Property
440,000 landlords forced up tax bracket from April 2017
By Bea Patel, TLE Property Editor and Director of Shop for an Agent - the estate agent comparison site. More than four hundred-thousand landlords who pay the basic rate of tax will be forced into a higher tax bracket from April 2017, as planned changes to landlord taxation come in to force. The news comes as the National Landlord Association (NLA) met with Housing and Planning Minister, Gavin Barwell. Landlords can currently deduct mortgage interest payments, letting agent fees, insurance...
The Property Ombudsman reveal 32% increase in estate agent complaints resolved
By Bea Patel, TLE Property Editor and Director of Shop for an Agent - the estate agent comparison site On 4 October 2016, The Property Ombudsman (TPO) scheme released its latest annual report revealing an increase in the number of consumers contacting the scheme for help. In the Ombudsman’s first annual report following her appointment last year, Katrine Sporle provides an overview of 2015, which confirms the scheme: Received 16,265 enquiries from consumers seeking advice. Resolved 3,304 formal complaints (a...
Brits are at War, with Each Other!
Britain is a nation at war with each other, according to new research, with one in four admitting to arguing with their neighbours. Bust-ups are happening on an almost daily occurrence over land boundaries, noise and trees, the study found, with car parking, loud music and pets key aspects of contention. Rows have also started over bonfires, anti-social behaviour and building work. But when they aren’t arguing, it also emerged half of UK adults barely know those next door, with three in ten admitting...
Billions of Pounds of Property Could Be Uninsured and in Breach of Mortgage Terms
By Bea Patel, TLE Property Editor and Director of Shop for an Agent - the estate agent comparison website An alarming 64 per cent of UK homeowners renovating their property were unaware that not being properly insured when undertaking building work could put them in breach of the terms of their mortgage. A further 55 per cent didn't tell their home insurer when doing structural work to their property, resulting in a potential £2.77bn of uninsured property in the UK....
Birmingham lines up post-Brexit housing plan, with help from its friends in China
By Bea Patel, TLE Property Editor and Director of Shop for an Agent The youngest city in Europe, with 50 per cent of its population under the age of 30, Birmingham is a city full of drive, ambition and entrepreneurialism. This is already clear from the city's booming life science, creative and tech industries. Now, Birmingham is lining up to show Britain's cities how to future-proof against the coming economic uncertainty when the UK finally begins the formal process of...
4 Privet Drive Goes Up For Sale
The real 4 Privet Drive from the Harry Potter movies has gone on sale in Martins Heron, Bracknell. The detached family home was picked from hundreds for use as the Little Whinging set in 2001 and is now on the market for £475,000, the Independent has reported. Complete with the cupboard under the stairs, Potter fans now have the opportunity to re-live the repressed childhood of the boy wizard in the house of the horrible Dursleys. However, buyers will have three other...
Over 55’s forced to draw £17bn of property equity to survive
By Bea Patel, TLE Property Editor and Director of Shop for an Agent The spiralling cost of home ownership in the UK has continued to see many priced out of the market, with those fortunate enough drawing on the bank of mum and dad as the only option in getting that first foot on the ladder. However, research by eMoov found that it isn’t just those at the start of the property ladder struggling to get by in the current...
Property market plunges in Remain areas, while Leave voters deliver local boost
By Bea Patel, TLE Property Editor and Director of Shop for an Agent New research reveals areas who voted for the UK to leave the EU have seen a positive effect on their local property market. But areas that voted ‘Remain’ have seen a significant drop in activity. The figures demonstrate the ‘psychology of Brexit’ and its impact on property market confidence for the first time. The research conducted by haart estate agents looked at registrations, listings and sales data...
How does the interest rate cut effect buy-to-let mortgages?
By Bea Patel, TLE Property Editor and Director of Shop for an Agent On 4 August 2016, the Bank of England (BoE) cut interest rates from 0.5 per cent to 0.25 per cent after a record seven years. The record low cut comes as an attempt to offset the threat of a post-Brexit vote recession. When Britain voted to leave the EU, buy-to-let appeared to be an early casualty. Investors held back due to the uncertainty of post-Brexit or its...