InventoryBase Blog

Buy-to-let investors look at holiday rentals for top yields

Holiday rental properties are now enjoying higher yields than residential buy-to-lets, according to new research. Second Estates, which is a real estate fund for people investing in UK holiday properties, shows holiday rentals are among the highest returning assets in the property sector. Its study found that holiday property yields have been 1.1% higher than […]

June 13, 2018

Landlords ready to quit over problem tenants

Problem tenants are causing massive problems for landlords, with one in three thinking of quitting the buy-to-let sector because of them. National online letting agent for tenants and private landlords, MakeUrMove, has warned that one-third of landlords are considering moving out of the private rental sector because of ‘challenging’ tenants. Difficulties include tenants who do […]

June 12, 2018

Rents rise in most UK regions

Rents have risen in three-quarters of UK regions, with the average rent for a new tenancy now standing at £918 a month. Rents rose by 1.5% in April, compared to the same time in 2017, according to figures from the HomeLetRental index. If London is excluded, the average monthly rent is £761, which is a […]

June 11, 2018

New legislation having adverse effect on rental sector

New rental legislation from the UK and Scottish parliaments are already having a knock-on effect in the buy-to-let sector by deterring many people from investing further in properties. It is having an effect on landlords throughout the UK, potentially leading to fewer rental properties, which would only exacerbate the housing crisis. Buyers in Scotland who […]

June 8, 2018

One in four landlords are not properly insured

A quarter of all landlords do not have the right insurance and so could find themselves out of pocket should they need to make a claim. Buy-to-let investors need the appropriate landlords’ insurance to protect themselves, their properties and their tenants. This is different to a standard home insurance policy, which some landlords have inadvertently […]

June 7, 2018

Property prices may increase as forecasts make buy-to-lets an attractive investment

Buy-to-let investments remain a sound business, despite changes to mortgage relief, stamp duty and new regulations. Investing in bricks and mortar is still more reliable than the volatile stocks and shares market. Although yields may not be as strong as a few years ago, property prices continue to rise, which makes it a good long-term […]

June 6, 2018

New online firm set to further shake up rental sector

A new company is set to shake up the way that people find properties and landlords find tenants. This is totally in tune with the majority of today’s tenants who want quick and easy ways to view and book their next rental properties online. The traditional high-street letting agents and property firms are facing fierce […]

June 5, 2018

One in five landlords ‘selling up’

One in five landlords is planning to offload properties onto the market this year. Figures from the National Landlords Association show that 19% of buy-to-let investors are planning to sell property. Of these 380,000 investors, 45% are planning to sell apartments, while 33% are looking to offload terraced properties. Only 7% of those surveyed say […]

June 4, 2018

Building regulations found to be broken

Britain’s building regulations are felt to be in tatters, according to a government review ordered following the Grenfell Tower tragedy. In June last year, 71 people died in the fire which engulfed the 24-storey social housing building in London. The cladding is believed to have been one reason why the fire took hold so quickly. […]

June 1, 2018

Choice widens in buy-to-let mortgages

Landlords have much more choice in buy-to-let mortgages and loans, compared to a year ago. Despite mortgage relief being phased out and tighter regulations regarding landlords’ borrowing, there is now more choice than ever. Data from Moneyfacts shows there are 2,022 buy-to-let financial products on the market, which is 29.8% more than this time last […]

May 30, 2018

Rogue landlord register proves to be a capital idea

All London boroughs have shown their support for the capital’s Rogue Landlords and Letting Agents checker. All 33 of them have signed up to the scheme, says London Mayor, Sadiq Khan. He said his campaign to name and shame rogue and unscrupulous landlords has now reached a significant milestone. When the database was launched in […]

May 29, 2018

Technology improving the rental industry

Award-winning British law firm, Mishcon de Reya, is putting its faith in technology since launching the MDR LAB programme for startups. In this, its second year, the programme will enable six companies to work alongside Mishcon de Reya’s legal and business operations teams for 10 weeks. The companies will gain access to the law firm’s […]

May 28, 2018

Landlords fined over Right to Rent checks

More than 400 fines have been issued since the Right to Rent immigration checks were introduced two years ago. Under the scheme, landlords and agents have to find out if a tenant has a legal right to be in the country. Effectively, it means landlords are doing the jobs of immigration officers. Up to the […]

May 25, 2018

What perks would make a tenant pay more rent?

Whilst location is still the key when it comes to getting the right buy-to-let investment, it seems there are other factors to consider when marketing your rental property. Tenants are willing to pay more for features and facilities that add value to them. LSL Property Services recently quizzed more than 3,000 tenants to find out […]

May 24, 2018

Tenants work for four months a year to pay their rent

Apparently, full-time employees work until the beginning of May just to pay their year’s rent. BBC News analysis shows that someone on a middle income in England would have to work 86 days to pay off the annual rent on an average two-bedroom property. This is five more days than in 2011. Tenants in Scotland […]

May 23, 2018

What do tenants really look for in a property?

When investing in a property, or decorating or upgrading one, it’s obviously important to bear in mind the needs of the new tenants. But it can be difficult to second-guess exactly what a tenant needs or is looking for in a home. Once you know what is top of a tenant’s wish-list, then you can […]

May 22, 2018

More professional landlords emerging into the sector

Professional Landlords holding portfolios of 6 to 60 buy-to-let properties in the UK have increased in the first quarter of 2018. The figures have been used to show that confidence remains strong in the sector. Despite the recent changes to regulations, taxes, stamp duty on second homes and mortgages for buy-to-lets over the past few […]

May 18, 2018

Buy-to-let investors hit record high

The UK now has a record number of buy-to-let investors, with 2.5 million landlords in the latest tax year. Research by London estate agent, Ludlow Thompson, has revealed the record high, which is up 5% from the previous tax year. Over the past five years, the number of landlords has risen by 27% – there […]

May 17, 2018

Register of rogue landlords set up

Rogue landlords are to be added to a database which will be shared with local authorities. The register has been set up by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as yet another measure to crack down on rogue landlords. It is another way to try to force landlords who let illegal or substandard […]

May 16, 2018

Buy-to-let investors remain buoyant

About two in three buy-to-let investors are confident about the future of the sector in 2018, despite increasing tax burdens, stamp duty on second properties and uncertainty over Brexit. According to Shawbrook Bank research, 65% of investors are confident about their property portfolio for this year. In this year’s buy-to-let barometer, just 14% of landlords […]

May 15, 2018

Fire safety review after Grenfell tragedy ‘misses opportunities’

The government review into fire safety and building regulations has been criticised for missing the chance to look into regulations in all types of accommodation. The Residential Landlords Association, which represents landlords, has raised concerns that the review could have been much broader. It raises its concerns in its response to the interim report into […]

May 14, 2018

Landlords remortgaging to invest in property revamps

Landlords are remortgaging their buy-to-let properties in record numbers in order to make home improvements. According to figures by lettings network, Countrywide, which used its own data, 9,523 landlords who remortgaged their properties used the money for home improvements in the past 12 months. On average, they withdrew £22,850. This is the highest figure that […]

May 11, 2018

Private tenants live in shoddy homes for fear of being evicted

More than one in four tenants living in private rental accommodation in England who have had problems with their housing did not complain in case they were evicted. Citizens Advice found that 28% of tenants had not spoken out because they were fearful of ‘revenge evictions’. Citizens Advice staff also found that 43% worried about […]

May 10, 2018

Many millennials will be ‘lifelong’ renters

As many as half of the millennial generation are likely to still be living in rental accommodation in their 40s, while one in three people could be renters when they retire. A new report from the think tank, The Resolution Foundation, shows that this is the likely scenario if the homeownership growth in the UK […]

May 9, 2018

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