There was a significant rise in the amount buy-to-let landlords borrowed to invest in property before the introduction of new affordability tests brought in at the start of this month ahead of changes to tax relief from April this year, new figures show. Landlords borrowed £3.2bn in November 2016, up 10% month-on-month, but down 9%…

According to Rightmove’s latest rental price tracker, asking rents rose in 2016 by 3% in 2016 in all regions except London. The rise was just slightly lower than 2015’s rise of 3.7%. The highest growth recorded in the northern regions of Yorkshire and the Humber and the North West. In London, more available rental stock…

If you have a property to let, then the quickest and easiest way to find new tenants is through a letting agent who advertises on the major property websites.  With the advent of online letting agents, such as The Online Letting Agents, landlords now have more choice than ever. In a previous post, we discussed high…

With around 90% of home hunters beginning their search online, advertising your property to let on the internet is crucial to secure quality tenants quickly, and with minimal voids. Traditionally, the only way to access sites such as Rightmove and zoopla has been to place your property with a high street letting agent.  Now there…

Landlords are not responsible for paying council tax on a property when a tenant moves out before the end of a tenancy agreement, according to an Appeal Court ruling passed earlier this year. However, landlords all over the UK could still be paying for council tax on their properties that have been vacated by tenants…

Even though it’s the time of year where the market slows down for Christmas, there’s still time to find tenants! At this time of year, it’s key that your pricing and advert are spot on. If you’re already advertising, check that you’re competitively priced. At this time of year, tenants need a reason to move pre-Christmas,…

The Government have announced that from 1st December 2016 “rogue landlords who are intent on flouting the law” could face both a fine and up to five years imprisonment. In some cases, landlords could also be subject to further sanctions under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Currently landlords who do not undertake Right to Rent…

According to the Rightmove’s Rental Trends Tracker, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the five most in-demand areas in the capital are also some of the cheapest. Erith, in the south-east borough of Bexley, is top of the list with an average asking rent for a two bed of £1,045 pcm. Located in Zone 6, you can be…

HMRC has now filled in the gaps on how mortgage finance relief will apply to buy to let landlords from April 2017. The new rules change the way property rental profits are calculated by taking away tax relief on mortgage and other interest payments. Instead, a flat rate tax relief of 20% for mortgage and…

The landlord loophole: Buy-to-let investors are selling their properties to THEMSELVES to get round tax rules Buy-to-let tax relief is being phased out from 2017, raising landlords’ costs, but the changes only apply if you hold property in your own name so landlords are using limited companies to buy property from themselves.  Despite hefty upfront costs,…