October 19, 2008

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OFT reveals its sale and rent back findings

Permalink: OFT reveals its sale and rent back findings
by Lin Freestone

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has published the results of the market study it has been conducting into the sale and rent back sector. It was alerted to the problems being experienced by some customers by the Citizens' ...

October 16, 2008

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Paragon reports booming tenant demand

Permalink: Paragon reports booming tenant demand
by Gill Montia

Buy-to-let lender, Paragon, has reported that a record number of landlords are seeing growth in tenant demand. In its Mortgage Trends survey, 51% of respondents described tenant demand as either "growing" or "booming" during the three months to the end of September. The result ...

October 15, 2008

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NLA will support FSA regulation of sale-and-rent-back

Permalink: NLA will support FSA regulation of sale-and-rent-back
by Gill Montia

The National Landlords' Association (NLA), which represents around 20,000 individual landlords across the UK, is stressing its level of commitment to raising standards in the sale-and-rent-back sector. The body is responding to an Office of Fair Trading (OFT) Market Study on ...

October 10, 2008

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Birmingham’s buy-to-let market worst hit by falling property prices

Permalink: Birmingham’s buy-to-let market worst hit by falling property prices
by Lin Freestone

A survey has been carried out to identify the ten areas in England and Wales which have experienced the greatest fall in annual property prices. Conducted by property website mouseprice.com, the study found that owners of buy-to-let properties ...

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Unpaid rents bring bailiffs to JJB stores

Permalink: Unpaid rents bring bailiffs to JJB stores
by Lin Freestone

It has been reported that bailiffs have visited at least twelve stores operated by JJB Sports after landlords reported unpaid rents. It is estimated that the company owes at least £500,000 on empty stores for which it still has liability for ...

October 7, 2008

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Consumer protection Code of Practice for rent-back market

Permalink: Consumer protection Code of Practice for rent-back market
by Lin Freestone

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is conducting a market study into sale and rent-back and is expected to publish it in the next ten days. One of the possible outcomes following the OFT market study could be to ...

October 5, 2008

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University towns provide strong returns for landlords

Permalink: University towns provide strong returns for landlords
by Gill Montia

Halifax has published its latest University Town House Price Review, a survey that tracks house price movements across the UK's university towns. The research suggests that parents who bought properties for their student children and buy-to-let landlords who built portfolios in ...

October 2, 2008

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Energy costs high priority for tenants

Permalink: Energy costs high priority for tenants
by Gill Montia

Following the 1st October deadline for Energy Performance Certificates as a legal requirement for landlords marketing or letting a property, government research has revealed that 79% of renters are worried about the cost of their household bills. According to the latest ...

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Third quarter deals 40% down in London’s commercial property market

Permalink: Third quarter deals 40% down in London’s commercial property market
by Lin Freestone

The central London property market continues to be depressed, with 80% of turnover being attributed to overseas investors. During the third quarter of the year to the end of September, deals worth £1.24bn were completed in the commercial ...

October 1, 2008

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Residential landlords now require Energy Performance Certificates

Permalink: Residential landlords now require Energy Performance Certificates
by Lin Freestone

A new scheme came into force at the beginning of October in England and Wales which requires all landlords to give new tenants a certificate showing the energy efficiency of their rented property. This will allow potential tenants to consider ...

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NLA remains bullish on buy-to-let

Permalink: NLA remains bullish on buy-to-let
by Gill Montia

The National Landlords' Association (NLA), which represents almost 20,000 individual landlords, has responded to the gloomy forecasts for buy-to-let that followed the nationalisation of Bradford & Bingley (B&B), by dismissing claims that the sector is dead. The NLA points out that only 25% ...

September 30, 2008

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Opportunities for student rental investment in Edinburgh

Permalink: Opportunities for student rental investment in Edinburgh
by Lin Freestone

Cullen Property, an Edinburgh-based specialist in sourcing properties with optimum rental potential in the student market, is looking for investors and landlords to meet the constant demand from students for high-quality, well-managed properties. Demand for student rental properties in Edinburgh ...

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Tenants still losing £15,000 every month in lost deposits

Permalink: Tenants still losing £15,000 every month in lost deposits
by Lin Freestone

Despite the implementation of a mandatory tenancy deposit protection scheme earlier this year, tenants are still losing approximately £15,000 in deposits each month by not sticking to tenancy agreements. The rules were introduced to ensure a fair and balanced ...

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Pension funds have confidence in commercial property sector

Permalink: Pension funds have confidence in commercial property sector
by Lin Freestone

The results have just been published of a survey carried out in June 2008 with 200 UK pension fund managers, trustees and investment consultants. Conducted by the Pensions Management Institute and PRUPIM, a division of Prudential which specialises in ...

September 29, 2008

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EPC deadline ignored by 50% of landlords

Permalink: EPC deadline ignored by 50% of landlords
by Gill Montia

From 1st October landlords are legally required to provide an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for properties that are marketed to new or prospective tenants or re-let to existing tenants. However, research by Countrywide Residential Lettings (CRL) indicates that around 50% of ...

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Bradford & Bingley borrowers face uncertain future

Permalink: Bradford & Bingley borrowers face uncertain future
by Gill Montia

Britain biggest buy-to-lender is being nationalised. The Government has confirmed that Bradford & Bingley (B&B) will be taken into public ownership, although parts of the business will be sold. B&B’s savings account business, which is worth around £22 billion, and its 200 ...

September 26, 2008

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Call for easing of commercial rent and lease conditions

Permalink: Call for easing of commercial rent and lease conditions
by Lin Freestone

The British Retail Consortium, together with a group of nearly 30 retailers, is urging commercial landlords to allow them to switch from quarterly to monthly rents to aid cashflow. It is estimated that paying quarterly rental up-front ...

September 23, 2008

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Demand for rental property up by 76%

Permalink: Demand for rental property up by 76%
by Gill Montia

Demand for rental property rose by 76% in the 12 months to the end of July. Latest research from property and letting agent, Your Move, also shows that tenant demand remains strong, with new leases in July rising 18% on June. The ...

September 22, 2008

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FSA seeks buyer for Bradford & Bingley

Permalink: FSA seeks buyer for Bradford & Bingley
by Gill Montia

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has renewed its attempts to facilitate the sale of Bradford & Bingley (B&B), the troubled buy-to-let mortgage lender. While B&B’s says its capital position is sound, the lender's falling share price has led to speculation ...

September 18, 2008

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Boost your finances by taking in a lodger

Permalink: Boost your finances by taking in a lodger
by Kay Murchie

Rising mortgage payments and higher food and energy costs has meant that many homeowners’ finances are being stretched to the limit. In a bid to help with the mortgage payments, there has been an 8.3% rise in homeowners taking in ...