New Home Office figures show there were 5,000 reported cases of rental fraud last year, alongside losses of £9 million. Here’s how tenants and landlords can protect themselves. With new figures revealing the scale of rental fraud in the UK, the Home Office has provided an insight into how scammers

Buy-to-let investors can tighten their belts and improve their bottom line in many ways.  Landlords searching for inspiration need look no further than Apple founder Steve Jobs, who famously said, “Details matter.” That’s because the key to success as a landlord is keeping a firm eye on all the details. 

A rise in the number of landlords taking out buy-to-let mortgages shows that the market fundamentals in the lettings sector remain strong. As Chief Commercial Officer of buy-to-let lender Fleet Mortgages, Steve Cox is a numbers man. And after crunching the data released so far this year, he’s given his

Most tenancies run smoothly. But when a tenancy goes wrong, it can go very wrong. Conducting a regular property check is one way to head off problems. Why should you inspect your rental? An inspection of your rental is an opportunity to check its condition. You can see how your

New rules on dealing with mould and damp in private rental properties are on the horizon. Here’s what landlords need to know. The UK is a (generally) cold and wet country with the oldest housing stock in Europe. So, it’s no surprise that problems such as damp and mould can

Landlords need to know about an important government rule change that quietly came into force late last year. Landlords have been warned to keep a close eye out for any new regulations introduced by their local council. The advice comes after new rules making it easier for local councils to

How can you encourage tenants to settle long-term in your rental? A report compiled by consumer psychologists claims to have the answers. A report on the psychology of buying and renting includes some helpful advice for landlords.  The Bricks to Belonging report* was compiled by the psychological and behavioural science

Getting the rent right is a must for all landlords. Here we’ll look at how to assess if the time is right to raise the rent on your investment property. So let’s deal with the question: Should you raise your rent in 2025? We believe all landlords should review the

Letting yields are the lifeblood of successful property investing. Here we’ll look at why it’s so important to understand yields.  What is meant by letting yield? Yield is a simple way of calculating the financial return you can make on a buy-to-let. Knowing what yield a property offers can help

The Renters’ Rights Bill has just passed its latest stage in the House of Commons. Here, we’ll look at what happened and at what it could mean for landlords, tenants and anyone considering selling their rental property investments. Renters’ Rights – what’s happened so far The Labour Government unveiled the

Here are some tips for landlords on managing tenant energy bills. 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 Ensure your tenancy agreement clearly states who is responsible for energy bills; it’s typically the tenant. 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁-𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳 Assist tenants in keeping costs down by repairing draughty windows, adding insulation and switching to energy-saving light bulbs.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐋𝐞𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 Many landlords will find themselves managing joint tenancies. Here are some tips on how to get the best out of them. 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Remind your tenants that they have ‘joint and several liability’. This means if one person fails to

Don’t get just any letting agent to manage your investment property. Here are six useful questions to help you find a top professional. Are you looking to lighten your load as a landlord in 2025?  Finding the perfect letting agent is your first step towards a New Year of hassle-free

Quick action will save you time and money if a pipe bursts at your rental. Here’s an action plan explaining what landlords should do if they get a call from a tenant reporting a burst. Refer them to your letting agent – if you have one and if they handle

𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹: What Leicester Landlords Must Know The last few years have been challenging for some landlords. But don’t rush into a decision about the future of your buy-to-let. Consider these important points first.  Demand for rental properties is outstripping supply. That’s a trend that’s likely to continue over the

Competition in the rental sector is fierce at the moment. So, how can tenants avoid the disappointment of missing out on a great property? The answer is to be ‘rent ready’. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆? Rent ready is a term used to describe a prospective tenant who has their documentation

  Want to enjoy a stress-free Christmas without an emergency call from your tenants? Follow this helpful checklist. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 Ask your tenants for an update on the property; if there are any issues, address them. If your tenants are travelling during the holiday season, discuss home security.

If you’re a landlord, the deadline for filing your 2023-2024 income tax return is fast approaching.Here are some important things you need to know. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝘅 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 The next deadline for self-employed landlords is 31 January 2025 (unless HMRC has notified you otherwise). This doesn’t apply if

Have you ever wondered how some landlords seem to run successful portfolios and others don’t seem to crack the rental property puzzle? In our experience, we’ve seen what the best do that the rest don’t. And the answer is surprisingly simple; they do the basics brilliantly. The best landlords have

The Renters’ Rights Bill is a big news story in the property rental world right now.  And there are lots of myths and inaccurate information being punted around.  In this article, we’ll give you straight answers to three of the most common questions landlords are asking us. Will I be

After months of fevered speculation, Chancellor Rachel Reeves will unveil her autumn Budget next week (Wednesday 30 October). As the announcement could have important implications for landlords, let’s consider what might be included in it. But first, a caveat Leaks and rumours accompany the lead-up to any major fiscal event,

Cuckooing is a crime that puts your tenant’s well-being at risk and leaves you, as the landlord, facing an array of legal issues.If you own a rental, here’s what you need to know. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁? ‘Cuckooing’ is when a gang moves into someone’s home and uses it as a

Welcoming a new tenant can be exciting for landlords, but it also requires careful preparation to ensure a smooth transition.Here are five steps landlords should take before handing over the keys. 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵 Conduct a thorough inspection and address any minor issues that you pick up. Also, consider a

When considering the purchase of a ‘doer-upper’ – a property that requires refurbishment – landlords are often faced with a Shakespearean (ish) question: “To buy, or not to buy?” It’s an important decision where you must weigh up several important factors before choosing to invest or not.  Below are five

If you’re new to the buy-to-let market, here are six property pitfalls to avoid. 𝟭) 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 It’s important to have a contingency fund to cover repairs, safety inspections, void periods and emergencies. 𝟮) 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘃𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 A problematic tenant can cause endless headaches, so always conduct background, credit and

First-time buyers might be getting older, but when it comes to landlords, it’s a different story. Back in 2014, the average age for a landlord purchasing a rental with a buy-to-let mortgage was 46.4. According to a new survey*, by 2023, that figure was down to 42.9. 𝗔𝗴𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻The survey

Are landlords leaving the rental sector en masse, as some have claimed? We’ve crunched the latest numbers, and there is some movement. But is it an ‘exodus’? Not quite. Zoopla’s July data showed one in eight properties for sale was previously a rental. However, 40% of these homes are expected

Is the rental market running hot or cold, and what can we expect in the coming year?  Let’s dig into the latest data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and property portal Zoopla to find out. Taking stock Unless you spent 2023 hiding under a rock, you’ll know that

Over the last few months, there have been lots of scare stories in the popular media claiming that Section 21 no-fault evictions will soon be banned – and that landlords will not be able to evict their tenants if they need to. In this article, we put the story straight