Contrary to its original estimates, the so-called Landlord Tax has raised twice as much as Treasury officials originally estimated it would. Since the extra 3% Stamp Duty for landlords and homeowners investing in second or subsequent properties was introduced in April 2016, the government has raised £2 billion.
Despite many landlords claiming they will have no choice but to hike rents if they become responsible for paying letting agent fees, the Welsh Government has produced a report that says there is no reason why landlords shouldn’t be responsible for paying letting agent fees up front.
A-Level results are out and the start of another academic year is almost upon us. For student landlords all over the UK, now is a busy time, but figures released by a leading landlord insurer suggests they are getting well paid for their trouble. The insurer looked at the investment potential of all major university […]
Landlord licensing schemes are not popular with landlords, as many believe they create extra red-tape and increase landlord costs. As a result of complaints, some areas have had their requests to impose a landlord licensing scheme revoked by the Department for Communities and Local Government. However, whilst a landlord licensing scheme may not be terribly […]
A few years ago, London was a hotspot for landlord investment, but a UK finance body has published figures that suggest London’s star is fading fast. Landlord investment in the capital has fallen by over 50% in the last year. On average, there were around 2,500 properties bought with a landlord mortgage during 2014 and […]
According to one landlord, the answer is a resounding “yes”. An Oxford landlady has decided to sell up after 13 years running a profitable buy to let flat in Oxford. She has recounted her experiences in the Guardian, including some of the valuable lessons she learned during her time as a landlady in Oxford.
A study carried out by Sheffield Hallam University has found that landlords are increasingly refusing to let properties to tenants under 35. 1,996 tenants were questioned as part of a study commissioned by the Residential Landlords Association. 79% said they had changed their rental policy to exclude people aged 34 and under. Only a small […]
According to a recent survey of 2,000 tenants, just over a quarter of UK tenants have not admitted to their landlord that they owned a pet before moving into a rental property. Many landlords don’t allow pets in their houses, so tenants with much-loved pets often lie rather than re home their furry friends.
Landlords in Leeds have been urged to check their HMO licences after one landlord was prosecuted for squeezing 11 people into a property only intended for seven. The landlord was fined £29k by Leeds magistrates after he breached the conditions of his HMO licence.
Results from the English Housing Survey have found that 20% of tenants are not happy with the standard of their homes. This is twice as high as the 10% of social tenants and 1% of home owners. Their main areas of concern are housing standards and security. 28% of properties in the private rental sector […]
The National Landlords Association has welcomed news from the government that the Making Tax Digital rollout has been delayed, which is good news for the 87% of landlords who still rely on spreadsheets and paper to maintain their financial records. The RLA agrees; their chairman said last year that landlords needed more time to prepare […]
The latest episode of ‘The Week The Landlords Moved In’ proved to be a revelation for a sports car driving landlord and his father. Peter and his dad, Marc, moved into pensioner Linda’s flat for the week. They were horrified to learn they would have to survive on £54. As Peter says, “That for me […]
BBC1 reality TV experiment, The Week The Landlords Moved In, is proving to be entertaining. This week featured a pair of enterprising young landlords who began building their property portfolio at a very young age. Prudent property acquisitions in the Leeds area have seen James and Dan make a huge amount of money. They enjoy […]
The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) has challenged government claims that landlords are rolling in cash. Figures obtained by Jim Shannon, DUP MP, clearly show that out of 1.9 million unincorporated landlords, 66% of landlords are liable for the basic rate of income tax, which suggests they are not ‘raking it in’. Only 4% of landlords […]
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