather forecasters predicting a colder winter than last year...

CML welcomes report on private renting

12 Nov 2008 17:35:25 GMT

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has added its support to the recently published Rugg review on private renting. The review stated that small landlords deliver real value to the private rented sector by achieving lower costs than institutional providers and offering a service that is at least as likely to promote tenant satisfaction.

Sales hit a new low but expectations of a recovery increase

12 Nov 2008 17:35:06 GMT

It is still a case of swings and roundabouts for buy to let investors in the current climate. Those looking to increase their portfolio of properties will be keeping a close eye on the sales to stock ratio. This recently dropped to 13.5 percent (the lowest figure since December 1992), according to the RICS� UK housing market survey published this week...

Campaign aims to turn more landlords into pet lovers

12 Nov 2008 17:34:45 GMT

The UK�s largest dog welfare charity, Dogs Trust, is to launch its Lets with Pets campaign next year following its recent survey that showed 78 percent of pet owners had experienced difficulties finding pet-friendly privately rented accommodation. The charity has also just concluded a survey of residential landlords and letting agents to learn more about their...

Residential Landlord - In brief

12 Nov 2008 17:33:56 GMT

The next few months represent the best opportunity for private residential landlords to expand their portfolios due to the fall in house prices according to a new survey. The report by the Money Centre also found that up to a fifth of all UK residential landlords are...

Lenders must pass latest rate cuts on to landlords demands NLA

7 Nov 2008 17:39:46 GMT

The Bank of England�s Monetary Policy Committee�s decision to reduce the official Bank Rate by 1.5 percentage points to 3 percent took the property industry by surprise, but there has since been open condemnation towards the majority of banks who have been slow to pass on the interest rate cut to...

Explosive growth in 'Fraud for Profit'

7 Nov 2008 17:39:33 GMT

A Rhyl residential landlord was recently jailed for nine months for obtaining fraudulent buy to let mortgages. But such cases are just the tip of the iceberg according to leading business advisory firm Deloitte which claims the financial services industry is facing a mortgage fraud �time bomb�.

Empty properties are a wasted resources says property investment specialist

7 Nov 2008 17:38:39 GMT

Why is regulation for Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO) not unilateral and why are not more empty or non-renting buy to let homes being converted into HMO's? These are two of the questions posed by Whitney UK, which runs property investment courses for professionals...

Landlord accused of dramatising evidence about getting access to his property

7 Nov 2008 17:38:15 GMT

An Oxford buy to let investor has been fined �1,000 following the conclusion of a two-day trial, at Aylesbury Magistrates' Court. Mr Abdul Khuja of 154 Cowley Road, Oxford had pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to comply with an Improvement Notice served on him by Oxford City Council's Environmental Health service.

Housing market downturn likely to accelerate in 2009 says professor

7 Nov 2008 17:37:51 GMT

Investment landlords, the overall shortage of housing supply and the numbers now believed to be renting but waiting to buy, all suggest that there would be a fast recovery in the housing market. However, prospects for the recovery look grim. This is the view of Peter Bolton King, Chief Executive of NFOPP, which encompasses the National Federation of Estate Agents...

Another cut to the base rate will not provide a magic fix says property specialist

5 Nov 2008 16:59:03 GMT

Many are expecting the Bank of England�s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to announce a further base rate cut when it holds its November meeting on Thursday, but this may not bring the relief property owners are hoping for says one analyst. Neil Young, CEO of property portfolio managers, Young Group, believes that...

Still plenty of rental options for those looking to live a rural dream

5 Nov 2008 16:58:49 GMT

Despite media headlines to the contrary, demand for rental property continues to thrive while the property sales market struggles says letting specialist George F White. First time buyers, plus those unable or unwilling to secure a mortgage and people in the throes of relocation...

Fewer empty homes in England

5 Nov 2008 16:58:34 GMT

Despite the current high demand for rented accommodation from buy to let landlords, there were still 279,281 empty private homes in England in April 2007, although this is nine percent lower than the 308,438 recorded in April 2003. Empty homes account for three percent or more of all homes in 17 local authorities (LAs).

Successful Buy to Let property owner jailed for obtaining fraudulent mortgages

5 Nov 2008 16:58:19 GMT

An investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act has begun into the business dealings of a 26 year old landlord who built up a property empire using fraudulently obtained buy to let mortgages. James Barnes of Towyn Way West in Towyn, Rhyl, was recently jailed for nine months after pleading guilty to...

Landlord failed to turn up for court hearing

5 Nov 2008 16:57:54 GMT

Failure to carry out essential safety works to his tenant�s home has resulted in a hefty fine for a landlord after he ignored an Improvement Notice served by his local authority. Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council became aware of serious threats to the tenants� safety and served the Notice on private landlord Steven Boote after he failed to rectify the problems despite having them brought to his attention.

Mystery surrounds property company after hundreds of tenants are told to move out

1 Nov 2008 16:13:51 GMT

Hundreds of private housing tenants in North Wales and Stoke on Trent who are facing eviction are being encouraged to join forces in an effort to unravel what has happened to their homes. It was reported that more than 350 people had received eviction or repossession orders and been told they had to move out of the properties owned and managed by...

Letting property should be seen as a business rather than just an investment

1 Nov 2008 16:13:31 GMT

Buy to let landlords should get relief from stamp duty or capital gains tax to encourage them to buy more property, which in turn would increase the number of homes for rent, says a Government report. The report prepared by academic Julie Rugg from York University for Hazel Blear's Communities Department stated that buy to let landlords are often unfairly seen as...

Supply of properties to let in London starting to outweigh demand from tenants

1 Nov 2008 16:13:02 GMT

The London lettings market will remain fragile in 2009 and it is inevitable that more tenants will default. This is the view of Judienne Wood, lettings director at Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward, who on the plus side also believes that London investments are likely to...

1.2 million could fall into negative equity if the housing slump continues

1 Nov 2008 16:12:42 GMT

Buy to let landlords who are concerned about their investments losing value could fall behind on mortgage payments or be forced to sell at a loss as lending dries up said the Bank of England�s Financial Stability report recently. The report comes shortly after a government study recommended that landlords should be...

Benefit fraud residential landlord caught by data matching techniques

1 Nov 2008 16:12:10 GMT

A landlord was found to be cheating the benefit system through sophisticated data matching techniques. Landlord Budu Singh Moman, aged 47, of High Road, Wood Green, London, who falsely received almost �1,000 in housing benefit, pleaded guilty at Dudley Magistrates Court to benefit fraud on October 3.

ARLA Welcomes Rugg Review on the Private Rented Sector

29 Oct 2008 15:41:14 GMT

ARLA, the Association of Residential Letting Agents, has welcomed the provisions to stimulate the Private Rented Sector contained in the Rugg Review presented to the government this week. The report also contains proposals for licensing, redress and tackling the problems caused by bad residential landlords and agents.

All avenues must be 'fully examined' by lenders before making repossession orders

29 Oct 2008 15:40:49 GMT

The Council of Mortgage Lenders has published new industry guidance on mortgage arrears and possessions to help lenders ensure that their arrears management policies fulfil the objective of making repossession a last resort.

Greater London Authority takes more realistic approach to affordable housing

29 Oct 2008 15:40:34 GMT

Residential Landlords will be studying how their future will be effected by Mayor of London, Boris Johnson�s decision to take the first step towards removing the 50 percent London wide affordable housing target. The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA)...

"We will not tolerate the few bad landlords who ignore their obligations," says council

29 Oct 2008 15:40:03 GMT

Failure to carry out essential safety works to his tenant�s home has landed a residential landlord a hefty fine after ignoring an Improvement Notice served by Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council. The Council became aware of serious threats to the tenants� safety and served the Notice on private landlord Steven Boote after he failed to rectify them despite having them brought to...

University City rental market remains buoyant despite lack of stock

29 Oct 2008 15:39:36 GMT

Whilst some areas of the UK have been flooded with rental properties, Cambridge city centre has the opposite problem. Savills has a serious shortage of homes available to let; with increasing demand. "We need homes to let in Cambridge city centre, in particular one and two bedroom flats," comments Jane Dixon, head of lettings for Savills Cambridge.

Property company director first to be jailed under new fire safety regulations

24 Oct 2008 12:21:17 GMT

A residential landlord has been sent to prison in the first custodial sentence to be given in London under the new fire safety regulations. Mehmat Parlak was sentenced to four months imprisonment and his company, Watchacre properties limited, was fined �21,000 following conviction for serious breaches of the...

Landlord claims she was not aware of responsibilities in her HMO

24 Oct 2008 12:20:37 GMT

The filthy and dangerous state of a house of multiple occupation being let out by an Oxford residential landlord has resulted in a fine of �2,500. Joginder Kaur Dhanjal, of Dashwood Road, Rose Hill, pleaded guilty to five charges relating to safety and hygiene at her property which were discovered by Oxford City Council environmental health officers.

Tenants given more choice and greater say over selection of properties

24 Oct 2008 12:20:19 GMT

Residential landlords in Kent will have their properties included on a listings service as part of a new way of allocating social housing. It is being introduced by Swale Borough Council to make letting arrangements clearer and easier for people to apply in all of Kent's district council areas.

Investors in 'the world's second oldest profession' are still staying for long term

24 Oct 2008 12:20:02 GMT

There is no evidence of an exodus from buy to let according to a survey by The Young Group, which specialises in providing Property Portfolio Management services to private investors. The Young Index results for Q3 2008 recorded that 98 percent of investors...

Overseas students advised to be aware of deposit protection laws

24 Oct 2008 12:19:51 GMT

With almost 48,000 overseas students studying in the UK this year, mydeposits.co.uk advises universities and colleges to make sure that those moving into rented accommodation are aware of the law. Without the right information there is the potential for a costly knowledge gap as the average student rent stands at over �245 per month.

HBOS takes over control of 'Britain's largest buy to let business'

21 Oct 2008 18:32:09 GMT

Grant Bovey, who once claimed his company Imagine Homes was Britain's largest buy to let business, has lost control of the company. The Daily Mail reported recently that the 47 year old, who is the husband of television celebrity Anthea Turner, has had to let HBOS take over the business. Bovey no longer has...

'Champion of the private-rented sector' to speak at conference

21 Oct 2008 18:31:33 GMT

Plans for the National Landlords Association (NLA) first ever National Conference in November are progressing well. With the theme �Operating in Today's Market: Future Prospects for Landlords', and open to members and non-members alike, the Conference offers all landlords the opportunity to discuss issues which directly affect their lettings business as well as hearing from...

Tenants want rent cut due to number of repossessions

21 Oct 2008 18:31:17 GMT

Tenants living in properties at what was a prestige development overlooking the Thames close to Canary Wharf in London say their residential landlords should cut rental charges because the majority of the flats have been left empty after being repossessed.

Change in tenancy agreements could end confusion over what tenants owe and when

21 Oct 2008 18:30:58 GMT

Wigan�s largest provider of social housing is consulting on possible changes to tenancy agreements which could involve a new system that will make paying the rent less confusing for tenants. Wigan and Leigh Housing (WALH) is inviting views on its plan to modernise the way people pay rent on their properties by changing...

Landlords urged to beware of novice letting agents

21 Oct 2008 18:30:33 GMT

Estate agents, looking for another revenue stream in the current property slump are putting landlords and tenants at risk, claims the past president of the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA). Robert Jordan says he has noticed a rise in the number of estate agents who are now advertising themselves as letting agents for the first time and...

Majority of sale and rent back landlords act with professionalism and integrity says NLA

17 Oct 2008 11:50:36 GMT

The National Landlords Association has reaffirmed its commitment to raising standards among landlords operating in the sale and rent back sector following the recent Office of Fair Trading (OFT) Market Study. The OFT reported that there is a need for statutory regulation by the Financial Services Authority.

Landlord fined after 13 people suffer affects of CO poisoning

17 Oct 2008 11:50:17 GMT

The landlord of a block of flats in Hackney has been fined �4,000 and ordered to pay �1,500 costs after two of his tenants were poisoned by carbon monoxide (CO), due to a boiler in their flat not being properly maintained. Soley Fikret pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 at the...

Landlord deemed not 'fit and proper' for licensing purposes

17 Oct 2008 11:49:35 GMT

Blackpool Council is clamping down on private residential landlords who flout the law putting tenants at risk. The authority recently took court action against a Rochdale landlord who was breaching his HMO (Houses in Multiple Occupation) Licence conditions. This included fire safety measures, no heating, defective electrics and also non-compliance with an Improvement Notice relating to a HMO in Bond Street Blackpool.

Is enough being done to prepare for the digital switchover?

17 Oct 2008 11:49:19 GMT

The subject of the digital switchover and how it would affect tenants and buy to let residential landlords who used shared aerials formed part of a lengthy debate in the House of Commons this week. Michael Moore, the Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for International Development...

Agents look to the future of housing market

17 Oct 2008 11:47:20 GMT

Buy to Let residential landlords have been given a glimpse of what their properties could be worth next year through 2009 predictions by two estate agents. Lee Watts, Managing Director of Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward, believes irresponsible lending in 2008 will result in price falls in excess of 20 percent.

Council denies sacking employees over 150,000 pounds a year rent uproar

14 Oct 2008 18:29:43 GMT

The story that 150,000 pounds of taxpayers' money was being paid by a council to a private landlord in West London took another turn this week when it was revealed the local authority had terminated the employment of three people allegedly involved in the decision to pay this much rent.

Residential landlords look for bargains as house sales fall to less than one a week

14 Oct 2008 18:29:27 GMT

Cash rich Buy to Let investors are waiting to pounce on bargains and take advantage of an ever weakening market, says RICS' UK housing market survey published this week. The South West has shown the greatest increase in demand with a net 12 percent of Chartered Surveyors reporting a rise in new buyer enquiries, the highest figure in the region since May 2007.

Naming and shaming could be illegal says NLA

14 Oct 2008 18:29:02 GMT

The National Landlords Association, the representative body for private residential landlords, has condemned outright the practice of erecting 'naming and shaming' signs on the properties of those tenants who have failed to pay their rent. Residentiallandlord.co.uk recently reported how one agent in Liverpool had erected two signs on properties where the tenants owed...

Top end of the market remains marginally positive as prime properties begin to fall

14 Oct 2008 18:28:40 GMT

Residential landlords with prime regional and country house saw the values of their properties fall sharply by -9.6 percent in the past six months though values in the 4million+ bracket remain marginally positive year on year according to Savills research department.

Lettings specialist guarantees to cover rent if tenant fails to pay

14 Oct 2008 18:28:26 GMT

There has been a massive increase in interest in a rent guarantee scheme for residential landlords claims the company which introduced the product 12 months ago. Specialist letting agency Chancellors says its Rent Guarantee and Seal Of Approval is a unique product as it provides a reliable cash flow.

Disputed 'merger' of landlord associations goes to high court

10 Oct 2008 16:44:26 GMT

The struggle over who controls the National Federation of Residential Landlords (NFRL) is due to move to the next stage at the end of this month. The National Landlords Association (NLA) believed it had merged with the NFRL earlier this year, creating the largest representative body for landlords.

Surprise cut in base rate should boost confidence

10 Oct 2008 16:44:08 GMT

The Forum of Private Business (FPB) has welcomed the Bank of England's decision to cut interest rates from 5 percent to 4.5 percent. The FPB believes that slashing the cost of borrowing will significantly boost the confidence of small businesses, such as Buy to Let Landlords.

Landlord prosecuted for breaches of gas safety rules

10 Oct 2008 16:43:41 GMT

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is again warning buy to let property owners to ensure they obtain gas safety certificates for gas appliances, following HSE's prosecution of a landlord from Great Yarmouth. Landlord, Madhu Bhajanehatti from Keston in Kent was fined �24,840 and ordered to pay �13,481.02 in costs at Great Yarmouth Magistrates Court on October 6.

Beckett welcomed into housing minister�s hot seat

10 Oct 2008 16:43:27 GMT

The British Property Federation (BPF) has welcomed the recent appointment of Margaret Beckett, MP for Derby South, as the new housing minister because of the experience she brings. But the organisation is still concerned by the disruption that Beckett was deputy leader of the Labour Party from 1992 to 1994 and was briefly its leader in 1994 following...

Residential Landlord - In brief

10 Oct 2008 16:43:08 GMT

Landlords who have 25-35 percent deposits can still get a choice of buy to let mortgage product however those with deposits of 15 percent are facing higher rates and much stricter lending criteria and little product choice claims a specialist.

Confusion over EPCs rife among buy to let investors

8 Oct 2008 14:17:28 GMT

Leaders, the independently owned letting agents, reports that confusion is rife among landlords about the new legislation regarding Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for buy to let properties. Paul Weller, managing director of Leaders, said: "We are hearing from many landlords across the areas we cover that they...

Results of sale and rent back study to be published soon

8 Oct 2008 14:17:14 GMT

A week ahead of the publication of the Office of Fair Trading market study into the sale and rent back market, the National Landlords Association (NLA) has said its Code of Practice will include enforceable legal sanctions and financial penalties for those who fail to comply. After publishing the draft Code of Practice for...

Household bills are high on list of concerns for tenants

8 Oct 2008 14:16:42 GMT

New research shows that 79 percent of renters are worried about the cost of their household bills. This is at a time when bills are a hefty slice of UK households' expense budget, with the average UK household currently paying the equivalent of 20 percent of the average rent on their gas and...

Royal couple face rent hike to �120,000 a year

8 Oct 2008 14:16:23 GMT

Tenants Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, who have been paying a �peppercorn rent� for their Kensington Palace apartment, will have been told they will have to pay a commercial rate of �120,000 a year from 2010 if they want to remain in the five-bedroom, five-reception royal residence.

Buy to let property firm goes into administration

8 Oct 2008 14:15:51 GMT

Confusion and uncertainty surrounds the future of Instant Access Properties (IAP), a company which promised to help make thousands of pounds for investors from the buy to let boom. Although the organisation recently went into administration its founder, Jim Moore, claimed that funding had been found to continue a similar set up trading under the name of IAP Global.

Reports of buy to let demise are untrue says NLA

6 Oct 2008 11:52:32 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA), has dismissed claims that Buy to Let is dead. Following the nationalisation of the mortgage business of Bradford & Bingley, there have been a number of media and financial commentators quick to support the view that buy-to-let, as a concept, has come off the rails.

Government warned over impact of HMO housing restrictions

6 Oct 2008 11:52:01 GMT

The British Property Federation (BPF) has reacted to a new report by warning that restricting Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) could limit housing supplies for those most in need of affordable homes. The report, published by the department for communities and local government, looks at the perceived problems that can be created where there are concentrations of HMOs.

Values of prime central London property continue to fall

6 Oct 2008 11:51:44 GMT

New research from Savills indicates that now, more than ever, residential landlords with property in central London should be taking a long-term view of their investment. The research reveals that values of prime residential property in central London continued to fall in the third quarter of 2008.

Tenants losing �15k per month in deposits

6 Oct 2008 11:51:02 GMT

Tenants are still losing thousands of pounds in deposits each month by not sticking to tenancy agreements, according to mydeposits.co.uk, a Government-authorised tenancy deposit protection scheme. The average deposit protected at mydeposits is now �771 and with 12 percent of all disputes in July 2008 finding in favour of the landlord or agent, it is estimated...

Bradford & Bingley broken up to secure future for savers and borrowers

1 Oct 2008 14:44:13 GMT

The news that everybody had been predicting for the last few days came through this week when the government stepped in to rescue Bradford & Bingley, the UK's largest Buy to Let lender. It followed reports that the bank was struggling after failing to raise the cash it needed through a rights issue and was therefore likely to become another victim of the credit crunch.

New report tackles neighbourhood 'studentification' problem

1 Oct 2008 14:43:51 GMT

A new report that identifies ways to help councils manage high concentrations of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) was published by Housing and Planning Minister Caroline Flint recently. �Studentification� of university towns is a real concern, especially during the summer months...

Buy to let landlords remain calm in the face of storms

1 Oct 2008 14:43:34 GMT

Residential landlords in the private rented sector are remaining calm in the face of the current financial storms. Over three quarters of those questioned for the third quarter ARLA Review and Index, published on 29 September, will not sell their investments because of falling house prices. Instead, they expect to keep their property portfolios for an average of over 16 years.

Values of prime central London property continue to fall

1 Oct 2008 14:43:15 GMT

Shelter backs BPF rental agenda as Tories announce new reviews

1 Oct 2008 14:42:50 GMT

Private rented housing expansion may be the way out of the current housing crisis, Shelter has claimed. Speaking at the Conservative Party conference, Adam Sampson, chief executive of the housing charity, said there was "a real need for a more professionalised rental market to offer a better deal to consumers."

Market conditions bring opportunities for landlords claims letting specialist

29 Sep 2008 12:24:14 GMT

Falling house prices; rising tenant demand; the slow sales market and the new stamp duty holiday all add up to some exciting opportunities for residential landlords, according to Leaders, the independently owned letting specialists.

Gap between selling and asking prices widens

29 Sep 2008 12:24:02 GMT

Residential landlords looking to sell their properties will find that across the UK, houses are selling at an average of nine percent below the asking price with sellers in some regions being forced to accept as much as 12.5 percent discount off their advertised price, says latest research from RICS.

Insurer offers landlords free carbon monoxide detectors

29 Sep 2008 12:23:38 GMT

The obligation to protect tenants against the dangers of malfunctioning boilers is one that cannot, should not and need not be avoided by landlords, says insurer HomeCall+. Some of the detail reported in a survey this month commissioned by Lloyds Pharmacy showed that many council tenants could be at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from neglected boilers.

Rats found way into rental property through new extension

29 Sep 2008 12:23:21 GMT

An Oxford landlord has been prosecuted after failing to repair a drainage fault that was linked to a rat infestation at one of his properties. On 22 September 2008, Aslam Javid Dogar of Lime Walk, Headington pleaded guilty at Oxford Magistrates' Court to failing to comply with a Legal Notice served under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949.

Residential Landlord - In brief

29 Sep 2008 12:22:23 GMT

An insurance firm has refused to pay out to a Merseyside landlord after damage caused to his property by a gang using it as an illegal drugs factory. Holes had been bashed through the ceiling for ventilation and the electricity supply had been rerouted by the tenants so they didn�t have to pay the energy bills.

Number of new homes on market halves in six months

24 Sep 2008 13:11:14 GMT

The average price of a new home fell for a third consecutive month in August, taking new home prices to �243,307. However, while the majority of the UK�s leading house price indices continue to report sharp annual price falls across the market as a whole, the rate of annual house price growth in the new homes market is beginning to show signs of levelling off.

Residential auction sales rise in first half of 2008

24 Sep 2008 13:10:35 GMT

As the current market continues to weaken, residential auction sales across the UK have risen in the first half of 2008.according to RAPID (Residential Auction Property Investment Data) published by Allsop. The rise in lots is being attributed mainly to the growing number of repossessed homes reaching the auction rooms.

BFP encouraged by Flint's support of professional rented sector

24 Sep 2008 13:12:35 GMT

Housing minister, Caroline Flint, has backed calls from the British Property Federation (BPF) for a greater focus on professional rented housing. Speaking at a Citizens� Advice Bureau fringe event, Caroline Flint MP said that Britain had been focused on ownership since Margaret Thatcher introduced Right to Buy.

Indecision over stamp duty cast more gloom over property Market says NAEA

24 Sep 2008 13:10:22 GMT

High demand for rented accommodation from residential landlords looks set to continue following figures showing that there was a decrease in the percentage of first time buyers during August. The primary reason for this is the difficulty in obtaining suitable mortgages. Members of the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) reported that the housing market was...

Prime country houses fall in line with general property market

19 Sep 2008 17:14:25 GMT

Landlords who specialise in the prime country house lettings market will be unhappy, but probably not surprised in the current climate, that the value of properties in this sphere fell by 4 percent during the third quarter of 2008, according to the Knight Frank Index.

BFP make plans for the future

19 Sep 2008 17:14:08 GMT

Buy to let investors who have been caught up in �red tape� over planning applications on their properties will be studying the recently released British Property Federation�s Planning Manifesto which contains a host of measures to improve the system without the need for more time consuming and costly legislation.

'Rogue landlord' pleads guilty to renting out dangerous house

19 Sep 2008 17:13:49 GMT

A woman described as a rogue landlord has been given a hefty fine by magistrates after being found guilty of renting out a dangerous house. On 12 September, Maria Rosa De Simone Ramjohn of Marston Road, Oxford pleaded guilty to seven breaches of housing regulations at 39 Annersley Road and was fined �2,500 for each offence. Oxford City Council was awarded legal costs of �392.45 bringing the total to �17,892.45.

Landlord gets life for murdering tenant

19 Sep 2008 17:13:32 GMT

The landlord who will not reveal why he stabbed his lodger to death after hitting him with a pool cue was jailed for life at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday. The courts had previously been told how 46 year old John Williams, who worked in a warehouse, became angry with father-to-be John Stokes at their home in Cefn Fforest, Caerphilly.

New laws introduced to cover paving over front gardens

19 Sep 2008 17:13:15 GMT

The increasing need for off street parking has led to many residential landlords paving over the front gardens of their properties to make them more attractive to car driving tenants. But the Government has announced that from Wednesday 1st October 2008 the permitted development rights for domestic front gardens has been changed.

'Credit crunch effect on private rented sector exists only in the imagination'

16 Sep 2008 11:58:05 GMT

The last three months have seen a rise of almost 20 percent in new tenancies, according to the latest quarterly survey of its member letting agents by ARLA, the Association of Residential Letting Agents. This is in line with other market indicators showing that the private rented sector is taking up the slack...

EPCs could be used as bargaining tool by tenants

16 Sep 2008 11:57:36 GMT

Buy to let investors with the most energy efficient properties could hold an advantage over those with poorly rated properties, which could see a fall in rent and a lack of interested tenants claims a property specialist. From 1 October it will be mandatory for landlords to make a valid Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) available for all new tenants...

Tenants appear in court after threatening neighbours

16 Sep 2008 11:57:08 GMT

Action has been taken against two tenants in Wirral for anti social behaviour. John Fagan of Sunningdale, Moreton, managed by Wirral Partnership Homes, was accused of intimidating behaviour towards his neighbours. Officers had reported verbal abuse from Fagan, who had received both a Fixed Penalty Notice and Conditional Discharge for separate incidents of damage caused to vehicles in the car park.

To buy or not to buy, that is the question

16 Sep 2008 11:56:48 GMT

Brits are still eager to get onto the property ladder despite the current economic climate, but are prepared to be patient rather than rushing in to pick up a bargain according to a survey from fish4homes. Out of those surveyed 56 percent own a property in the UK, with 52 percent of those home owners having bought their first property between the age of 21 and 30 years.

Flat left stuffed with takeaway containers

16 Sep 2008 11:56:27 GMT

The plight of a landlord hit the headlines this week after his recently vacated property was found knee deep in mess. The Daily Mail told the story in words and pictures of how 57-year-old Chris Dowling, who owns more than 40 properties, had difficulty getting into the studio flat in Slough, Berkshire, due to the sheer amount of...

Landlords reminded of guidelines after judge awards compensation to rapist

9 Sep 2008 17:48:29 GMT

Buy to let investors around the country have been left flabbergasted after a county court awarded a serial rapist compensation after a landlady cleared a Hailsham flat of his belongings while he was awaiting trial. Thomas Cope, 55, was recently jailed for life and told he was a serious danger to women after tying up a...

Interest rate decision overshadowed by events elsewhere

9 Sep 2008 17:47:54 GMT

The line 'neither up nor down' from the nursery rhyme, �The Grand Old Duke of York� could soon become the theme tune for The Bank of England�s Monetary Policy Committee after its decision to again maintain interest rates at 5.0 percent. Such was the expectation that this would be the fifth consecutive month of no movement that it has led to a fairly muted response from the property industry on this occasion.

Property owner pleads guilty to not having licence for HMO

9 Sep 2008 17:47:33 GMT

A landlord has been fined for failing to obtain a license for a house in multiple occupation (HMO) and for failing to carry out fire safety improvement works. Environmental Health Officers from Selby District Council first inspected the property in May 2007 and found it occupied by a number of migrant workers.

Developers who turn to lettings market given warning over VAT

9 Sep 2008 17:47:18 GMT

With the current decline and uncertainty in the housing market many developers will be considering letting out their newly built properties which they currently cannot sell. Steve Taylor, VAT Senior Manager at Regional Business Advisers, Cooper Parry said: “Although VAT cannot be charged on either a sale or...

Online tenancy deposit claims to save landlords' money

9 Sep 2008 17:46:22 GMT

A Government-approved tenancy deposit protection scheme has launched an internet-only service, mydeposits lite, which is aimed at helping landlords to protect deposits with the minimum of fuss. Mydeposits.co.uk also claims landlords will benefit from reduced fees as a result of lower...

Government's �1b housing package ignores buy to let market says BPF

4 Sep 2008 14:08:22 GMT

The major cross-government package of new measures to meet current challenges in the housing market has received a mixed reception from the property industry. Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said the �1b package is to help first time buyers struggling to get onto the housing ladder, support vulnerable homeowners at risk of repossession, and support the house-building industry.

Students urged to study dangers when renting

4 Sep 2008 14:08:03 GMT

Students are at risk of losing out to unprofessional landlords if they fail to grasp the importance of deposits and the Government-approved scheme designed to protect their cash. Rents for students have gone up 18 percent in the last four years and the cost of rented student accommodation ranges from...

Revolutionary new Hush Button prevents false alarms

4 Sep 2008 14:07:49 GMT

Residential Landlords buying into a prestigious new housing development in Cumbria can sleep easier in their own beds knowing that there tenants are unlikely to bother them with false alarms. John Robert Gardens is a luxurious new-build development featuring 28 one and two bedroom flats each stylishly designed with contemporary kitchens, bathrooms and floors.

Fall in house prices means less marriage break ups

4 Sep 2008 14:07:31 GMT

Landlords whose marriages are in trouble may find some solace in the fact that falling house prices appears to result in falling rates of divorce. New data from Savills Research has shown the slowdown in the economy has put pressure on many people, but that struggling couples may choose not to divorce because...

Residential Landlord - In brief

4 Sep 2008 14:07:04 GMT

A landlord who stabbed his tenant to death has been told he faces a life in prison, although Cardiff Crown Court were told that the defendant, who pleaded guilty to the murder, refuses to reveal the motive for the murder.

Student town rents help fuel buy to let boom in North Wales

26 Aug 2008 18:35:45 GMT

Two different surveys have revealed that the number of residential landlords in North Wales is set to increase. A housing sales slump in Wales in July is predicted to cause the rental market to boom as more consider letting after giving up hopes of selling their properties until the market improves.

Landlords fined after failing to comply with enforcement notices

26 Aug 2008 18:35:26 GMT

Enfield landlords have received substantial fines after breaching planning enforcement notices on work carried out at their properties. Louis Lettings & Property Management Limited pleaded guilty to a notice issued in relation to an unauthorised dormer window and gable end roof at 278 Bowes Road, Enfield, a residential property they own as part of their lettings...

Landlord fights to get repossessed property back

26 Aug 2008 18:34:49 GMT

A Buy to Let landlord has mounted a legal challenge to claim back his repossessed property which it is alleged he lost due to a mortgage fraud. Akhtar Mohammed from Birmingham bought the Alum Rock house as an investment and began to rent it out.

Residential Landlord - In brief

26 Aug 2008 18:34:27 GMT

The Banks which acted as underwriters for the Bradford and Bingley rights issue will have to buy 72 percent of the shares after the falling stock market price failed to attract other buyers. The rights issue from which Bradford & Bingley hoped to raise �400m has been troubled since it was announced. It had to restructure the...

Frustrated house sellers put their properties in the lettings market

22 Aug 2008 18:59:29 GMT

The rental market has boomed as housing sales have diminished, says the RICS Lettings Survey published recently. New instructions (an indicator of supply) to let increased at the fastest pace in the survey�s history as many would-be-sellers found that becoming a residential landlord is a better option than selling in the current climate.

Top tips for new landlords

22 Aug 2008 18:59:06 GMT

With Many home owners deciding to rent their homes out instead of selling The Money Centre has provided a list of top tips to help landlords stay within the law. Lindsey Swales, director of The Money Centre and herself a landlord comments: "I think it is a sensible idea for some homeowners to look to rent their properties out, to sell in our current climate may lose homeowners money.

London and the South-East will lead the recovery says Savills

22 Aug 2008 18:58:47 GMT

The number of transactions in the housing market is half last year�s levels and the number of housing starts is likely to fall even further. Supply could therefore become constrained in many markets over the coming months. This means that when the market does bottom out, it may be difficult for investors to make acquisitions says Savills Research.

Residential Landlord - In brief

22 Aug 2008 18:58:16 GMT

Gross mortgage lending totalled an estimated �24.8 billion in July, up 5 percent from June and down 27 percent from July a year ago, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML).

As the credit crunch bites experts turn their thoughts to buy to let market

20 Aug 2008 16:07:22 GMT

With the likelihood of a recession becoming even more of a reality and the property industry saying this makes it even more imperative for there to be a cut in interest rates, many of the national media�s financial experts have been looking at the Buy to Let Market. In the Telegraph, Paula Hawkins gave advice on the steps buy to let landlords can take to avoid losing their...

Deposit Protection Scheme figures highlight north south rental divide

20 Aug 2008 16:07:06 GMT

The north south divide that exists when it comes to renting a property has been confirmed by the latest statistics from the Deposit Protection Scheme (DPS). The DPS was introduced in April 2007 and took the responsibility for holding deposits away from residential landlords and letting agents.

Plans drawn up for first and largest urban eco-village in the north east

20 Aug 2008 16:06:48 GMT

Buy to Let investors and residential landlords in the north east who want to �go green� could be given the opportunity following the submission of plans for an ambitious mixed-use eco-village. Based at the former Paton & Baldwins Textile plant in Darlington the 107 acre brownfield site will have access from the A66 via a new link road that will be competed in Summer 08.

Government plans could help untangle red tape

20 Aug 2008 16:06:33 GMT

Residential Landlords who run their properties as a small business could benefit from Government�s plans to reduce the cost of red tape. Phil Orford, Chief Executive of The Forum of Private Business (FPB), launched a campaign in June this year calling on decision-makers in Westminster, Brussels, Northern Ireland...

�8,000 fine for having 13 people living in four-bedroomed house

20 Aug 2008 16:06:18 GMT

A Lincolnshire landlord has been fined �8,000 and ordered to pay costs after a police discovered 13 people from five different countries living in one of his properties. Boston Magistrates Court heard how Manuel Ridierp was illegally using a four-bedroom house in Queens Road Boston for the tenants.

Enforced self-regulation will make 'good' landlords better but 'bad' landlords worse

15 Aug 2008 15:46:19 GMT

As the third and final part in its series on housing law reform, the Law Commission has announced its proposals for better regulation of the private rented sector. The report, Housing: Encouraging Responsible Letting, follows consultation with both landlords and tenants. It focuses on improving the overall coherence and stability of the current private rental...

'Realism' returns to property market as sellers drop asking prices

15 Aug 2008 15:45:47 GMT

The average number of transactions per surveyor fell further in July as a lack of mortgage finance continued to weigh heavily on the market. However, sales expectations have improved, driven by sellers beginning to offer more realistic asking prices says RICS� UK housing market survey published 12 August...

Leeds joins the top five cities for landlords

15 Aug 2008 15:45:26 GMT

Leeds has moved into the number four spot in the list of top cities where residential landlords own property says the latest research carried out by BDRC on behalf of a syndicate of buy to let mortgage lenders and brokers. Cambridge was previously listed in the top five with 3 percent of UK landlords owning their rental properties...

Landlord became suspicious of 'policeman' who couldn't spell

15 Aug 2008 15:45:03 GMT

A prospective tenant who pretended to be a police officer in an attempt to fool a landlord almost ended up in jail. The landlord became suspicious when he visited his Colchester property in July to collect a tenancy agreement from 23-year-old Simon Lucas. He had listed his employers as Essex Police but the landlord noticed there were spelling anomalies.

Residential Landlord - In brief

15 Aug 2008 15:44:40 GMT

A London mortgage broker has been fined �100,000 and banned from operating after submitting false mortgage applications. Omotayo Fawole of Oasis Mortgage and Financial Services in Woolwich, was found to have obtained a mortgage after submitting an application which significantly overstated the profits of his...

CML not surprised by repossession figures

12 Aug 2008 17:09:50 GMT

Despite media headlines trumpeting the number of repossessions in the UK, the latest data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) show no surprises in terms of the number of mortgage arrears and possessions cases in the first half of 2008. While both have increased from their low base as expected, the overwhelming majority of the UK's borrowers...

Delay over Stamp Duty decision will cause market to stagnate even further

12 Aug 2008 17:09:31 GMT

"Would the government please take off its hobnail boots and tread carefully over the tender shoots of new business, said Graham Lock, co-founder of on-line estate agency Housenetwork.co.uk. Lock believes the stop-start behaviour over stamp duty has simply frozen many exchanges as clients are calling a halt on their deals to see if the �holiday�, if it goes ahead...

Rental demand is on 'fast forward' but stocks are low

12 Aug 2008 17:09:01 GMT

If the pause button has been pressed for some sectors of the housing market, rental demand is on fast forward, according to David Lancaster at Savills in Chelmsford. "Tenants are crying out for good rented accommodation, particularly family sized farmhouses and cottages in areas of Essex within striking distance of a train to London," he said.

One tenant jailed and another fined for attacking landlord

12 Aug 2008 17:08:44 GMT

A tenant who repeatedly attacked his 60-year-old landlord over a period of time causing her several injuries has been jailed for three years and two months. Stephen Johnstone, aged 39, of Sandy Lane, Weston Point, pleaded guilty at Warrington Crown Court to causing grievous bodily harm to...

Bank holds its nerve - and the base rate

8 Aug 2008 16:48:57 GMT

Amid widespread calls to help boost consumer confidence, The Bank of England�s Monetary Policy Committee voted to maintain the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves at 5.0 percent this week. There were some prior predictions that the committee could raise the rate to slow consumer spending.

New rules aim to reduce risk of property fraud

8 Aug 2008 16:48:35 GMT

Buy to let landlords and property investors face new land registration rules. They amend the Land Registration Rules 2003 and come into force on 10 November 2008. The decision to introduce new legislation follows a consultation on proposals to amend the 2003 rules that ran from October 2007 to January 2008. The Land Registration (Amendment) Rules 2008 aim...

Repossession should only be made as a last resort says CML

8 Aug 2008 16:48:16 GMT

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has welcomed the FSA�s confirmation that mainstream lenders are largely complying with its arrears and repossessions requirements. The CML is surprised at the FSA�s observations on specialist lenders, who have been working extremely hard to manage arrears, but urges the FSA to work constructively with those lenders to ensure there is shared understanding and agreement...

House closed down to protect tenants

8 Aug 2008 16:48:02 GMT

Two more landlords have been fined over the state of their properties. In one case emergency powers were used by a local council to shut down a landlord�s house so stop his tenants coming to harm. Later at Abergavenny Magistrates Court Mohammed Sallem Ullah, of High Cross Lane, Newport, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Housing Act 2004.

Landlord discovers large cannabis growing operation in his property

8 Aug 2008 16:47:41 GMT

More cases in which premises belonging to buy to let investors have been used as cannabis factories were discovered recently. One has resulted in a prison sentence while police are still hunting the tenants from another house which according to police housed one of the biggest growing operations ever found.

Dealing with clients in the credit crunch

6 Aug 2008 13:54:08 GMT

Rather than sell, the vast majority of buy to let investors are looking to add value to their properties in the current tight economic climate. Property Owners Directory founder Andy Stern has released his five top tips for dealing with homeowners, landlords and property investors during the credit crunch.

Have your say on the sale and rent back market

6 Aug 2008 13:53:50 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA), the representative body for private-residential landlords, has asked interested parties to submit their views on its draft Code of Practice for landlords involved in the sale and rent back market. Following wide-reaching consultation across the housing and mortgage sectors, the Code places the protection of vulnerable consumers at its heart.

Majority of crime in England and Wales in property related

6 Aug 2008 13:53:30 GMT

Residential landlords looking to invest in new properties can find out what crime levels are like in their current or prospective neighbourhood through the use of the Landmark Information Group Areaview and Plansearch Plus Reports. The company is a provider of property and environmental risk information.

Current trend in house price falls is set to continue says Banker�s association

6 Aug 2008 13:53:15 GMT

News that the Nationwide house price index has shown that house prices have fallen by another 1.7 percent has been met with more doom and gloom predictions from financial experts, while some of their counterparts in the property market say the figures must not be taken out of context as they are only a snapshot of the market.

Landlord pleads guilty to threatening health and safety of tenants

6 Aug 2008 13:52:49 GMT

A Bristol landlord has been fined �12,600 plus costs because two of his flats and a shop were in such a poor condition that the health and safety of the tenants was threatened. Shemim Yaqub, owner of the properties at 109 East Street, in Bedminster pleaded guilty at Bristol Magistrates Court to 11 offences under the Housing Act 2004 and the Licensing and Management of...

Mixed reaction to Crosby's interim mortgage review

31 Jul 2008 16:46:27 GMT

There has been a varied response to the release by the Treasury of Sir James Crosby�s interim review of the mortgage finance markets. The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) welcomed the analysis and the recognition that a shortage of mortgage funding will persist for years without intervention.

HIPs extension will allow government to snoop on property owners claim Tories

31 Jul 2008 16:46:05 GMT

The controversy over Home Information Packs (HIPs) continues with what Conservatives claim will threaten �backdoor revaluation� following Government plans to extend the scheme. Tory minister�s claim Labour plans to snoop on things like home extensions and parking spaces. Residential Landlords selling their properties will be forced to fill out a compulsory �Property Information Questionnaire� containing details...

London house prices see biggest fall but North East bucks the trend

31 Jul 2008 16:45:42 GMT

Average house prices in England and Wales fell one per cent in June, taking the average price to �180,781, according to the latest figures from Land Registry. Annual house price growth shows a decline for the 10th consecutive month, with an increase of 0.1 per cent.

Tenants do like to be beside the seaside

31 Jul 2008 16:45:24 GMT

Buy to let investors and residential landlords planning to purchase property in one of the government�s planned eco-towns may have to wait a while longer. The Local Government Association (LGA) is considering a legal challenge to the 10 new towns on the grounds that they bypass normal planning procedures.

Jail for tenant who filmed landlord having sex

31 Jul 2008 16:45:03 GMT

A tenant who secretly used his mobile phone to film his landlord having sex has been given a nine-month prison sentence. Scott Jones, 33, of Chelmer Road, Medway, Kent, Jones was convicted of two charges of voyeurism at Peterborough Crown Court on 13 July and was eventually sentenced at Doncaster Crown Court this week.

Mortgage rates on the way down

30 Jul 2008 11:19:54 GMT

Gross mortgage lending declined to an estimated �23.8 billion in June, down 3 percent from May and 32 percent from June 2007, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. The decline between the first and second quarter was a marginal one percent. However, an increase would typically be expected in spring. The year-on-year decline has gathered pace in recent months; lending in the first quarter of 2008 was...

Hotel rooms offer alternative to buy to let investors

30 Jul 2008 11:19:19 GMT

The concept of selling London hotel rooms to investors, which has become a popular alternative to buy to let property in the past couple of years, has taken off nationally claims one developer. Plans for what is believed to be the first scheme of its type in the North of England have been unveiled by a The Skelwith Group in York.

Council gets tough with silent landlord

30 Jul 2008 11:18:57 GMT

Landlord Varinder Jit Gill has been fined �2,000 and ordered to pay more than �1,000 in costs after he failed to co-operate with the London Borough of Hounslow during a routine housing investigation. Gill was asked on numerous occasions to explain his interest in a property in Bedfont Lane...

'Eco-towns are really a red herring' claims FMB

30 Jul 2008 11:18:27 GMT

Second homes could be hit again following affordable housing review

30 Jul 2008 11:17:09 GMT

An experimental restriction of second homes in national parks was one of the recommendations listed in MP Matthew Taylor�s report into rural economies and affordable housing. The Government is however yet to be convinced that a restriction of second homes would be either workable or deliver the intended benefits, when there are more innovative ways of providing...

Last thing the housing market is more government red tape say Tories

28 Jul 2008 16:05:50 GMT

A proposal for state controls on second homes has involved all major political parties. It was commissioned by Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown, produced by Liberal Democrat MP, Matthew Taylor and criticised by the Conservatives who believe it is a recipe for negative equity...

NLA welcomes fire safety guide for landlords

28 Jul 2008 16:05:04 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA), the UK�s leading representative for landlords, has welcomed new national guidance aimed at preventing the 300 deaths per year caused by residential property fires. In 2006 the fire service attended 55,800 fires in houses and flats, in which 373 people died and 11,200 people were injured.

Strong growth in rents will resume in late 2008 and early 2009

28 Jul 2008 16:04:42 GMT

The much-publicised crisis in the sales market is setting the scene for a boom in the lettings market and professional property investment, according to Knight Frank�s latest London Residential Review. The credit crunch has not curtailed demand for accommodation. However, buying an appropriate home is either impossible, as a result of tightened mortgage...

First time buyers look overseas but still rent in Britain

28 Jul 2008 16:04:08 GMT

An increased interest in overseas markets is fuelling the Buying Abroad Renting in Britain (BARBies) trend. Three quarters of first time buyers (FTBs) are abandoning their plans to buy property in the UK due to market instability, with nearly half putting their hopes in property abroad.

Residential Landlord - In brief

28 Jul 2008 16:03:16 GMT

A landlord was jailed for 10 weeks for an illegal eviction after being found guilty of unlawfully depriving his tenants of their occupation of his premises by the act of changing the locks of the property under Section 1(2) of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977.

Requests get stranger as tenants demand more for their money

22 Jul 2008 17:16:47 GMT

A survey by fish4homes reveals that the UK is a nation of demanding house-hunters and that Residential Landlords can often expect strange requests from tenants seeking accommodation. 72 percent of those surveyed also revealed they have farfetched ideas of what we will get for their money.

Novice letting agents could put landlords and tenants at risk

22 Jul 2008 17:16:26 GMT

A substantially slowing sales market has lead to many estate agents who have never before dealt with residential lettings to begin doing so in order to supplement their income. As demand for letting services increases, independent letting agents Leaders and the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) are urging the public to...

HIPs provider withdraws from market

22 Jul 2008 17:16:06 GMT

The Government�s housing policy of Home Information Packs (HIPs) suffered another setback this week following the news that a major HIP provider is withdrawing from the market. The HIP Facilities Group and its subsidiary HIP Payment Services have announced that they are closing their operation down due to uncertain outlook and the housing market slump.

Minimise arrears risk by carrying out reference checks

22 Jul 2008 17:15:45 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA), the trade association for landlords, is warning landlords of the real risk of rental arrears if they fail to carry out appropriate checks on prospective tenants. A situation where a tenant fails to pay rent could take up to six months to resolve...

Dogs banned from 75 percent of buy to let properties

22 Jul 2008 17:15:19 GMT

Results from the Dogs Trust charity�s nationwide survey into the problems of renting with pets, (Renting With Pets Survey) showed that 75 percent of dogs have been excluded from rented accommodation. The UK Pets organisation, reporting on the findings on its website...

NLA takes action to help landlords face energy performance certificate legislation

21 Jul 2008 12:16:29 GMT

UK residential landlords will face considerable fines if they fail to provide tenants with an energy performance certificate (EPC) from October 2008, warns The National Landlords Association (NLA). The total amount for UK landlords could exceed �500 million and will come as a shock to many buy to let investors.

Sellers sneak away with your fixtures and fittings

21 Jul 2008 12:09:16 GMT

Residential landlords and investors purchasing new buy to let properties should be careful when it come to the fixtures and fittings in the current economic climate. What constitutes a fixture or a fitting has become an increasingly contentious issue, leaving many purchasers outraged when they discover that they have been left with much less that they paid for.

Death trap gas cylinder's taken off Hounslow streets during amnesty

21 Jul 2008 12:08:52 GMT

Residential landlords and their tenants were among those offered the opportunity to hand in, or have collected, unwanted gas cylinders in Hounslow during an amnesty in June. It resulted in more than 300 potentially-lethal gas cylinders being handed in at the Council�s reuse and recycling centre.

Price falls spread into the prime country house market

21 Jul 2008 12:08:31 GMT

Residential Landlords who rent out properties in the prime country house market will have seen the value of their accommodation fall by 3.9 percent during the second quarter of 2008, according to the Knight Frank Index, the most severe quarterly price fall since the report began in 1995. Values fell for all three property...

Residential Landlord - In brief

21 Jul 2008 12:08:03 GMT

The Government is putting another toe into the rental market by introducing a new Rent to Home buy scheme. People with an income of up to �60,000 are being offered the opportunity to rent a flat or a house for up to three years at a discounted rate under the plans announced by Housing Minister Caroline Flint.

Private rented sector outstrips other types of investment

17 Jul 2008 12:08:48 GMT

At over �500 billion, the value of the Private Rented Sector now outstrips the total of all privately-owned property says a report for the Association of Residential Letting Agents, (ARLA). The organisation�s report states that the Private Rented Sector is forecast to continue outstripping other types of investment property.

Landlords still keeping deposits in 'their back pockets'

17 Jul 2008 12:08:30 GMT

NEARLY two thirds of landlords are breaking the law by failing to properly protect their tenants� deposits, new research has revealed. A survey by The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS) found 62 per cent of landlords willing to admit openly to prospective tenants that they were not registered with any deposit protection scheme � as required by law.

First apartments in UK to produce no carbon emissions

17 Jul 2008 12:08:12 GMT

Residential Landlords who are keen to go green could add to their portfolio by buying into the UK�s first ever carbon zero housing development in Manchester�s Northern Quarter. Reddish based building firm Moylan Homes has just secured planning permission to build the carbon zero rated Xantium building on Mason Street.

Property industry disappointed Bank of England did not help inspire confidence

17 Jul 2008 12:07:54 GMT

Property industry specialists were once again disappointed that the Bank of England�s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) failed to send out a positive message by holding interest rates at 5.0 percent last week. The rate hold came at the same time that the Halifax revealed that house prices are falling at their...

Residential Landlord - In brief

17 Jul 2008 12:07:39 GMT

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) is concerned there will be job cuts at the Alliance & Leicester following the announcement that Spanish banking group Santander plans to merge the business with Abbey.

Legal challenge to merger of landlord�s organisations

11 Jul 2008 17:40:07 GMT

A challenge to the recent announcement that The National Landlords Association (NLA) and the National Federation of Residential Landlords (NFRL) are to merge has cast a shadow of doubt over the plan. Together the two organisations represent nearly 20,000 landlords, and unification would create the largest representative body for landlords in the United Kingdom.

Want to buy a house? �It�s almost impossible says RICS

11 Jul 2008 17:40:32 GMT

Couples on low incomes will be among those continuing to rely on rental accommodation. This is because it is now almost impossible for them to become home owners in Great Britain according to the RICS accessibility and affordability indices. A first time buyer couple, earning lower quartile earnings (totalling �27,516 after taxes)...

MPC holds rate at 5 percent again

11 Jul 2008 17:39:21 GMT

As expected by financial and property experts, The Bank of England�s Monetary Policy Committee voted to maintain the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves at 5 percent on Thursday. The previous change in Bank Rate was a reduction of 0.25 percentage points to 5.0 percent on 10 April 2008.

Landlord gets two year prison sentence after drugs raid

11 Jul 2008 17:38:56 GMT

A landlord has been jailed for two years, and his tenants given suspended sentences, after a police found drugs during a raid on a house in Middlesbrough. The landlord, 25-year-old Savdhul Zaman is a former England international light welterweight boxer. He and John Coltman, aged 27, one of his tenants in Stainton Street, North Ormesby, denied charges of conspiracy to...

Residential Landlord - In brief

11 Jul 2008 17:38:18 GMT

An expanded programme of 50,000 affordable homes forms part of �Planning a better London�, a report by Mayor of London Boris Johnson which sets out how he intends to improve the quality of life for Londoners through the capital�s planning system.

Buy to Let landlords confirmed as prudent investors for the long term

9 Jul 2008 13:08:11 GMT

Buy to Let landlords are increasingly resolved to maintain their portfolios of residential investment property according to the latest Quarterly Survey of Landlords and the ARLA Review and Index published recently. This is despite the fall in house prices. Only a tiny minority, 1.3 percent, expects to sell because of current market conditions.

Tax burden prevents landlords from growing their business

9 Jul 2008 13:07:36 GMT

Residential Landlords are among those running small businesses which must have their tax burdens eased says the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne. Osborne has committed a future Conservative government to simplifying the tax system - including giving advance warning and increasing scrutiny of any proposed legal changes.

Landlords take part in Zero Carbon initiative

9 Jul 2008 13:07:19 GMT

Many of South Yorkshire�s Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) and prominent property developers and have taken part in a new initiative from Transform South Yorkshire�s innovative housing design programme, �Delivering Design Quality� (DDQ). In the first of a series of free professional workshops held at the Mercure St Paul�s Hotel & Spa, Sheffield...

Landlords get help with providing energy performance certificates

9 Jul 2008 13:06:39 GMT

A partnership has been launched to help Social Landlords deliver energy performance certificates (EPCs) for their homes. The move comes as new legislation approaches which demands that every rented property in England and Wales will be legally required to present an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to new tenants from 1st October.

Residential Landlord - In brief

9 Jul 2008 13:06:17 GMT

Strathclyde Homes is introducing what it claims to be a unique �Try Before You Buy� rental scheme at its developments at Clyde Riverfront, Yoker; The Link, Clydebank; Love Leith, Edinburgh and Scholars Gate, Bathgate.

Minister wants to ride cowboy property managers out of town

4 Jul 2008 17:44:13 GMT

Tenants' organisations in Edinburgh have welcomed new measures being proposed to ferret out rogue traders and property managers. Approximately 17 percent of properties in the city are now owned by private landlords, up from 14 per cent in 2005. Communities minister Stewart Maxwell is setting up an accreditation system with the aim of stopping cowboy property...

3,880 more homes for rent form part of new government initiative

4 Jul 2008 17:43:52 GMT

New measures designed to respond to the impact of the credit crunch on the housing market and maintain the delivery of new affordable housing have been met with some criticism. The measures announced by Housing Minister Caroline Flint, including an additional 3,800 homes for social rent, are the first part of a wider...

Welcome mat out at Battersea Power Station

4 Jul 2008 17:43:35 GMT

Residential Landlords who want to provide their tenants with an interesting London address could purchase one the properties forming part of the �4 billion plans to regenerate the iconic Battersea power station. Plans for The Quadrangle, a contemporary development of one, two and three bedroom apartments and penthouses in the immediate vicinity of Battersea Park...

House prices still 4 percent higher than two years ago

4 Jul 2008 17:43:18 GMT

House prices fell by 0.9 percent in June, less than half the rate of the previous month according to the Nationwide�s latest figures. The prices are 6.3 percent lower than this time last year, but remain 4 percent higher than two years ago. Although house purchase transactions remain subdued across the UK, Scotland seems to be bucking the trend.

Residential Landlord - In brief

4 Jul 2008 17:42:34 GMT

A landlord who tried to avoid paying a few hundred pounds to have some old furniture removed from his house by dumping it in the street now faces a bill of �1,800. Malik Gulam Sabir, of Mecca Properties in Heywood Street, Cheetham Hill, Manchester, pleaded guilty to passing waste to an unauthorised carrier at a recent court hearing.

Capital rental values grow while house prices fall

3 Jul 2008 13:10:22 GMT

Rental values have continued to grow steadily in London, with vendor reluctance to sell resulting in an additional flow of stock to the sector reports Savills in its latest survey into the Capital�s property market. The company expects rents to rise by 6 percent by the end of 2008. This follows a period when the value of prime central London property fell by 5.5 percent in the second quarter of 2008.

New landlords warned to look before they leap

3 Jul 2008 13:10:04 GMT

Thousands of pounds belonging to residential landlords and tenants could be at risk as the uncertainty over the property market threatens the future of some estate agencies, a Cardiff agent has warned. While they wait for the market to recover, more people are turning to renting out their property but they may not understand that not all estate and lettings agents insure the tenants' deposits and landlords' rents they hold.

New man appointed to oversee tenants' rights and services

3 Jul 2008 13:09:33 GMT

The Government's aim to safeguard higher housing standards for eight million social housing tenants took a step forward this week. Housing Minister Caroline Flint announced that she has recruited people for two of the top positions at the agencies set up to look at affordable housing and the service offered to tenants.

Estate agents suffer from lack of sleep

3 Jul 2008 13:09:11 GMT

Estate agents have topped the poll of professionals suffering from sleep deprivation. They only get five hours and 50 minutes sleep a night - more than two hours less than the daily recommended sleep quota. It seems the stress of a house price nose dive and slump in the market, is taking its toll.

Residential Landlord - In brief

3 Jul 2008 13:08:38 GMT

A LANDLORD has been fined �6,000 and ordered her to pay �300 costs for failing to carry out safety improvements at his house of multiple occupation in Selby. Prosecutors acting for the local district council told magistrates that environmental health officers found various hazards relating to fire safety, electrics...

Educated residential landlords will reign under new EU directive

30 Jun 2008 11:38:47 GMT

With all Residential Landlords being obliged to provide Energy Performance Certificates (EPC�s) with new tenancies from October 1st 2008, Whitney UK is offering tips on how to become a more professional and energy-conscious Landlord. A new EU Directive will stipulate that an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is required within each HIP provided to new residential buy to let or HMO tenants.

Scottish city tops list for student accommodation investors

30 Jun 2008 11:38:19 GMT

Edinburgh is the best location in the UK for residential landlords to invest in student accommodation, according Knight Frank�s Bricks & Mortarboard Student Accommodation Review. It ranks the Scottish city above other UK rivals including all parts of London, Newcastle, Birmingham and Manchester, as the best investment location for student residences.

Increased regulation will deter rogue traders

30 Jun 2008 11:37:02 GMT

Letting and property specialist Martin & Co is the latest company to respond to the Carsberg Report into the future of the housing market in the UK which was jointly sponsored by the NAEA, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA). Martin�s MD Ian Wilson said: "We welcome the review, and in particular the...

Wireless access points will be installed as standard says architect

30 Jun 2008 11:36:35 GMT

Residential Landlords with young professional tenants will be attracted to a new way of delivering broadband to this demographic claims the company providing the service. Sky Wire install invisible wireless access points, meaning residents have the flexibility to browse the internet without plugging into broadband points.

Residential Landlord - In brief

30 Jun 2008 11:36:20 GMT

Sales of second homes in London are set to increase at reduced prices, as owners draw in their finances and sell before the market slips further reports estate agents Cluttons. Forced sales are beginning to appear in many areas of the Capital for the first time. Financial...

Taxman starts hunt for outstanding rent money

24 Jun 2008 14:38:33 GMT

Residential landlords and accountants who look after their Buy to Let interests have been sent letters by HM Revenue & Customs asking for details of any tax that has not been paid on money made from letting or selling a property. Similar action has been taken in the past, but this latest move, which has been called �Property Campaign� by the Revenue, is being seen as a major crackdown that some financial specialists are...

Increase in council tax collection saves over �3.2bn

24 Jun 2008 14:37:49 GMT

Residential landlords are being told their tenants will get more value for money from local public services due to an increase in the collection rate of council tax. Local Government Minister John Healey this week praised councils on improving the amount of council tax collected for the eighth successive year.

As house prices fall rental yields go up

24 Jun 2008 14:37:29 GMT

Rental yields in May were at their highest level since the start of 2006, states to the latest Paragon Mortgages' buy-to-let index. Landlords can now expect an average yield of 6.4 percent. In the last year rental incomes have increased by nearly 12 percent - 6 percent in the past six months.

Calls for Scotland to back Tenancy Deposit Scheme

24 Jun 2008 14:37:05 GMT

With the Scottish Parliament starting a debate on the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, ARLA, the Association of Residential Letting Agents, called for ministers to give it their backing without re-inventing the wheel. ARLA was behind the operation of the voluntary Tenancy Deposit Scheme in England and Wales before deposit protection became mandatory last year.

Residential Landlord - In brief

24 Jun 2008 14:36:45 GMT

Gross lending totalled an estimated �25.5 billion in May, down only 2 percent from �26.1 billion in April but 19 percent from the �31.5 billion high in May 2007, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). Monthly lending levels have continued well below their position last year but at good historic levels.

Soaring rent levels are just a myth says ARLA

20 Jun 2008 12:09:45 GMT

Marginal falls in rental returns for houses and flats are reported in the latest quarterly survey of ARLA�s member letting agents. This, ARLA believes, is due to the number of new developments coming on-stream. The Association also points out that this demolishes the myth that rent levels are soaring.

Agents look to the future

20 Jun 2008 12:09:28 GMT

The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) today welcomed the recommendations of the Carsberg Report into the future of the housing market in the UK. The independent report, jointly sponsored by the NAEA, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA), pulls no punches in its assertion that the market for buying and selling homes in the UK is simply not working.

Sustainable code creates higher costs for landlords

20 Jun 2008 12:09:12 GMT

Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) are having to incur substantial extra costs to meet the stringent new CSH Code Level 3 standards, which came into force as part of the Code For Sustainable Homes - which seeks to achieve zero carbon new builds by 2016. The Government currently allocates little or no additional funding to newly built social housing.

House prices falling further than predicted

20 Jun 2008 12:08:57 GMT

Residential landlords could see their property investments decline in value following predictions by Britain�s biggest mortgage lender that house prices are likely to fall by 9 per cent this year. The Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) has reported that sales this year are down by 45 per cent compared with last year.

Residential Landlord - In brief

20 Jun 2008 12:08:24 GMT

A landlord threw a tenant out of his house and set fire to his clothes after discovering that he had used a mobile phone to film him having sex with his girlfriend. The fire attracted the attentions of the police and fire brigade leading to the tenant, Scott Jones, being arrested and charged with two offences of voyeurism in Huntingdon.

South East outperforms UK average

17 Jun 2008 12:32:07 GMT

Residential landlords in the South East have been given a glimpse of how their property investments are performing following a research report on residential development by Knight Frank. It showed that the South East housing market averaged 7 percent capital growth in 2007, outperforming the UK average (5 percent) as well as Greater London (4 percent).

Number of households in temporary accommodation falls

17 Jun 2008 12:31:37 GMT

Mediation services to resolve family or relationship breakdowns or offering rent deposit to aid a family make a move into accommodation were just two of the methods that housing authorities and their partners have employed to prevent households from becoming homeless. Homelessness Minister Iain Wright...

Rental is 'the' affordable housing market

17 Jun 2008 12:31:06 GMT

An influential housing report published recently shows rental housing to be the only affordable section of the market claims the British Property Federation (BPF). At the launch for �Can�t Buy, Can�t Supply� report, Hometrack�s director of research, Richard Donnell, said that "the private rented sector is the affordable housing market".

Could get harder to pave the way in your front garden

17 Jun 2008 12:30:50 GMT

Residential Landlords who want to concrete over the front gardens of their properties to provide off street parking for their tenants may face tougher opposition in the future. The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) wants the Government to take immediate steps to mitigate the risk of flooding by preventing people from taking such action.

Squatters advice group defends its handbook

17 Jun 2008 12:30:32 GMT

No one is saying all squatters are perfect, but neither are tenants. This is one of the responses from the Advisory Service for Squatters (A.S.S) following recent headlines criticising local councils who are referring homeless people to its Squatters� Handbook. Reports claim the handbook, which is now in its 12th edition and has been in print since 1974, allegedly gives advice on how to �trick� your way into properties.

BPF maintains pressure on housing minister over the future of renting

13 Jun 2008 10:41:11 GMT

The country�s biggest property developers and investors handed housing minister Caroline Flint a report called �The Future of Renting� at the British Property Federation (BPF) annual conference. The report is a response to a government review of rental and calls for a radical reshaping of the housing market that would ease the burden by ensuring renewed investment to see new properties come forward, saving...

UK rents increase by 13.8 percent

13 Jun 2008 10:40:52 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA), which represents almost 14,000 landlords, has said that the fundamentals of UK buy to let remain strong. Despite a reduction in available mortgage products, the organisation says its NLA Mortgages continue to offer landlords the chance to access mortgage finance and benefit from a guaranteed cashback sum.

The secrets of renting revealed at seminars

13 Jun 2008 10:40:28 GMT

Potential and existing landlords are being invited to receive expert guidance on how property investment can help secure their financial future at an event being held in Peterborough and Ipswich this month. The seminars on Tuesday 17th June 2008 at The Buckingham Suite, Holiday Inn Peterborough West, Thorpe Wood, Peterborough, PE3 6SG and...

Falling rental supply presents buy to let investors with new opportunities

13 Jun 2008 10:40:08 GMT

Strong rental growth, low voids and falling rental supply will, according to Savills, support income returns during this period of housing market uncertainty which also presents investors with new opportunities. Jacqui Daly, director of Savills research, believes that investors are showing continued interest in portfolios, where there is the opportunity to unlock additional value.

House price balance improves slightly but still remains depressed

13 Jun 2008 10:38:41 GMT

In a week dominated by headlines about the possibility of two million homeowners slipping into negative equity comes news from RICS that the balance of Chartered Surveyors have reported house price falls decreased slightly in May but the average number of transactions per surveyor fell further.

MPC still stuck between rock and hard place over interest rates

11 Jun 2008 13:33:11 GMT

Disappointing, unhelpful, but hardly a surprise was the general reaction of the property market to The Bank of England�s Monetary Policy Committee decision to maintain the official Bank Rate at 5.0 percent. Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) director general, Michael Coogan said: 'We expected the MPC to hold rates today as it wrestles to control rising inflation in a weaker economic outlook.

Housing minister calls for tenants to join housing regulator board

11 Jun 2008 13:32:56 GMT

Tenants will have the opportunity to reward good practice and take action against poor social landlords when the board of the new social housing regulator, the Tenant Services Authority when it opens for business at the end of this year. Housing Minister Caroline Flint has called for social housing tenants to come forward to apply for two of the four new positions on the board of the Authority...

Direct access to finding out if your property is at risk

11 Jun 2008 13:32:37 GMT

Over 13 million properties are at potential risk from subsidence in the UK, nine million homes have been built within 100m of potentially contaminated land, and two million homes are at potential risk from flooding. For the first time ever, Landmark Information Group, a provider of property and environmental risk...

Shorthold tenancies now available in Winchester

11 Jun 2008 13:32:23 GMT

Accommodation in Winchester is now available on standard Assured Shorthold Tenancies, or alternatively on a week by week basis. Dreweatt Neate is offering apartments in Bakhaty House, next to the newly-opened Discovery Centre in Jewry Street to tenants who want flexible periods.

Residential Landlord - In brief

11 Jun 2008 13:32:04 GMT

Residential landlords and property investors interested in any of the new 47 detatched homes that have been added to the Dickie Homes development in Elderslie will be buying a 21st century home in a Scottish village steeped in history.

Sale and rent back guide drawn up in advance of Code of Practice

6 Jun 2008 17:34:38 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has developed guiding principles for its forthcoming Code of Practice for landlords involved in the sale and rent back market. Although sale and rent back will not stop repossessions, ethical sale and rent back could be a way for homeowners to remain in their properties but become tenants.

Luxury apartments will benefit from city regeneration

6 Jun 2008 17:34:12 GMT

Croydon is currently going through a �3.5 billion regeneration scheme intended to place it as London�s third City with a number of major projects either underway or planned. At the heart of the scheme is the five hectare major mixed-use scheme on the Croydon Gateway site. Property investors and residential...

Agent accused of 'anti-competitive practice'

6 Jun 2008 17:33:16 GMT

Representatives from two estate agencies have been meeting this week in an effort to resolve a dispute over alleged anti competitive practices. Estate agency Homes Matter has made a formal complaint against Rightmove.co.uk to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) over the allegation that it refused to accept its advertising.

NLA attacks 'money for nothing' fees

6 Jun 2008 17:32:42 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA), which represents almost 14,000 landlords, has published research indicating that 73 per cent of landlords consider the renewal fee charged by their letting agent on a �let only� basis as not reflective of the work actually undertaken. The survey of over 500 landlords has revealed that those landlords with properties outside London and the South East are far more likely to pay a fixed fee in the region of �50...

Brown takes over as acting chairman at CML

6 Jun 2008 17:32:17 GMT

Richard Brown has becomes acting chairman of the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), following the departure of the previous chairman, Steven Crawshaw from Bradford & Bingley plc, on health grounds. Brown, Managing Director Bank of Ireland Personal Lending, was previously one of the Deputy Chairmen of the CML.

Railways improvements signal house price and rent rises down the line

4 Jun 2008 15:36:00 GMT

Property investors and residential landlords who want to increase the size of their portfolios are always looking for areas where emerging factors point towards house prices and rents rising in the future. Many property experts say that Kent is one county on the move due to improvements being made to the railways.

Sale and rent back code of conduct aims to regulate industry

4 Jun 2008 15:35:46 GMT

A sale and rent back business claims it is taking steps to ensure those who wish to cash in on their property receive protection from unscrupulous companies. UK Housing Alliance, (UKHA) is working with the National Landlords Association (NLA) to develop an OFT approved code of conduct to help regulate the industry.

Buy to let lender goes cap in hand to shareholders

4 Jun 2008 15:35:28 GMT

High street banks are still feeling the knock on affects to their own businesses after Bradford & Bingley, the UK�s largest buy to let mortgage lender, asked its shareholders for more cash after a weak trading statement announcement. Panic appeared to set in on the stock market on Monday causing...

Councils accused of promoting squatters' rights charter

4 Jun 2008 15:35:14 GMT

Town hall housing departments across the country are referring people without anywhere to live to a squatters� rights group according to a statement released by the Conservative Party. The Advisory Service for Squatters has produced a DIY guide on breaking into people�s homes and how to occupy the property.

Five years energy for free on eco-development

4 Jun 2008 15:34:53 GMT

Residential landlords who invest in the low carbon Ecostessey Park development, near Norwich are being offered five years of free energy which will help attract tenants. Ecostessey Park is an eco-development of 3, 4 and 5 bedroom townhouses, set on a private estate on the edge of Old Costessey, near Norwich. Prices start at �249,950.

Confusion over landlord and tenant insurance claims

30 May 2008 11:46:34 GMT

A recent survey estimated that almost a million private tenants have no home contents insurance, despite the fact that a third of private renters surveyed said that they estimate their possessions to be worth more than �10,000 in value, with some individual items worth over �1,500. Many tenants who do not have contents insurance believe that their residential landlord�s insurance policy will cover their contents.

House prices fall again - but it's not all bad news for residential landlords

30 May 2008 11:45:25 GMT

It's swings and roundabouts for residential landlords as far as house prices are concerned in the current climate. The recent Nationwide survey reported that house prices fell by 2.5 percent in May. They are also 4.4 percent lower than this time last year, but remain 5 percent higher than two years ago with the average price now �173,583 (�8,000 less than this time last year).

Keep control of tenants' deposits

30 May 2008 11:44:50 GMT

Residential landlords don't have to lose control of their deposits even though they must now be protected throughout the course of the tenancy. This was a recent reminder from mydeposits.co.uk, a Government-authorised insurance-based tenancy deposit protection scheme protecting over �200 million of deposits.

Residential Landlord: In brief

30 May 2008 11:38:00 GMT

Another question over what incentives have been offered to the private rented sector to assist with immigration housing issues was raised in the House of Commons recently. James Clappison (Shadow Minister, Work & Pensions; Hertsmere, Conservative) asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many...

Landlord fined after silent killer claims another victim

27 May 2008 14:44:24 GMT

Another landlord has been fined following the death of a six-year old girl who was poisoned by fumes from a faulty boiler. It has prompted the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to again highlight the fatal consequences of carbon monoxide gas following the case which hit the national headlines.

Shaky consumer confidence contributes to strong rental demand

27 May 2008 14:44:07 GMT

Members of the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) claim the property market is stabilising but that there are still regional variations due to shaky consumer confidence. The latest NAEA report appears to indicate that the current rise in demand for rental property will continue because it is still a tough time for first time buyers. This fact is backed up by the recent...

Private rented sector can help ease overcrowding says Flint

27 May 2008 14:43:49 GMT

Working with local authorities has shown that providing access to larger properties in the private rented sector can be a positive solution to the problem of overcrowding in some circumstances said Minister for Housing Caroline Flint during a House of Commons debate recently. Her comments were in answer to a question by Dari Taylor (Stockton South, Labour) who...

Report into Buy to Let could have gone further says ARLA

27 May 2008 14:43:22 GMT

Although welcoming the Select Committee report into the supply of rented housing, published last week, ARLA, the Association of Residential Letting Agents, believes that it could have said more to help consolidate and build on the successes of the Private Rented Sector over the past decade. Ian Potter, Head of Operations for ARLA, said: "Many of the recommendations to Government are aspects that ARLA has long proposed.

Ground 8 possession for rent arrears is unhelpful, inconsistent and unfair says CAB

27 May 2008 14:43:01 GMT

A new report from Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) reveals that while the Government�s rent arrears pre-action protocol appears to be bedding down well, some housing associations are continuing to choose to seek possession for rent arrears using the mandatory Ground 8 under the 1988 Housing Act.

Landlords reap benefits as housing market demand slumps

23 May 2008 13:43:24 GMT

Owners experiencing difficulty selling their properties, have turned to the rental market to take advantage of rising yields, says the RICS Lettings Survey published this week. New instructions to let property increased significantly in Q1 2008. The net balance of Chartered Surveyors reporting a rise in new landlord instructions (an indicator of supply) increased to...

Mortgage lending volumes to get worse before they get better

23 May 2008 13:42:51 GMT

Gross mortgage lending reached an estimated �25.3 billion in April, a 5 percent increase from March and an 8 percent decline from April 2007, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). A fall is typically expected from March to April. However, the fact that Easter was in March is likely to have affected the monthly...

Optimism low but expectations still high among buy to let landlords

23 May 2008 13:42:27 GMT

Overall optimism among buy to let landlords is at the lowest level recorded in the past 12 months claims a quarterly survey into the sector. But despite this dip in business expectations, more than half (52 percent) of the landlords interviewed by independent buy to let mortgage broker The Money Centre still believe their prospects are good or very good...

Private rented sector should not be seen as 'second best' says NLA

23 May 2008 13:34:37 GMT

Property investors in the private-rented sector must work harder to dispel the myth of rented housing as second-best says the National Landlords Association (NLA). Broadly welcoming a select committee report into the supply of rented housing, the NLA is pleased that the needs and aspirations of those who rent have...

Don't let sitting tenants take you by surprise

21 May 2008 13:20:12 GMT

Property auction experts have warned new investors to exercise caution when bidding on a tenanted property. Auction Finance Limited, a Manchester firm that provides finance for property professionals purchasing at auction, says that it has witnessed several instances of investors running into difficulties because they were unaware that their new property came with a sitting tenant.

Empty homes can alleviate housing problem claims RICS

21 May 2008 13:19:51 GMT

A new report by the Local Government Association (LGA) warns that the impact of a slowdown in the economy combined with the credit crunch could lead to two million households, or 5 million people, on the waiting list for social housing in less than two years. Concerns have been raised by council leaders that the bank�s aggressive lending policies over recent years have overheated the economy and brought...

Market forces should determine payment methods

21 May 2008 13:19:29 GMT

Landlords and letting agencies who accept cheque payments for rent will be keeping a close eye on the Payment Council�s new National Payments Plan, in which it agrees not to phase out cheque payments until adequate alternatives are in place. The move has been welcomed by the Forum of Private Business whose survey at the end of last year revealed that most smaller businesses want market forces to determine when they should switch payment methods.

Jail for tenant who killed landlord in fire

21 May 2008 13:19:10 GMT

A tenant who caused the death of his landlord after starting a fire in the flat where they lived has been convicted of manslaughter. In a strange twist, 22 year old Stuart Willard had been hailed a hero six months before the fatal fire when he rescued two people, including landlord John Skilton, from the flames of...

Beware of exploding back boilers

21 May 2008 13:18:57 GMT

Landlords are among property owners being issued a safety alert by The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following five incidents in the last five years where redundant solid fuel back boilers exploded. A number of these incidents led to injury and sadly, in one case, a fatality when a woman died after an incident in Twyning, Gloucestershire last November.

OFT sale and rent back study gets underway

16 May 2008 11:40:02 GMT

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has launched a market study into the sale and rent back sector. The arrangement - also known as sale and lease back - enables homeowners to sell their property at a discount to property investors or buy to let landlords in return for the option to remain in the house as a tenant. It can be seen as attractive to people in financial difficulty and facing possible repossession of their homes.

New social landlord regulator goes for carrot and stick approach

16 May 2008 11:39:27 GMT

Anthony Mayer will be the first Chair of the new social housing regulator, the Office for Tenants and Social Landlords (Oftenant), Housing Minister Caroline Flint announced this week. She has promised the regulator will listen to tenants' concerns and have powers to ensure they're getting a good service...

Buy to let loans increase in subdued house buying market

16 May 2008 11:39:02 GMT

Mortgage lending for house purchase remained subdued in March but remortgaging levels held up well in the face of funding constraints, according to data released today by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). The proportion of �other� lending, predominantly made up of buy to let loans and further advances, increased to �7.2 billion...

'Truly dreadful implementation' of HIPs says property specialist

16 May 2008 11:38:18 GMT

Property investment companies and individual residential landlords looking to purchase or sell buy to let homes were first dismayed by the original introduction of Home Information Packs (HIPs), and are now frustrated by the subsequent delays. The latest delay and moving of the goalposts announcement this week from Housing Minister Caroline Flint has prompted...

Property industry voices dissatisfaction over interest rate decision

14 May 2008 13:26:49 GMT

The Bank of England�s decision to leave interest rates at 5 percent has been met with disappointment by the property industry in particular. Generally it is felt that the Monetary Policy Committee has focussed simply on inflation rather than the overall health of the economy and there are fears the Government is letting the UK slip into recession because they are taking the necessary corrective measures.

Government aims to prevent mortgage misery

14 May 2008 13:26:34 GMT

A new �10 million package of measures to support property owners who may be facing difficulties with their mortgage has been announced by Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling and Housing Minister Caroline Flint. This package includes measures to ensure that financial advice and support is available for borrowers who may need it and includes an...

Repossession figures will not be as high as 90s say CML and RICS

14 May 2008 13:25:24 GMT

The Ministry of Justice recently released figures that show the biggest increase in repossession claims since the property crash of the early 1990s must be kept in perspective says the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). The threat of repossession to householders who have failed to keep up mortgage payments has...

House prices continue to fall as credit crunch squeezes lending

14 May 2008 13:24:58 GMT

In what has been described as �gloomy reading�, The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors' (RICS) latest house price survey showed that confidence in the UK housing market fell to its lowest point for 30 years in March. This was the eighth consecutive monthly fall and it exceeds the previous lowest figure recorded in June 1990.

HIPs due for another makeover

14 May 2008 13:24:40 GMT

The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) has expressed disappointed that first day marketing is not going to be scrapped completely, but welcomes the move by the Minister for Housing and Planning to work with the industry to make HIPs more effective. Its views follow a Government announcement to introduce a package of measures to help ensure...

Bank holds its nerve and interest rates

9 May 2008 14:24:01 GMT

Although borrowers and builders were hoping for another cut in interest rates, the Bank of England, as many analysts predicted, held the base rate at 5 percent on Thursday. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) would have been under pressure due to falling house prices and low consumer confidence but decided to maintain the current figure after cutting interest rates three times in the last six months.

How will Boris affect the London property market?

9 May 2008 14:24:25 GMT

Protecting private tenants from unscrupulous landlords by publishing an online 'Fair Rents Guide', and exploring the possibility of a tenant deposit scheme with a guaranteed arbitration period of one month are two of Boris Johnson's pledges in his housing manifesto. The new London Mayor�s other detailed policy pledges are designed to help more Londoners afford their own homes.

Cash still available from other sources claims finance broker

9 May 2008 14:24:55 GMT

While banks and mainstream lenders continue to put the brakes on the kind of lending available before the credit crunch, there is actually still a vast amount of cash out there if you know where to look says an independent commercial finance broker. And, says Galapark Ltd, some property investors may be surprised that flexible finance facilities from other sources remain very readily available.

Momentous year for the mortgage industry

9 May 2008 14:25:19 GMT

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has published its annual report 2007 which, the organisation says, is a record of a momentous year for the mortgage industry. The report highlights how, in the first eight months or so of the year, mortgage and housing markets continued a pattern of strong growth that had extended for...

A POSITIVE approach to the mortgage market

9 May 2008 14:25:54 GMT

Whitney UK and Rich Dad Education, a provider of educational programmes in property investment and financial well-being, have drawn up their own POSITIVE advice relating to the current mortgage market. The advice is: Plan ahead for the longer term. Try not to sell your home or investment properties unless...

BPF labels NLA statement 'absurd'

7 May 2008 12:31:18 GMT

The British Property Federation (BPF) has responded to what it calls an absurd press statement from the National Landlords Association (NLA) criticising moves to encourage greater investment into rental housing. The NLA's statement suggests that moves to encourage a US style branded rental scheme may pose a threat to individual landlords and could leave the vulnerable 'out in the cold'.

ARLA�s new man with a mission

7 May 2008 12:30:59 GMT

The new ARLA president is calling on members to promote the benefits to landlords and their tenants of the Association�s Code of Practice, Client Money Protection and professional qualifications. David McMaster, 40, who takes over from Robert Jordan this month is making it his personal mission to ensure landlords and buy to let investors understand exactly what they should expect from professional letting agents.

Accommodation shortage means rents could rise by 50 percent

7 May 2008 12:30:39 GMT

The recent announcement by housebuilder Persimmon that it has postponed the start of scheduled new sites until the mortgage market improves will be one of several similar statements to come from developers predicts an investment specialist. These postponements will have the affect of stalling the government�s home building plans and will see rents rise as demand for existing rented accommodation increases.

Shortage of large homes in rental sector

7 May 2008 12:29:59 GMT

Although there is a market for those looking to rent larger homes, they are in short supply and the houses that do come up are quickly snapped up. This is the view of Zaza Patterson, of the Winchester lettings department of Dreweatt Neate. She said: “There is always the demand for larger houses at this time of year as...

Government must help landlords go green

7 May 2008 12:29:08 GMT

The government must make better use of the Enhanced Capital Allowances scheme, designed to reimburse landlords for greening existing buildings says The British Property Federation (BPF). At a recent UK Green Building Council 'Dragon's Den' event the BPF joined organisations including Friends Of The Earth and the Empty Homes Agency to make a case for one type of incentive scheme to help green the country's...

Buy to let property company goes into administration

2 May 2008 18:05:37 GMT

A buy to let company that promised to show investors how to become property millionaires went into administration this week. Three years ago Inside Track was reporting profits of �12m, but in the current climate the company is now showing a loss. It blames the credit crunch for its collapse which has caused banks to tighten up buy to let lending although media reports had already previously suggested that...

All borrowers will be affected by credit crunch says CML

2 May 2008 18:05:19 GMT

The Bank of England's special liquidity scheme is designed to improve liquidity in the banking system, not to support the housing market, Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) director general Michael Coogan told a Debt and Personal Finance All Party Parliamentary Group meeting this week.

House price fall not in same league as the 90s says Nationwide

2 May 2008 18:04:57 GMT

The not altogether unexpected news that house prices are lower than they were a year ago was revealed by the Nationwide's' latest House Price Survey. Average prices have dropped 1 percent since April 2007 to �178,555, the first time this has happened since 1996. Falling demand from first time buyers, higher mortgage costs...

Former media mogul turns attention to cowboy builders

2 May 2008 18:04:30 GMT

Landlords whose properties have suffered from the hands of �cowboy builders� may have found an ally in the form of Eddy Shah, the man whose Messenger News Group company took on the print unions 25 years ago. He has vowed to uncover dodgy working practices in a blog on the new website www.showhouse.co.uk, which is a forum for the UK housebuilding industry.

Branded rental market will not benefit vulnerable claims NLA

2 May 2008 18:04:18 GMT

Calls for the adoption of a large institution-driven, US-style branded rental market in the UK could leave the vulnerable 'out in the cold' says the National Landlords Association (NLA). The warning follows proposals to incentivise large institutions to invest intensively in rental accommodation.

86 percent rise in complaints involving residential lettings

30 Apr 2008 16:51:57 GMT

Estate agents who deal with lettings are being advised by the Ombudsman for Estate Agents, Christopher Hamer, to pay particular attention to their dealings with clients. With uncertainty in the residential sales sector, there is an increasing emphasis on renting property in the private sector as a housing solution for many people as they wait to see what happens with...

Significant risk of greater falls in housing market says Savills

30 Apr 2008 16:51:37 GMT

Savills Research has issued a revised forecast for the property market anticipating total falls of 6 percent over two years, provided the Bank of England takes all necessary steps to halt the credit crisis. Unlike other forecasters, Savills believes the current credit constraints, rather than affordability issues, to be the major downward pressure on the property market.

Put EU integration on hold says CML

30 Apr 2008 16:51:08 GMT

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has urged the European Commission to shelve its White Paper proposals on the integration of EU mortgage markets. The CML says that conditions have changed so much in the months since the White Paper was prepared and published in December last year that it would make no sense to proceed.

Refurbishment opportunities excite buy to let landlords

30 Apr 2008 16:50:50 GMT

A survey of buy to let landlords has revealed that 70 percent view the current property market conditions as an opportunity to expand their portfolios. The survey, carried out by property fulfilment company i-PropertyAssets, also showed that refurbishment opportunities were the most likely way for a buy to let landlord to add to their portfolio with 40 percent preferring that option.

Housing association records lowest ever number of evictions

30 Apr 2008 16:50:11 GMT

The biggest housing association in Chester claims it is bucking the national trend by reducing the number of evictions at their properties due to rent arrears. The government has recently announced it is to launch a working group to look into concerns that some housing associations are too quick to evict tenants.

ARLA urges public to join fight for licensing of letting agents

25 Apr 2008 17:22:54 GMT

With the collapse of the Colchester-based letting agents, Hot Lets, ARLA, the Association of Residential Letting Agents, has asked members to step up their individual efforts to warn the public of the dangers of unregulated agents. Speaking at the AGM of the ARLA Essex Region recently Ian Potter, Head of Operations, said, "Until we have a licensing regime that covers every letting agent...

Don't be fooled by national buy to let averages says lettings specialist

25 Apr 2008 17:22:14 GMT

Independently owned letting specialists Leaders, which has 34 offices across the South East, insists it is important to look at the facts and figures on a local rather than national level in order to get an accurate picture of the buy to let market. The company�s managing director, Paul Weller, said: "The problem with looking at averages and trends is they don�t reflect a true picture of what is happening in specific locations.

Landlords still in business for the long term

25 Apr 2008 17:22:00 GMT

There is no sign of buy to let investors fleeing the housing market according to an interim survey carried out over the past fortnight of RICS members. The survey was held to assess whether landlords are now seeking to take advantage of the more favourable capital gains tax treatment.

Buyers adopt a 'wait and see' approach

25 Apr 2008 17:21:31 GMT

Demand for rented accommodation will continue to rise for the foreseeable future as first time buyers are finding the current property climate increasingly difficult. According to the latest report from the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) the market share for the first time buyer market reduced in March.

Funding needed to rid sector of rogue landlords

25 Apr 2008 17:20:30 GMT

A Shelter report shows many on low incomes are being forced to rent slum-like homes as they struggle to find a decent, affordable place to live. The British Property Federation (BPF) is fully supporting Shelter on moves to improve standards and rid the sector of rogue landlords.

'Don�t start cutting corners' says ARLA

23 Apr 2008 10:31:43 GMT

With demand for housing in the Private Rented Sector likely to soar due to the credit crunch, the Association of Residential Letting Agents, ARLA, has warned agents and landlords not to take advantage by cutting corners. ARLA pointed out that both the law and best practice has moved on a long way since the early 90s when the last housing crisis produced soaring rental demand...

Movers and shakers on the latest list of popular and undesirable postcodes

23 Apr 2008 10:31:17 GMT

Residential Landlords trying to find the best locations in which to invest in buy to let properties will be interested in the claims made by a recent survey which lists the least popular places to live in the UK. Halifax has proved the least popular destination with movers - 57.1 percent more people have moved out of the area than...

CML supports cash boost for banking system

23 Apr 2008 10:30:59 GMT

Despite some initial criticism that the Bank of England is risking public money to bail out cash strapped financial institutions by announcing plans for a special liquidity scheme, the move is gaining support from various property organisations. The Government backed scheme hopes that the injection of around �50 billion will improve the liquidity position of the banking system and restore confidence in financial markets.

Online system allows landlords to monitor progress of mortgage transactions

23 Apr 2008 10:30:38 GMT

The Money Centre, the independent buy to let mortgage brokers, has improved its range of mortgage services. After two years of using Goldsmith Williams' online conveyancing service, GW Live, The Money Centre has been asked by Goldsmith Williams to pilot its new portfolio landlord system.

Buy to let mortgage offers become scarce

18 Apr 2008 17:00:45 GMT

New investors hoping to get into the buy to let market and existing landlords looking to extend their portfolio will find it harder to get funding following news that five more lenders have joined a growing list of institutions unwilling to offer products for this type of investment in the current climate. Last year there were more than 3,600 buy to let mortgage products...

South west benefits from vibrant second home market

18 Apr 2008 17:00:16 GMT

Residential landlords with properties in the South West could find their investments holding up better than the rest of the country according to one major estate agent. Knight Frank believes that the area is still expected to outperform the UK average, with only a moderate correction in prices expected through the year (-1 percent compared to -3 percent for the UK as a whole)...

Nationwide property identification system announced

18 Apr 2008 16:59:50 GMT

If you own a property, it will now appear on what is claimed to be a complete list of English addresses produced by the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG). It says that for the first time, possibly since the Domesday Book, the first, definitive, national (England and Wales) address list provides unique identification of properties.

Strong reserves of wealth will underpin finance of home owners

18 Apr 2008 16:59:28 GMT

Unmortgaged housing wealth has more than trebled in the last 10 years. It totals almost �2,500 billion (�2.5 trillion), more than twice the value of mortgage balances outstanding (�1.1 trillion). These are the findings reported in an article in the relaunched CML News & Views from the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

New homes plan for the Black Country

18 Apr 2008 16:59:06 GMT

Residential landlords looking to invest in the Black Country will be watching to see if plans for new homes and a major new retail outlet get the go ahead. The former works of what was the area's largest printer, Cradley Print, could be transformed into contemporary homes and a major new retail outlet if plans submitted by two developers are given the green light.

Split reaction over interest rate cut

16 Apr 2008 10:46:49 GMT

There has been a mixed reaction from the property industry following the decision by the Bank of England�s Monetary Policy Committee to cut the base interest rate to 5 percent last week. Some of the fiercest criticism came from Julian King of the National Homebuyers organisation who accused The Bank of England of failing yet again to grab the credit crisis by the horns and wrestle it to the ground.

Don�t get a shock from your electrician

16 Apr 2008 10:46:30 GMT

Consumer champion the Electrical Safety Council says it�s time for landlords and other property owners to get savvy when it comes to getting in an electrician to undertake work. Figures from government advice service Consumer Direct show that complaints about electrical work in the home rose by 15 percent in 2007.

Don't let NIMBYs bar students from HMOs

16 Apr 2008 10:46:10 GMT

The British Property Federation (BPF) has warned that if ministers clamp down on houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) they could damage housing supply and deprive students of the chance to go to university. The BPF warning follows the announcement by the government�s housing minister Caroline Flint of a review on shared housing.

Mortgage cashback offer from NLA

16 Apr 2008 10:45:32 GMT

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has launched a new service for all landlords, called NLA Mortgages. For the many landlords and property investors looking to expand their portfolios or remortgage their current properties, this free service enables landlords to source a highly competitive range of buy to let mortgage products from a panel of the most popular lenders.

Tenants arrested in drugs raid

11 Apr 2008 12:36:49 GMT

The landlord of two houses in Bradford has promised to board up the properties for the time being and evict the four tenants after they were arrested during a drugs raid on the properties. Police had to smash their way in to one property after they were refused entrance following a tip off that illegal drugs activities were allegedly being carried out in the house.

Review into multiple occupations

11 Apr 2008 12:37:19 GMT

A new review aimed at improving the management and conditions of people living in Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) has been announced by Housing and Planning Minister Caroline Flint. Concerns have been raised about the so called 'studentification' of university towns with over concentrations of HMOs.

Free fire protection inspection

11 Apr 2008 12:37:43 GMT

Purchasing a new fire extinguisher is not a guarantee that the equipment is in perfect working order. Under the Regulatory Reform Order landlords have specific duties to undertake a fire risk assessment of their premises and ensure current fire safety measures are met. To help landlords comply with these responsibilities, Fire Protection Centre provides a free Pre-Delivery...

New mortgage group aims to restore investor confidence

11 Apr 2008 12:38:08 GMT

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has welcomed the launch of a government mortgage finance working group to help restore the confidence of investors while reinforcing the long-term stability in the market. But the CML believes there is still a need for more immediate action by central banks to overcome market funding problems.

Rental incomes still heading in the right direction

11 Apr 2008 12:38:44 GMT

Rental incomes have continued to rise, according to the latest Paragon Buy-to-Let Index for March 2008, reaching an average of �11,886 in February, up 2.4 percent from January. Rents have risen 15.0 percent over the past year. The regions achieving the highest rental incomes are London (�20,574), the South West (�15,970) and East Anglia (�12,738).

Government cash creates new property hot spots

9 Apr 2008 11:53:04 GMT

Some of the most deprived areas of the country could become property hot spots due to the government�s Pathfinder Funding Programme. �1 billion of government cash is being made available to 12 UK redundant and troubled neighbourhoods making them more attractive to residential landlords and potential tenants.

15 potential eco towns move onto next stage

9 Apr 2008 11:52:43 GMT

Residential landlords looking to invest in the eco towns of the future have had their first glimpse of where these developments may be situated. Housing Minister Caroline Flint recently announced 15 potential locations which will go forward to the next stage. The Government has said it wants to build five eco-towns by 2016 and up to 10 by 2020 as part of ambitious plans to build 3 million homes by 2020.

Tracker rate mortgages become more popular

9 Apr 2008 11:52:17 GMT

In the same week that The Abbey withdrew the last 100 percent mortgage deals currently available in the UK, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has announced that the popularity of tracker rate mortgages increased in February as the proportion of borrowers choosing fixed-rate loans fell to 52 percent, its lowest level...

Carbon reduction drive by The Heat Project

9 Apr 2008 11:51:57 GMT

A record number of private tenants are among the 16million people who will have been contacted by the end of May 2008 as a result of a direct mail campaign intended to increase take up of grants available for energy efficiency measures through the Heat Project. It is part of CERT (Carbon Emissions Reduction Target), a Government led initiative to capitalise on the...

First birthday for TDS - but some landlords are still in the dark

3 Apr 2008 18:14:00 GMT

Nearly �900m of tenants' deposits has been safeguarded under the Government's tenancy deposit protection scheme since it started on 6 April last year, claim new figures released this week. Under the rules, landlords and agents have a legal duty to sign up to one of three Government-backed schemes when they take a deposit for a new assured short-hold tenancy.

Mortgage approval figures on their way down

3 Apr 2008 18:16:21 GMT

People attempting to get on to the property ladder for the first time are having to stay in rented accommodation for longer due to a combination of lenders reducing the amount of mortgages on offer, stricter lending criteria, and in some cases banks temporarily not taking on any business from first time buyers.

New hotspot appeals to high end renters

3 Apr 2008 18:16:04 GMT

The once derelict Knightstone Island has achieved the highest ever rental incomes in Weston super Mare for properties of their type according to a local letting agent. David Plaister, a director at West Coast Properties, believes the Redrow development on the island has become a hotspot for buy to let investors because the properties appeal to high-end renters.

London mayor backs professional rented sector

3 Apr 2008 18:15:35 GMT

Ken Livingstone�s housing manifesto, published this week, appears to support the British Property Federation's (BPF) calls for greater institutional investment in London's rental market. The document said that "good quality private rented housing also has an important part to play in meeting housing needs in London".

Private housing construction sector turns negative

3 Apr 2008 18:14:34 GMT

A slowing housing market has hit the UK construction industry, making it even more unlikely that the Government will reach its housing targets, says the recently published RICS UK Construction Market Survey. Growth in construction workloads fell to the lowest level for more than a decade as house builders and businesses were hit by the effects of the...

Buy to let investors still optimistic, but cautious

2 Apr 2008 12:15:33 GMT

Buy to Let investors have seen increases in their returns during the first quarter of 2008, according to the quarterly ARLA Review and Index published this week. The average return on a geared (mortgaged) investment is 21.7 percent, up 0.27 percent, and returns on cash purchases average 10.91 percent.

Slowdown may force MPC into another interest rate cut

2 Apr 2008 12:15:04 GMT

The latest figures from the Nationwide have confirmed the findings of other recent reports that house price growth has slowed to its lowest level in 12 years.This has raised expectations that the monetary policy committee may bring an interest rate cut forward to April.

Landlords - are you ready for EPCs?

2 Apr 2008 12:14:40 GMT

From 1st October 2008, all rental properties with a new tenancy in England and Wales will be required to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). Why should you care? Because your prospective tenants will be able to see at a glance how energy efficient and environmentally friendly your properties are. If you have invested in energy saving measures your properties will perform well and will really...

Burden of tax, red tape and late payments are barriers to growth

2 Apr 2008 12:14:17 GMT

Residential landlords who run their operations as small businesses are among those suffering through rising credit and interest rates, warns the Forum of Private Business (FPB). New research carried out by the Small Business Research Trust (SBRT), in conjunction with the shows that smaller firms are bearing the brunt of the credit crunch.

The Rock aims to roll on

2 Apr 2008 12:13:59 GMT

Following its eventual nationalisation, Northern Rock has vowed to repay the �24bn state loan by 2010. However, the bank did warn that it would not break even for three years and expected to make a significant loss in 2008 after a pre tax loss of �167.6m the previous year. However while trying to reassure customers and shareholders came the news that former chief executive Adam Applegarth would receive a total of �785,00.

New CGT rate could help generate extra interest in but to let

28 Mar 2008 18:21:12 GMT

A new single rate of 18 percent Capital Gains Tax for buy to let investors and second home owners will be introduced on 6 April 6 2008, benefiting individuals, trustees and personal representatives. The current rate is 40 percent for higher rate tax payers who have owned their property for less than three years. Even after a 10-year ownership of a property, the most a higher rate tax payer could hope for is a fall to a minimum of 24 percent.

More optimism for residential landlords

28 Mar 2008 18:20:55 GMT

The strongest average yields being achieved by residential landlords in London on properties ranging from 1-bed flats to 5-bed detached homes, are being found in Islington (5.43 percent), Kensington (5.19 percent) and the City (5.08 percent). This was one of the findings in the Hamptons International Research into the Best Locations for Smart Investors and First-time Buyers across the UK.

Economic forecasts downgraded

28 Mar 2008 18:20:37 GMT

House prices has fallen for the fifth consecutive month according to a recent Nationwide Building Society survey further fuelling fears that the property market is weakening faster than expected. Average house prices rose 1.1 percent from a year earlier making this the smallest annual increase since March 1996.

Pessimistic outlook for small businesses

28 Mar 2008 18:20:06 GMT

Small buy to let businesses are among the type of operations could bear the brunt of the credit crunch says a report compiled by the Small Business Research Trust (SBRT), in conjunction with the Forum of Private Business (FPB). The FPB believes that barriers to growth faced by small businesses, in particular the burden of tax, red tape and late payment, must be urgently addressed.

Minister drops in on Chester Housing Association

28 Mar 2008 18:19:46 GMT

Caroline Flint MP, the Minister for Housing, visited the Chester and District Housing Trust recently. The Minister saw the �12million regeneration of Treborth Road which will include 200 new affordable homes for rent, sale and shared ownership.

Scottish rentals continue to shine

27 Mar 2008 12:46:51 GMT

The North West, Scotland and Wales have registered record returns for landlords, particularly in the fourth quarter of 2007. The latest quarterly report carried out by the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) was carried out well after the credit crunch began to bite. ARLA�s report focuses on returns from properties across the UK. In the last quarter of 2007...

Economy would grind to halt without private rented sector says MP

27 Mar 2008 12:46:25 GMT

Iain Wright MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government said the private rented sector was a key priority for him in his role at a reception hosted by NALS (National Approved Letting Scheme) and the OEA (Ombudsman for Estate Agents) at the House of Lords recently.

More owners could fall off property ladder

27 Mar 2008 12:45:53 GMT

The demand for rented accommodation is set to continue and could probably increase as the credit crunch continues to eat away at the UK housing market. Thousands of first time buyers are struggling with mortgages and are looking to sell up or are under threat of having their properties repossessed. Some experts believe that once off the property ladder, these �first timers� will never get back on.

Lenders have to adapt to day to day changes in credit conditions

27 Mar 2008 12:45:20 GMT

Gross lending declined to an estimated �24 billion in February, down 7 percent from �25.9 billion in January and 6 percent from �25.6 billion February 2007, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). The Bank of England approvals data for January showed subdued levels of house purchase activity and a sharp rise in remortgage approvals...

Estate agents and their ombudsman performing better, says report

23 Mar 2008 13:36:53 GMT

At a time when the relationship between consumers and estate agents is very much in focus, buy to let investors and residential landlords will welcome the news that more agents are showing a commitment to improving their professional standards by signing up to the Ombudsman for Estate Agents scheme and its Code of Practice.

Calls for VAT reduction welcomed

23 Mar 2008 13:37:15 GMT

The property industry's call for a VAT cut on home renovations will receive and enthusiastic reception from residential landlords and buy to let investors. The initiative comes hard on the heels of new evidence that building new houses emits four-and-a-half times as much CO2 as refurbishing an existing dwelling.

Dramatic increase in rental demand north of the border

23 Mar 2008 13:38:15 GMT

The Scottish housing market continues to out-perform the UK as a whole and this has also seen rental demand exceed expectations. According to latest statistics from the Nationwide Building Society, Scottish property saw the fastest growth in the UK, rising in value by 1.8 percent in the final quarter of 2007, and averaging at 14 percent for the whole year.