NewYorkie

Get her to arrange the safety checks and you can always offer to pay.... Read More

I am considering buying in Dubai. The market shows no signs of letting up. More and more people are moving to the Emirate and rentals are in high demand.

My son is head of marketing for Allsop & Allsop, one of the largest real estate companies in Dubai, and is focusing on the off-plan market. He currently has a very interesting development, which is off-plan, but will be available this May, as opposed to 2 years time. A great opportunity for an immediate and profitable rental income stream.... Read More

I'm sure you're right, but what regulations are being breached?

There's no tenancy and hence no need for licensing. CT exemption for students isn't dependent on a tenancy. What else could the council stick their noses into?... Read More

I wish we had Trump instead of the socialist ideology.... Read More

Maybe I'm missing something here, but if this house is owned by the parents and occupied by the son rent-free, but not precluding the parents from also living there whenever they want, and with no tenancy involved, why is there so much discussion?

It's like my partner allowing her son to live in her house, rent-free, while she lives with me. She doesn't need gas and electricity safety certificates, albeit she has them anyway, and her son could claim council tax exemption because he's a student.... Read More

Governments of both colours have turned thousands of caring, considerate, generous landlords into hard-nosed business owners.

You can argue that we should have been less generous over the years, but I think we've now reached the point of no return. My kids learnt if they pushed, pushed, pushed, there came a point where I would react, and they wouldn't like it.... Read More

Plus that nice little earner, selective licensing. Fewer private landlords, less licensing.... Read More

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See my comment... Read More

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We have experienced this ourselves recently. A friend went through a bad divorce and was in such a state, that she really couldn't function very well. Fortunately, we were planning to redecorate an empty house, and we're able to step in immediately. Otherwise she would have been homeless [coming from a 6 bedroom home!]. She said she needed the house for only 6 months, and was on 'mates rates', but after 6 months, she still hadn't found somewhere, and wanted another 6 months. We agreed but raised the rent to normal which she accepted, and a month later, said she was moving out in a month. We were happy with that [the relationship had soured], but if we had gone through the remarketing and paid a tenant find fee, we'd have been pretty p**sed off.

We've also experienced a couple wanting short term accommodation, and willing to pay the premium for it being scarce. They were delayed in finishing building work and didn't want another 6 months AST. We agreed and it worked well for both sides. But I can see the RRB making this sort of thing commonplace. They will agree 6 months, then move when they want, leaving the landlord with an unexpected void and tenant find fee.... Read More

I've been dabbling in BTR for about a year, and am up 16.6%. How I'd like to see that from BTL!... Read More

If he did pay some rent, even with your money, you will end up paying tax on your own money. Could work out costly!

I would keep things simple. Let him live there rent-free, and give him the money to pay his council tax. He should qualify for single person's discount.... Read More

I am in exactly the same situation with my remaining BTL. It's in an excellent inner city location, and since we acquired the RTM, the quality and security of the development has improved significantly. Our block insurance increased by just 4% last year, and has actually decreased this year. So, why haven't the valuations increased in 16 years?
Firstly, a single investor bought a number of flats off-plan in 2007 and lost everything in the crash. He had to sell them all fast and dropped the price. This set the level for everyone and it never recovered, because we were then hit by the leasehold and fire safety scandals. Add to that the problem with Mortgage Express selling its book to a vulture finance company, and it's easy to see where the problems lie.
Someone would get a great deal if I sold now, but I would take a 30% hit, and still have an outstanding debt. Not really a problem; my SIPP and ISA can go up and down by that much almost every day, and I would have a significant CGT loss to use going forward. But I'd rather stick it out and see if valuations will improve this year. We now have our EWS1, and no fire safety issues, which will help.
Meanwhile, I've now increased my rent by 9% for 3 years in a row, and am now just about at the market rate. But the mortgage is the killer. Just when we hoped rates would drop quickly, we get landed with Rachel from Complaints!... Read More

Labour is appalling, but the Tories started the rot with S24. Who do you think will be different?... Read More

He says the exodus is exaggerated.... Read More

I think it was about Tommy Robinson, whose past is somewhat dubious. But I think he's right about exposing the Afghan bully boy who got a smack from his classmates, and that's what landed him in jail.... Read More

GB News should put up a clock, counting down the days until Starmer is kicked out. Hopefully, it will not reach the end!... Read More

How can none of the freeholders not know one of them was subletting to the council?... Read More

This is a direct quote from the 'Tenant Fees Act 2019: Statutory Gidance for Enforcement Authorities' :

'Landlords are not required to repay any tenancy deposit that exceeds the cap until a pre­commencement tenancy ends. The end of a tenancy includes when a new fixed term tenancy is agreed or the tenancy comes to an end'

A pre-commencement tenancy is any tenancy which was signed before 1st June 2019.

Your tenancy has not been renewed. Neither has it ended. You don't need to repay the excess deposit.... Read More