European legislation has left the fate of many buy-to-let investors unclear.

Buy-to-let investors and mortgage lenders remain angered and bemused by EU legislation that could leave some owners of second properties struggling to find a loan. European legislation will make it harder for so-called "accidental landlords" to borrow. This undefined group could include those home owners unable to sell their property…

Landlords' greatest worries? Voids and damage

It’s probably unsurprising but a survey of almost 3,000 landlords has confirmed that their two greatest worries about letting are void periods and property damage. The ranking of concerns were consistent across professional and ‘accidental’ landlords and came in a survey conducted on 2,951 investment owners by The Property Academy.…

ONS: Rental returns increased over past 12 months

Buy-to-let investors have seen the rents associated with their property rise by an average of 1% over the past 12 months. Summary: ONS figures show rents increased by an average of 1% over the past 12 months Properties in Scotland generated the highest rise in rental values An increased demand…

Scottish Government to Introduce Tenancy Reforms for Private Rental Sector - Opportunity to have your voice heard.

The Scottish Government has announced the following consultation periods for interested parties to respond to proposals to: Amend powers of local authorities in dealing with poor quality housing in the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Proposed reforms to to the private rented sector in Scotland Consultation on proposed reforms to the…

UPDATE ON HOUSING ACT (SCOTLAND)

AN UPDATE ON HOUSING ACT (SCOTLAND) FROM RORY COWAN OF TC YOUNG SOLICITORS

The headline grabbing part of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014, which received Royal assent on the 1st of August (the Act), is the abolition of the right to buy. Indeed, chunks of the Act deal…

Consumer Protection Legislation - Landlord's Dos and Don'ts

Landlord and Agent Duties to Tenants under Consumer Protection Legislation - Dos and Don'ts

This guide summarises the responsibilities of landlords and agents (both letting and managing agents) towards tenants and prospective tenants under European Union Consumer Protection and allied Legislation as it applies in the United Kingdom.…

Being an expat landlord can be a money-spinner or a headache - Top Tips

  In addition, when tenants move out, inventories must be carried out, repairs done and the return of the deposit negotiated. Alastair Mullen, the UK lettings manager for Hamptons International, pointed out: “Having to manage contractors from a distance is tricky, and your visits to the property itself to check…

Guest Post - Accidental Landlords – not by design, but thriving nonetheless

The return of the ‘accidental landlords’ is something that’s gained plenty of column inches within property publications over the past 18 months. But while many of us can relate to those whose hands have been forced into the rental market as a result of current market conditions, making sense of…

The fall and rise of buy-to-let

Buy-to-let is starting to look like the technology sector. In investment style they are polar opposites, of course – the one physical, unchanging and easy to understand, the other ethereal, fast-moving and based on arcane mathematical languages. Yet both have had near-death experiences that in the long run may serve…

Landlords need to access properties more frequently

As a growing number of renters seek greater security through longer-term tenancies, the Landlord Syndicate warns that many landlords are not carrying out mid-tenancy checks on their properties and tenants frequently enough, leaving them at greater risk of a dispute later down the line. A number of incidents have recently…