The House of Commons Library has published an overview of how many mortgage-holders became trapped in expensive deals, and of efforts made to help resolve the situation. For the paper, click here. In summary: Who are mortgage prisoners? Although definitions vary,...
Tax & Other Financial
Multi-occupancy buildings and insurance cover
The Financial Conduct Authority has published a review which corroborates and adds to the findings of its review in September 2022 of multi-occupancy buildings insurance. In its latest report the FCA has found that absolute levels of remuneration, including...
Rents continue to skyrocket across the UK
SpareRoom has published a report that shows 'Average room rents rose by 10% or more in every UK region, every London region and nearly all the UK’s top 50 towns and cities in the first quarter of 2023, compared to the start of 2022. The average rent in both London...
Benefits Tenants Start Receiving Cost of Living Payments
More than eight million households across the UK will start receiving a GBP301 cost-of-living support payment from the government from Tuesday. It is the first of three payments, totalling up to GBP900, for those eligible and on means-tested benefits, such as...
Easy ways to pay less tax that every landlord should know
The Telegraph has an article on tax efficiency. It can be seen here (subscription may be necessary) and concentrates on the ownership of properties.
Leaseholders to recover insurance commission
The City watchdog is clearing the way for millions of buy-to-let landlords and flat owners to claw back billions of pounds lost in secret building insurance commissions. Leaseholders will be defined as customers of buildings insurance under new rules planned by the...
Call to reverse landlord tax changes is ‘top priority’
Renting platform Goodlord has launched a manifesto calling on the Government to rapidly step up its support for the under-pressure lettings industry. The manifesto, called Renting Done Right, has been created following focus groups and roundtables with more than 1,500...
Government are ‘unaware’ of impact of benefit freeze
The government revealed it has not tried to calculate how many people cannot pay their rent because of the freeze on housing benefit rates. The admission has been made by the Work and Pensions Minister, Mims Davies, in response to the parliamentary question 'To ask...
When is a deposit not a deposit?
The Property Ombudsman, Rebecca Marsh, writes in The Negotiator magazine about a recent case, where a Letting Agent had used an alternative deposit scheme, which the landlord did not agree could be used for the tenancy. The whole article can be seen here, and hinges...
Is it time to give up on buy-to-let?
Money Week have looked at the current rental situation, investigating asking ‘So is it time to give up on buy-to-let?’ The article can be seen here, and investigates various scenarios.
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Debt charities write to Gove urging greater protection
Major debt advice charities and the Law Centres Network have concerns regarding the Renters (Reform) Bill. Their...
DWP tightening up UC rules
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is rolling out stringent new regulations aimed at encouraging Universal...