Entries by Joanna Plane

Developers Encouraged To Build To Rent

New home builders and property development contractors may be encouraged to build new exclusive rental only housing estates where none of the properties will be for sale. The UK Government are exploring the idea and it could mean the introduction of a separate planning class for new-build residential property that will be rented out, and […]

Deposits the New Defence to Section 21

The decision in Suurpere-v-Nice (2011) confirms that the prescribed information must be complied with and if this is not done landlords could be subject to sanction when before the Courts

Government May Review Controversial Water Management Act

The British Property Federation (BPF) handed a small peice of good news to UK landlords who may have been struggling to make ends meet, after it was revealed that the UK coalition government may review imposing powers forcing landlords to share information on changes of tenancy with water companies, as well as making them liable for a […]

Is It Cheaper To Own Or Rent UK Property?

Renting a property in the UK Private Rented Sector (PRS) is fast following the European trend and becoming the normal thing for people to do instead of taking the plunge and getting a foot on the property ladder. Struggling First Time Buyers have been forced to rent whilst saving for a deposit on a home. […]

Buy To Let Mortgages Booming Again!

Buy To Let Mortgage Borrowing Up 84,000 On 2010 2011 saw the number of UK residential properties bought using Buy To Let mortgages rise by 84,000 on 2010 figures. Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) figures show that landlords advanced a total of 34,800 buy to mortgages in the last three months of 2011 alone, with a […]

Rise And Rise Of The Private Rented Sector

275,000 new tenants flooded the UK Private Rental Sector in 2011 – a 24% increase on the previous year. Latest Government figures confirm the steady decline of UK Home ownership and the social rented sector, (Council Houses), together with the indisputable rise of the Private Rented Sector (PRS) following the credit crunch. The figures confirm […]

Homeless Charity Calls For Rogue Landlord Summit

The UK homeless charity Shelter and the Residential Landlords Association (RLA) have clashed over the issue of bad landlords. Both organisations have been using very strong words over the last few days, whilst calling for more action by the UK government to stamp out bad landlords. Shelter is calling on the UK coalition Government to hold […]

Buy To Let Properties In Flood Risk Areas May Soon Be Uninsurable!

Home insurers and the UK’s coalition Government are still arguing over paying for flood protection, meaning Millions of homeowners and Buy-To-Let Landlords are facing uncertainty over house prices, mortgage availability and the validity of their insurance policies. If the UK Government fails to meet the demands of insurers to reinstate flood protection cuts then insurance […]

Only 20% Of UK Landlords Increased Property Portfolios In 2011

A new survey of Landlords in the Private Rented Sector (PRS) has discovered that only 20.2% ( 1 in 5 landlords) in the UK, were able to add fresh residential properties to their existing residential portfolio stock during 2011. Property value growth expectations and the prospect of a regular income were the key drivers behind […]

Tenant's Need Their Own Insurance!

UK landlords should already be aware of the necessity, legality and financial importance of having the right insurance protecting their property asset and should always seek to get their rental properties suitably covered with a comprehensive landlord or Buy-To-Let insurance policy. However, whilst landlords stay insured keeping their property assets protected, very few tenants bother […]

Property Repossession Fear Increasing

UK Property Repossessions are forecast to increase 22% in 2012 Economists expect the recession and rising unemployment to squeeze the already stretched household finances of thousands of struggling families this year and are warning UK homeowners and landlords of a sharp rise in residential property repossessions. Record low Bank of England (BoE) interest rates and […]

Property Investors Urged To Be Selective!

Property investors are being urged to thorough research in order to be very selective about the areas they choose to purchase investment property in during 2012. Poor returns from savings and the continuing strong demand for rental property will be the driving factors behind an increase in property investment in the UK buy to let […]

Benefit Cap Defeated But Government Will Push Ahead

The UK Coalition Government plans to cap benefits will still be fully implemented despite the parliamentary defeat in the House of Lords on Monday this week. A defeat that saw 26 Lib-Dem peers rebel against the Government’s wishes. Although, the Government have admitted that whilst disappointed by the result, they still intend to push through […]

PRS Market Set For Decline?

The demand for Private Rental Sector (PRS) residential property and the rise in the number of tenants struggling to meet their rental payments on a regular monthly basis is expected to see the decline of the UK residential property rental market. According to the latest lettings survey from the Association of Residential Letting Agents, (ARLA) […]

Almost 90% Of Landlords Are Owed LHA Rent

UK landlords have little confidence in the current Housing Benefit system and the majority would try to avoid accepting tenants in receipt of benefits due to the extra hassle and headaches that dealing with local authorities and local government departments cause. Landlords claim that tenants who do not receive any form of welfare support are […]

Government Set For Lords Battle On Welfare Reforms

The coalition Government face another battle over welfare reforms, this time in the House of Lords. The outcome will affect individuals and families in receipt of local housing allowance (LHA) or housing benefit, who are in private rented sector (PRS) properties. The Welfare Reform Bill, currently going through the House of Lords, is set to […]

New Landlords Urged To Adopt Good Business Practices

The downturn in UK property valuations has lead many existing homeowners, some of whom are desperate to sell up, to consider alternative ways to cash in on their current property, without having to sell it below their expected valuations. A fairly noticeable proportion of these vendors are choosing to become first-time landlords, rather than settling […]

A Million Reasons Not To Be Thankful

Up to a million families across the UK now face a bleak future as the cuts to housing benefit take effect. Homeless charities including Shelter, Crisis and even the Residential Landlords Association (RLA) have all been campaigning against the Governments welfare reforms where the new LHA caps restrict the maximum LHA payable to between £250 […]

Property Damage At The End Of A Tenancy

Who pays for repairing the damage at a rental property can depend on what exactly has gone wrong. Landlords are responsible for damage to the fabric of the property, such as, missing roof slates causing damp, broken down boilers and leaks and all landlords should have suitable Buy-To-Let insurance in place to cover the costs […]