London Property Blog

Landlords in the capital’s prime rental sector are facing a stark choice between topping up a rent shortfall or selling up. Luxury residential property expert, Jo Eccles, reports that highly leveraged landlords are coming under serious cost pressures as fixed rate mortgage deals come to an end. Stress testing by lenders means some are finding they [...]

Insolvencies rocket as army of small firms – seen as backbone of the sector – struggle with falling demand, rising interest rates and higher costs. It’s tough out there,” says Steve Midgley, the managing director of Fairgrove Homes. His east Midlands firm, which builds about 50 homes a year, is one of Britain’s army of [...]

A well-known lettings agency has made the shocking move of asking a landlord to be a guarantor for their own tenants, it has been revealed. Julie Ford, who is a mediator at PRS Mediation, says a female landlord has been in touch with her to ask her for help with a problem and during the [...]

If you live in a flat, or are considering buying one, your mortgage lender may ask to see the building’s EWS1 form. Here’s everything you need to know about EWS1 forms, who needs one, how to get one, who pays and the associated issues. In the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire disaster new fire [...]

Michael Gove has slammed one of Britain’s biggest social landlords for letting tenants down. The housing secretary told L&Q: “You have failed your residents”. He also called the chief executive of housing provider to a meeting after the housing ombudsman ordered the landlord to pay tenants more than £140,000 in compensation. The move follows a [...]

LONDON, July 24 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recommitted on Monday to promises to boost homebuilding by the next election to tackle a lack of housing stock that has alienated many younger voters who pay high rents and are unable to buy. With a national election expected next year, Sunak's governing Conservatives have [...]

Housing secretary Michael Gove wants the government to ‘relax the pace’ of EPC reforms expected from private landlords. In a Sunday Telegraph interview yesterday, following the Uxbridge by-election, Gove indicated that the timetable for changing minimum energy efficiency standards for private rented housing would be altered. In January 2021 the government closed its consultation on [...]

Housing secretary’s plans aim to address the housing crisis as he says country must make ‘better use’ of buildings Michael Gove is planning to change planning laws to pave the way for more home extensions and conversions of shops into houses in England in efforts to address the housing crisis. As part of plans due [...]

Labour has scrapped a pledge to introduce rent controls if it wins the next general election – after endorsing the policy last year. Lisa Nandy said last September that she wanted to give local authorities the power to freeze rents, telling the party conference: “Doing nothing is not an option.” But speaking yesterday, the shadow [...]

Eleven million tenants across England will benefit from safer, fairer and higher quality homes thanks to a once-in-a-generation overhaul of housing laws. The Renters’ (Reform) Bill, introduced to Parliament today (17 May 2023), delivers the government’s 2019 manifesto commitment to abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions which will empower renters to challenge poor landlords without fear [...]

Purplebricks, which at one stage was used by thousands of landlords to manage their properties, has announced that its assets and business are to be sold to rival Strike for £1, pending approval by its shareholders. Any funds remaining in the firm – some £5.5 million – are to be kept back to pay off [...]

The government has back-tracked on its decision to publish the long-awaited Renters Reform Bill this week.The Mirror newspaper reports that “procedural issues” have been blamed for the delay in introducing the Bill to Parliament.The Bill was first pledged by the Conservative administration back in 2019 and only last week Housing Secretary Michael Gove told Sky News [...]

Former housing minister Lord Greenhalgh has expressed doubts that leasehold reforms will be included in the King’s Speech this autumn. In an interview with Leasehold Knowledge, he said that despite being very complex legislation, the background work had been done. “Even if you ran out of time and you weren’t able to get the Bill through [...]

Ministers are considering a punitive scheme to fine landlords up to £30,000 if they fail to upgrade their properties to a minimum band C by an extended deadline of 2028 instead of the current 2025.   The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero had previously proposed a deadline of 2025 for newly-let rentals to achieve an [...]

An 80-year-old disabled woman is being evicted from her home after more than 60 years because her property won’t pass tighter new EPC rules, a case which is believed to be the first of its kind. Thoresby Estate which owns Anne Marsh’s property in Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire (pictured), says it is no longer viable to rent it [...]

In a display of competitiveness in the rental market, one Chadwell Heath home reportedly received 52 offers last week. The landlord for the two-bedroom house in Cornshaw Road was spoilt for choice as 162 viewings were booked for the property, flooding the street with a long queue of interested parties. Adeel Hasnain, a prospective tenant, had travelled all the way from [...]

Sunday Times’ economics editor David Smith has expressed sympathy for private landlords who he believes feel bruised by increasing regulation in the sector. He says higher mortgage rates might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for many, with some already selling up and financial institutions moving in by building homes to rent and becoming [...]

The Court of Appeal has dismissed the case of a landlord who tried to evict a tenant in arrears after getting the date wrong on a Section 13 notice. Tenant Victoria Whiteland had lived in her cottage in Llanbydder, Carmarthenshire, since May 1991 but although the rent was due every Monday, had always paid on [...]

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has welcomed a landmark ruling from the Supreme Court which provides vital clarification about the responsibilities of so called ‘rent-to-rent’ companies. The ruling in the case of Rakusen v Jepsen will have important implications for the private rented sector as a whole. In the case, the landlord, Rakusen, agreed to [...]

Exclusive new research commissioned by the NRLA shows a vibrant PRS is vital to the social and economic wellbeing of the country. Here, in his regular column for Property Notify®, Ben Beadle, chief executive of the NRLA, explains the importance of the findings – and what the Government needs to do next. Soaring costs, rising interest rates [...]

Look carefully and you will notice there is something slightly different about Kris Bilski's house in Hull. It has no radiators. Yet even on a -2C winter's day, it's nice and warm inside. This is because Kris is an early adopter of electric infrared wallpaper. Thin, metallic sheets are hidden behind the plaster of his [...]

Housing Secretary Michael Gove has promised to scrap most leaseholds in England this year. The government will make it much easier for leaseholders in flats to take over their buildings and bring them into common ownership, avoiding high management fees and ground rents. It is also preparing to scrap rules that prevent owners from buying [...]

The mortgage guarantee scheme — the initiative designed to turn generation rent into generation buy by helping first-time buyers get a foothold on the property ladder — has been extended for 12 months, the Government has announced. Launched in April 2021, the scheme protects lenders against losses when lending to first-time buyers and movers with low deposits. It [...]

Hot water bottle vs electric blanket - which is cheaper to keep warm?   It may be getting colder, but with high energy bills at the forefront of our minds, households are staying away from putting the heating on and instead reaching for the hot water bottle or electric blanket to keep warm. But in [...]

Failure to repair water leak lands landlord in hot water   A landlord and property owner who failed to repair a serious water leak in a private rented property in Lewisham have been fined £4,000 after their tenants’ bathroom ceiling collapsed. After the tenants got in contact with Lewisham Council in November 2021 to complain [...]

Insulation: Households could save £300 in new insulation scheme   Households could save around £310 a year through an expanded scheme to insulate Britain's draughtiest homes, the government has said. It will spend £1bn from next spring on grants for homes that have low energy efficiency ratings and are in lower council tax bands. Households [...]

‘Government acts to protect tenants’ says Gove in landlord clampdown   Housing Secretary Michael Gove has made an announcement overnight that “the government will always act to protect tenants.”The claim comes as part of an announcement giving cash to seven areas to clamp down on rogue private landlords. At the same time there is to be [...]

Investors scramble to dump UK property funds as valuations dive amid widening Kwarteng mini-budget chaos   Following last week’s bond market turmoil, which sent shockwaves through the City, investors are now scrambling to exit UK property funds.Since the new chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, presented his Mini-Budget at the end of September, the pace at which investors [...]

You may not like landlords but we need them   Sounds of wailing and gnashing of teeth drift down from the rooftops. They are emitted by landlords, not a social group as likely to evoke pity as are widows and orphans. They nonetheless feel embattled, threatened with legislation to end so-called no-fault evictions, together with [...]

Sustainable Warmth Grant available for eligible households and Private Landlords   THURROCK Council are working with an Essex wide energy partner called Warmworks to help households who are eligible in the borough to become more energy efficient.To be eligible for the scheme your home must be rated as Energy Performance Certificate E, F or G, [...]

HMRC steps up search for landlords with undeclared rental income   Landlords are being encouraged to get their accounts in order after an accountant specialising in buy-to-let property warned that HMRC is intensifying its efforts to track down those with undisclosed income.Since the government launched its Let Property Campaign in 2013 – an initiative which [...]

101 Ways How To Sell Your House Faster (And For More Money, Too)   If you’re considering moving house, or your home is already up for sale, the following list of 101 ways to sell your house faster will be right up your street. In many cases, implementing as many of these suggestions as possible [...]

Home insulation grants: can you get help paying for loft and cavity wall insulation?   Home insulation grants can help you get loft and cavity wall insulation, potentially saving you more than £1,000 on your annual energy bills. Winter is approaching and even with the government’s ‘energy price guarantee’, keeping bills down is a priority [...]

Solar panel sales boom as energy bills soar     The energy bills crisis has prompted a big rise in demand for solar panels.   Just over 3,000 solar installations are being carried out every week, according to trade association Solar Energy UK, up from 1,000 a week in July 2020. One provider said this [...]

Collapse of supplier Bulb could add more than £150 to energy bills   Cost of bailing out UK company threatens to top £4bn by next spring because of soaring gas prices. Households could end up paying more than £150 extra on their energy bills because of the collapse of Bulb, as the price of bailing [...]

A Couple of Price Falls Don’t Yet Add Up to a Housing Correction   There was a time, not so long ago, when many people expected the housing market by now to be in the throes of a full-blown correction.That was even before we knew how high inflation was going to get, how much interest [...]

Council will fine landlords whose properties do not meet minimum EPC ratings   Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet has agreed to take enforcement action on private landlords who fail to meet Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) in their properties.As a result of this decision, officers from the Council will now be able to issue fines [...]

 Agents report property market 'returning to normal'   Agents have begun experience a ‘more traditional’ market with demand dropping and offers coming in slightly under asking price, research claims.The latest Housing Market Report from Propertymark claimed normality may be creeping back into the market. The agency trade body said the number of new buyers registering [...]

Keys to the council - Hill Group gifts SoloHaus to house the homeless   An initiative by award-winning housebuilder, The Hill Group, saw that keys were officially handed over for six SoloHaus to Southend-on-Sea City Council on July 7 2022 – the first city council in Essex to utilise these purpose-built modular homes as follow-on accommodation for [...]

How real estate can embrace the use of smart-tech   The incredible speed at which organisations were able to transition to remote working when the pandemic hit in 2020 was a testament to the innovative and ever-evolving tech emerging in business operations.Now, two years on, even with social distancing restrictions behind us, employees up and [...]

Energy price rises may be even higher than previously predicted   New forecasts from an energy industry consultancy suggests that the average domestic consumer’s energy bills could soar to £3,363 a year from the start of 2023.This is significantly more than the £3,003 figure released by the government.The typical bill now is around £2,000 a [...]

Young adults lie behind growing rental demand, analysis shows   Tenants’ bills are expected to hit a record £63 billion this year - and much of it is down to the so-called Generation Z demographic joining the market.Lettings agency Hamptons says tenants across the country paid a total of £31 billion in rent during the [...]

Housebuilder prepares eco-friendly homes ready for extreme temperatures A typical comment accompanying news of the UK heatwave is that our homes are not built for 40-degree heat.Many residential homes lack air conditioning and are said to be built to trap heat, which is useful in winter but not when temperatures reach Saharan levels outside.National housebuilder [...]

Ban on charging ground rent on leases comes into force today   The government’s ban on charging ground rent on new leases in England and Wales comes into force today. From today, anyone buying a home on a new long lease will now be freed from these annual costs. Landlords are  banned from charging ground [...]

Canopy and Housing Hand announce new partnership   Rental guarantor service Housing Hand, and renting firm Canopy, have announced a partnership that will further the companies’ missions to reduce barriers to private renting. The partnership will see Housing Hand support renters who would otherwise be ineligible to move home. As a result, an increased number [...]

Bank of England raises borrowing costs – industry reaction   In a move that will have surprised no-one, the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee lifted borrowing costs by 50 basis points, taking UK interest rates to a 13-year high of 1.75% It is the largest rise in UK interest rates since 1995 but the [...]

Second home owners face extra bills as tax loophole set to close   Second home owners face higher bills that could run to more than £1,000 a year under fresh government plans to close a tax loophole. Michael Gove, the Levelling up Secretary, is set to announce new rules that will mean second home owners [...]

Almost a third of property sales collapse because lenders ‘getting tougher’ – claim   There has been a notable rise in the number of property sales falling through due to tougher mortgage lending conditions, it is claimed. According to new figures from Quick Move Now, 31% of agreed property sales collapsed prior to completion in [...]

Online estate agency agrees partnership to help buyers raise a deposit Proportunity, proptech neolender, has agreed a new partnership with online estate agency Griffin Property Co. to help home buyers finance the deposit needed to acquire a property. The partnership will offer buyers alternative ways to finance their first home. Proportunity provides equity loans to [...]

Industry ramps up awareness of new ‘material information’ guidance for agents The National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team (NTSELAT) has published new guidance to help agents meet their requirements under Part A of the process to improve material information in property listings. The guidance, which is not compulsory, has been developed in partnership [...]

Government considering 50-year mortgages that children can inherit The government is considering plans to offer homeowners longer mortgages, including 50-year deals, that can be passed between generations, in a bid to stimulate housing demand and help more people gain a foot on the housing ladder. The Japanese-style longer lending agreements could see people being able [...]

How Long Does It Take to Move in 2022? We’re sorry for mentioning Christmas in June. But bear with us. If you’re thinking of moving, chances are you’ve pictured yourself in your new home in time for the end of the year. What better place to spend the festive season, and kick off 2023, than [...]

Reminder to Agents - New Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Rules Coming Up A prominent agency lettings chief is alerting the industry that new smoke and carbon monoxide alarm rules are changing from October 1. Since October 2015 there’s been a legal requirement for a smoke alarm to be fitted on every floor of a property [...]

The Party’s Over for Airbnb Airbnb says that its so-called ‘party ban’ - introduced in 2020 at the height of the pandemic - is being made permanent. The platform claims that there’s been a 63 per cent drop in reports of parties in Airbnb host homes the UK since the temporary ban. Airbnb says it [...]

Ban On Charging Ground Rent On Leases Comes Into Force The government’s ban on charging ground rent on new leases in England and Wales comes into force today. Starting June 30, anyone buying a home on a new long lease will now be freed from these annual costs. Landlords are banned from charging ground rent [...]

Cost-Of-Living Crisis Still Taking Centre Stage as UK Borrowing Drops Investors are getting set for another twist on the rollercoaster with Monday’s gains set to be largely erased after Snap interrupted the brief rally with a very downbeat snapshot. The FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 have opened 0.9% lower while in Japan the Nikkei slid [...]

The new £2bn grant scheme in England for projects such as insulation, unveiled yesterday by the chancellor Rishi Sunak as part of a wider £3bn plan to cut emissions, initially did not appear to include BTL landlords and homes in the private rented sector. Hundreds of thousands of homeowners will receive vouchers of up to [...]

New listings are on the rise and stock is quickly shifting since the first month of the Stamp Duty holiday but there are already fears about how long it will last. Analysis by property website Home.co.uk found supply of new sales instructions is “exceeding normal levels” and properties are being quickly snapped up close to […]

So, the U.K. is officially in recession. And not just any recession but ‘the deepest recession since records began’.

The Office for National Statistics said gross domestic product (GDP), fell in the second quarter of 2020 by 20.4% compared with the previous three months, and that is the biggest quarterly decline since comparable records began in 1955.

Designed to Sell are pleased to offer our new HMO and Serviced Accommodation furniture packs! These HMO and Serviced Accommodation furniture packs can save you time and money and remove the hassle and stress out of furnishing your HMOs and SAs. We have three HMO and SA packages to suit all budgets Essence Impressions Autograph [...]

The UK Government passed into law the Coronavirus Act on Wednesday 25 March 2020 providing additional powers to deal with the Coronavirus outbreak including measures to suspend new evictions from private rented accommodation while the national crisis is taking place. Under the Coronavirus Act, landlords will not be able to start proceedings to evict tenants [...]

What You Need To Know Green Homes Grant vouchers worth up to £5,000 will be issued to homeowners in England to make their homes more energy efficient under a Government scheme being launched in September – here's the latest info we have following an update issued on 4 August. As part of the Green Homes [...]

A Guide To Renovating - 3 Levels Of Renovation And Profit Margins This brief guide to renovating will guide you through the different levels of renovations that can be carried out on a property and the impact your decision-making process might have on your profit margins. The guide to renovating will also briefly touch on [...]