Category: News Blogs

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Angela Rayner set to clampdown on Thatcher’s Right to Buy scheme

Angela-Rayner

Angela Rayner plans to reform Margaret Thatcher’s Right to Buy policy, which allows most council tenants to buy their council home at a discount, to ensure the stock of social housing is not depleted.

The deputy prime minister and housing secretary reportedly plans to slash Right to Buy discounts by two-thirds in an unprecedented attempt to stop council house tenants from buying their own homes.

Under plans to be unveiled in the Budget, the discount of 70% available to those seeking to buy their council house would be cut to about 25%.

At the same time, Rayner is to more than triple the amount of time people need to have lived in their home to qualify, from three years to 10.

Last year, 10,896 homes were sold through Right to Buy while only 3,447 were replaced, resulting in a net loss of 7,449. Since 1991, the scheme has resulted in the loss of 24,000 social homes, according to official figures.

Under Right to Buy, which was introduced in 1980 as one of Mrs Thatcher’s flagship reforms, the government sells off council housing at discounts of up to £102,400 to sitting tenants, rising to £136,400 in London.

Rayner acquired her council house using the Right to Buy scheme in 2007 with a 25% discount, making a reported £48,500 profit when selling it, albeit eight years later.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson recently said: “Right to Buy remains an important route for council housing tenants to be able to buy their own home but it’s scandalous that only a third of council homes sold under the scheme have been replaced since 2012.

“Increasing protections on newly-built social homes will be looked at as part of our wider review but there are no plans to abolish the Right to Buy scheme.”

Original Post: https://propertyindustryeye.com

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Housing Ombudsman highlights over 100 damp and mould cases

Housing Ombudsman highlights over 100 damp and mould cases

The Housing Ombudsman has released its latest ‘learning from severe maladministration’ report, focusing on inspections and timeliness within damp and mould complaints. 

With the important role that social housing has to play in giving safe and secure housing to millions, the Ombudsman says the learning in these reports should help landlords provide effective services that protect this aspiration.  

Throughout the report residents’ experienced distress and disruption from damp and mould as landlords responses were delayed, with residents losing the use of bedrooms or belongings, such as sofas, as mould spread, reporting ceilings near collapse and health impacts to them or their children, including asthma and eczema.   

The decisions are grouped together to show the organisational risk to the landlord as well as the impact on the resident because of a lack of timeliness around initial inspections, the commencement of works or their completion. Some of these cases concern all three of these delays which would need to be addressed under Awaab’s Law which is proposed for both social and private landlords. 

The Ombudsman says it is also important to stress that while this report focuses on findings about damp and mould, these cases often include a wide range of other property condition issues. 

The Ombudsman has also used this report to show where the redress being offered by landlords for significant and prolonged failings was repeatedly inadequate. For example, one landlord offered just £150 compensation to a family who lived within extensive mould for 5 years, including their bedrooms being uninhabitable, and another proposed £850 for failings in damp and mould for 4 years, despite the huge impact the issues had on a disabled resident.

The explanations of the compensation provided in these cases should assist landlords to make consistent payments that are clear, specific and proportionate and help to prevent cases being escalated. 

The landlords named in this report are: 

  • Bromford 
  • Clarion 
  • Croydon Council 
  • Curo Group 
  • Islington Council 
  • Kingston upon Thames Council 
  • Lewisham Council 
  • Barking and Dagenham Council 
  • Longhurst Group 
  • L&Q 
  • Metropolitan Thames Valley 
  • Moat Homes 
  • PA Housing 
  • Peabody 
  • Places for People 
  • Sanctuary 
  • Southwark Council 
  • Sovereign Network Homes 
  • Swindon Council 
  • Waltham Forest Council 

For the first time, the Ombudsman has also compiled an annex in this report due to the large number of severe maladministration decisions that relate to damp and mould. Download the report by clicking here. 

Richard Blakeway
Richard Blakeway

Richard Blakeway, Housing Ombudsman, said: “This is a topic that now dominates half of our casework and one coming into sharp focus given the government’s intention to introduce Awaab’s Law into both the social and private rented sectors.

“It is clear is that landlords are still struggling with timescales. This is despite policies often setting out a clear sequence of actions and existing obligations requiring reasonable resolution times.

“Throughout these cases landlord inspections are revealed as limited or repeated because of poor records before action is taken, with living conditions deteriorating during these delays. Often there can be a disconnect between the survey recommendations and the schedule of works as these repairs being delayed. Cases also include repairs being ‘completed’ but issues remaining for the resident and cases being closed without follow up inspections or communication with the resident.

“Together with the human impact, these delays can result in greater costs for the landlord, both in terms of repairs and avoidable redress. Landlords need to reevaluate approaches to compensation using these cases, to embed a fair and reasonable approach within local complaints procedures, which is an expectation of the statutory Complaint Handling Code. It is wholly unreasonable to offer just £150 to a resident who lost both their bedrooms to mould for more than a year, as happened in one case.

“Moreover, addressing the root causes of inadequate inspections and delays means resources can go into services rather than redressing service failings.

“We encourage landlords to engage positively with the lessons these cases provide and opportunities through our Centre for Learning. These are invaluable and will help you to provide an improved service for your residents.”

Original Post: https://propertyindustryeye.com

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Landlords ARE working people, and the Government needs to know that

Landlords ARE working people, and the Government needs to know that

Keir Starmer’s suggestion that landlords are not ‘working people’ is mistaken, says NRLA Chief Executive Ben Beadle. 

It’s depressingly familiar.

The tired rhetoric of the fat cat landlord living a life of luxury, paid for by their hardworking tenants.

We’ve heard it time and time again, but it was disappointing to hear it from our Prime Minister.

For those of you who have missed it, I will bring you up to speed.

In an interview this week Sir Keir Starmer told Sky News he would not consider someone who made income from property ‘a working person’.

Like you I was shocked. Like you I was incensed.

We just need to look at the Government’s own statistics to see why.

Official data shows that 30 per cent of landlords are employed full time, with a further 10 per cent working part-time; 28 per cent are self-employed in some way, while 35 per cent are retired and are likely to rely on their rental income for their pension.

It couldn’t be more categoric. We are working.

We are also not the ‘fat cats’ some elements of the media would have us believe, with almost 70% basic rate taxpayers. Read that figure again. 70%.

In my role as chief executive of the NRLA I travel the length and breadth of England and Wales, meeting our members and hearing your stories.

Our members come from all walks of life, but what unites you is a strong work ethic and a determination to do the right thing by your tenants.

Over my last four years at the helm, challenging stereotypes and preconceptions when it comes to landlords and the private rented sector has been one of my key objectives and slowly, slowly I felt we were turning the tide.

It is ill-thought through comments like this, that make me question that.

But since coming to power Labour has had much to say about the great work landlords are doing in providing vital homes to rent.

Indeed, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, introducing the Renters’ Rights Bill, acknowledged the ‘important role of landlords, most of whom provide good-quality homes for their tenants’.

Being a landlord isn’t easy. It’s hard work.

Millions of families look to our sector for a home, satisfaction rates are high, and demand is growing.

Rather than stoking misconceptions, the Government needs to focus on the key challenge in the rental market, namely a lack of homes to rent to meet ever growing demand.

More information

  • If you are a landlord who wants to do it right, why not join us at our annual conference in Birmingham next month. The NRLA’s annual Landlord Conference, on November 6 will offer a unique opportunity for property professionals to here from experts from across the industry, including keynote speakers Andy Burnham and James Caan . Tickets for the event, which will be held at Birmingham’s NEC, are selling fast, so to find out more and book your place, click here.
  • In special recognition of our hard working landlords we’re offering £15 OFF membership. The offer can be redeemed this weekend only and is available to members and non members via our Refer a Friend scheme using promotion code WORKINGPEOPLE. If you successfully refer a friend during this period they will receive £15 off membership and you will get £15 off your next renewal.

Original Post: https://www.nrla.org.uk

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Capital gains tax speculation leads to ‘significant increase in market appraisal’

Rachel Reeves

There are growing that potential tax changes in the Autumn Budget next month may curb demand and increase downwards pressure on prices in higher-value markets

Rachel Reeves has not yet delivered her Budget but it is already having repercussions in the property market.

The government has said private schools will be charged VAT from January, but other announcements on 30 October may focus on capital gains tax (CGT), non doms, pension tax relief and inheritance tax.

By Tom Bill, head of UK residential research at Knight Frank, commented: “While there was a 34% increase in the number of sales in London in July and August compared to the five-year average, there was a 16% decline above £2 million, Knight Frank data shows.

“When you consider that £2 million-plus sales accounted for 22% of the £11.7 billion raised in stamp duty last year, it highlights the risk of tax rises having unintended consequences.

“The other way in which the Budget is impacting the property market relates to CGT and speculation that it may increase from its current level of 24%.

“Supply looks set to rise this autumn, which will be driven in part by owners attempting to sell before any changes are introduced.”

In an indication that more sellers are planning to list their property, the number of market valuation appraisals in August was 25% above the five-year average in London, Knight Frank data shows. Any future rise in supply would increase downwards pressure on prices.

“We are seeing a significant increase in market appraisals and listings from clients who have residential lettings portfolios,” said Andrew Groocock, chief operating officer of Knight Frank’s estate agency business.

“There is a feeling among many owners that they are better off bringing their properties to the market now and perhaps accepting a price that is 5%-10% lower, rather than running the risk of a CGT increase after the Budget.”

Average prices in prime central London (PCL) continued to edge down on a monthly basis in August. A fall of 0.2% took the annual change to -2.3%, which was the 16th month in a row the annual change was negative.

In fact, annual price growth in PCL has not been above 3% since March 2015 and prices remain 18% down on their last peak in August 2015.

Prices in prime outer London were flat in the 12 months to August as lower-value, needs-driven property markets perform more strongly. By comparison, prices in POL are 8% below their last peak in July 2016.

As far as lettings is concerned, rental value growth continued its return to earth in August as supply climbed and demand fell. Overall, rents rose 2.1% in prime central London (PCL) and 2.2% in prime outer London (POL).

In both cases, it was the lowest figure since the summer of 2021 when the long-let market was flooded with short-let properties during the pandemic. Supply subsequently fell sharply, in part thanks to landlords selling up during a stamp duty holiday, which meant rents were growing by more than 20% in the early months of 2022 as demand far exceeded supply.

The chart below shows how the market has rebalanced and put downwards pressure on rents.

The number of new listings in August was 8% below the five-year average, Rightmove data shows. That compares to much steeper declines in recent years.

Meanwhile, the number of new prospective tenants was 11% below the five-year average in August, partly due to a decline in overseas students applying to study in the UK.

The number of students accepted from China, which accounted for the largest proportion of overseas students in 2021/22, dropped 6% to 10,950 this year, according to UCAS data.

UK universities may have reached “peak China”, according to comments last year from the head of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, for reasons that include visa and tax changes as well as the fact rents have risen in recent years.

“International students coming to the UK are tending to focus on London more closely than other cities” said John Humphris, head of Relocation & Corporate services at Knight Frank. “With fluctuations in applications from China, but notable increases from Turkey and Canada, London remains an evergreen destination in spite of competition from other global education hubs, notably Australia”

Average rents in PCL are 34% higher than they were before the pandemic in February 2020, while the equivalent rise in POL is 29%.

While rents are normalising, there is a risk that upwards price pressure may intensify as more landlords sell due to possible legislative changes.

First, there is speculation that capital gains tax may increase from its current level of 24% in next month’s Budget.

In an indication that more sellers are planning to list their property ahead of possible changes, the number of market valuation appraisals for sale in August was 25% above the five-year average in London, Knight Frank data shows. Conversely, any future rise in supply would increase downwards pressure on prices.

“We are seeing a significant increase in market appraisals and listings from clients who have residential lettings portfolios,” said Andrew Groocock, Chief Operating Officer of Knight Frank’s estate agency business.

“There is a feeling among many owners that they are better off bringing their properties to the market now and perhaps accepting a price that is 5%-10% lower, rather than running the risk of a CGT increase after the Budget.”

Second, there is uncertainty over the revived Renter’s Reform Bill, as previously explored. Measures could include making it harder to evict tenants and tighter rules around the green credentials of lettings properties, according to recent press reports.

Original Post from https://propertyindustryeye.com

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How buy-to-let landlords selling up can recoup capital gains tax AND boost their pension in one move

Jumping ship? Some landlords may be looking to get out of the market as CGT hikes loom

With the Autumn Budget looming large in the minds of landlords, some have decided to sell up in order to avoid higher costs now and a possible capital gains tax raid in future.

The fear among buy-to-let owners is that Chancellor Rachel Reeves, will massively hike CGT in the Budget, as part of her bid to fill her claimed ‘£22billion black hole’ in the UK’s finances.

Currently, higher-rate taxpayer landlords would pay 24 per cent on gains they make on their properties, but this could increase to 40 per cent if the Chancellor decided to bring capital gains tax in line with the rate of income tax.

Regardless of a potential CGT raid, more buy-to-let landlords are already selling up. However, many will be left wondering how to save or invest the proceeds after the sale of their property is completed.

Paying into a pension could prove to be a lucrative move, as it could effectively recoup money lost to capital gains tax and boost their retirement pot.

Putting cash into their pension would fit with the investing strategy of many landlords, who use property investments as a nest egg for retirement.

Pension tax relief means landlords could claw back some money lost to capital gains tax. They can contribute as much as the £60,000 annual allowance this year to a pension and potentially more if they have previous years to carry forward.

Steven Cameron, pensions director at Aegon, said: ‘There’s widespread speculation that the Autumn Budget could bring increases to the rates of capital gains tax and possible changes to pensions taxation, such as the loss of higher or additional rate tax relief on personal contributions.

‘The threat of more penal rates of CGT is reported to be prompting many landlords to consider selling rental properties.

‘This is reshaping the longstanding debate between investing in property versus a pension, particularly relevant to those people who might regard second properties as their retirement saving.’

‘Those considering selling a rental property might consider investing the proceeds in a pension or stocks and shares Isa.’

Landlords are taking note of the speculation on capital gains tax but it is pressure elsewhere that is prompting many to sell.

Higher mortgage rates, less generous mortgage interest tax relief, greater regulation, the cost of energy efficiency improvements and other increased bills are encouraging more to cash in gains and move on.

There are other reasons landlords may be looking to sell, however.  These include higher mortgage rates and the Renters’ Rights Bill which will make it harder to evict tenants without a good reason.

Should you reinvest your cash into a pension?

As a buy-to-let owner, it’s unlikely that you could put your property on the market now and sell it before the Budget on 30 October.

But those that are already in the process may find themselves quids in before that date rolls around.

Capital gains tax is charged on annual profits on assets of more than £3,000. As it stands, landlords who are in the process of selling will face 24 per cent CGT if they are higher rate or additional rate taxpayers.

Basic rate taxpayers face capital gains tax at 18 per cent but gains are added to their other income to decide the rate – meaning they could be pushed into the higher rate bracket.

Landlords could consider paying the proceeds of their sale into a self-invested personal pension, known as a Sipp, as a way to claw back their CGT loss on the sale, and provide a boost to their pension in one fell swoop.

Pension contributions for most people automatically qualify for basic rate tax relief from the Government.

In order to take savers back to the position they were in before 20 per cent tax, contributions get a 25 per cent uplift – turning £80 paid in back into £100 pre-tax, for example.

Higher rate and additional rate taxpayers can claim the rest of their tax relief through self-assessment, delivering 40 per cent and 45 per cent tax relief on contributions.

The annual allowance – and need to be a high earner

There is a pension annual allowance that caps contributions eligible for tax relief at £60,000 per year, so for those making big profits it might take a number of years to contribute the funds from the property sale.

However, savers can carry forward unused allowances from up to three years previously, provided they were part of a registered pension scheme during those years. This would include a workplace pension scheme.

People can also only get tax relief on private pension contributions worth up to 100 per cent of their relevant annual earnings.

Neither rent or capital gain on a property will count as annual earnings for this, meaning that to pay the maximum into a pension, someone would generally need to earn £60,000 from employment or self-employment.

Those who have previously flexibly withdrawn money from a pension may have a lower £10,000 annual allowance.

Very high earners with adjusted incomes of more than £260,000 have their annual allowance tapered down.

Savers should also realise that withdrawals from their pension scheme will be taxed beyond the first 25 per cent, which is tax-free.

Cameron explained: ‘The pension annual allowance is currently £60,000, with the potential to carry forward unused allowances from the past three years.

‘In some circumstances, making a personal pension contribution, could also result in some or all of the capital gain from the rental property sale being taxed at the basic rate of CGT, 18 per cent, rather than the higher rate 24 per cent.

‘Paying into a pension means you can’t access your funds, currently until age 55 but rising to 57 in 2028. However, you could qualify at present for tax relief at your highest marginal income tax rate.’

According to data from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, between 30 and 40 per cent of private sector employees, equating to between 5 and 7million people, are on course to see their workplace pension fail to meet the requirements for a minimum standard of living.

Diverting your money into a pension also gives you access to a tax-friendly wrapper which will allow your investments to grow without facing further capital gains, dividend and income tax.

Landlords making big gains and considering paying into a pension would be wise to speak to a specialist tax or financial adviser, who can help explain their options and make sure things are done correctly.

 

What CGT changes could mean for property investors
Capital gain Current basic If aligned Impact Current higher If aligned Impact Current additional If aligned Impact
Gain 18% 20% 24% 40% 24% 45%
£10,000 £1,260 £1,400 £140 £1,680 £2,800 £1,120 £1,680 £3,150 £1,470
£20,000 £3,060 £3,400 £340 £4,080 £6,800 £2,720 £4,080 £7,650 £3,570
£30,000 £4,860 £5,400 £540 £6,480 £10,800 £4,320 £6,480 £12,150 £5,670
Source: Quilter 

What if capital gains tax is hiked in the Budget?

It looks highly likely that capital gains tax rates will be raised in the Budget.

It has been suggested that Rachel Reeves could equalise CGT with income tax and change the higher rate to 40 per cent, and the additional rate to 45 per cent. Basic rate taxpayers could see a lesser increase to 20 per cent.

Of course, if any Budget changes do come in, they might not be as extensive as landlords fear – and they might not come into force immediately.

Economists have warned against raising capital gains tax rates to as high as income tax rates without bringing in indexation, so that only gains above inflation are taxed.

If capital gains tax was raised to income tax levels and pension tax relief remained the same, landlords could potentially recoup their CGT by paying profits into a pension.

Landlords should also consider making use of their Isa allowance in order to benefit from another tax wrapper.

With an annual Isa limit of £20,000, this combined with paying £60,000 into a pension could allow themto place up to £80,000 of proceeds into tax-efficient accounts, without having carried forward any pension allowances.

Unlike pensions, Cameron said, ‘Isas offer tax-incentivised savings without locking your money away.

 

Selling out: Landlords purchased just 10% of all homes sold during the first half of this year, the lowest share seen since 2010 according to the estate agent Hamptons
Selling out: Landlords purchased just 10% of all homes sold during the first half of this year, the lowest share seen since 2010 according to the estate agent Hamptons

 

How many landlords are selling up?

Figures from Rightmove show that 18 per cent of homes currently up for sale were previously available to rent. This compares with just eight per cent in 2010.

In London, this figure rises to almost a third of homes having previously been available to rent. In the North East and Scotland, 19 per cent were previously rented.

Meanwhile, data from Hamptons reveals that the number of homes being bought by landlords has dropped to a 14-year low.

Original Post from https://www.thisismoney.co.uk

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Rates cut on wide range of buy to let and holiday let mortgages

Rates cut on wide range of buy to let and holiday let mortgages

Suffolk Building Society is taking up to 30bps off its fixed Buy to Let, Buy to Let Light Refurbishment, Expat Buy To Let and Holiday Let products.

It is also slicing up to 30 bps off its 95% resi mortgages, giving an affordability boost to first time buyers and those with smaller deposits.

A society spokesperson says: “We’re pleased to be able to offer landlords more affordable rates across various Buy To Let product types to help lower their monthly costs. And of course, lower payrates help with BTL affordability, enabling them to access the loan amounts they require.

“As well as new regulations around energy efficiency and the introduction of a new Decent Homes Standard requiring improvements, landlords are also facing further changes from the upcoming Renters’ Rights Bill. In addition, the Budget may bring further change. As a result, landlords face uncertainty so saving money where possible is always a positive.”

She adds: “With house prices still rising, and the average UK house price standing at £289,723, there’s a clear need to support first time buyers with their property ownership ambitions. First time buyers are in the spotlight at the moment and rightly so.

“With the cost of living and the ability to save up a sizeable deposit becoming even more challenging, higher LTV products go some way to help those looking to get on the property ladder. It also provides an alternative for those looking to remortgage and borrow extra for home improvements too.

The following are now available for both purchase and remortgage:

Buy to Let

  • 80% LTV 2 Year Fixed capital and interest has been reduced by 20bps to 5.39%, max loan £1m.
  • 80% LTV 5 Year Fixed capital and interest has been reduced by 30bps to 5.19%, max loan £1m.

Buy to Let Light Refurbishment

  • 80% 2 Year Fixed capital and interest has been reduced by 20bps to 5.49%, max loan £1m.
  • 80% 5 Year Fixed capital and interest has been reduced by 30bps to 5.29%, max loan £1m.

Expat Buy to Let

  • 80% 2 Year Fixed capital and interest has been reduced by 16bps to 5.69%, max loan £1m.

Holiday Let

  • 80% 2 Year Fixed capital and interest has been reduced by 14bps to 5.55%, max loan £1m.

Residential

  • 95% LTV 2 Year Fixed capital and interest has been reduced by 30bps to 5.39%, max loan £500,000
  • 95% LTV 5 Year Fixed capital and interest has been reduced by 24bps to 5.05%, max loan £500,000

Original Post from https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk

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Record number of former rentals up for sale

New figures out today show the rental housing crisis is worsening – with the number of former rental homes up for sale hitting record highs

New figures out today show the rental housing crisis is worsening – with the number of former rental homes up for sale hitting record highs

The NRLA said the data, from property portal Rightmove, is bad news for all tenants looking for a home, with a bold new approach needed if the Government is to tackle the massive imbalance between supply and demand.

It says pro-growth taxation measures are vital to stem the tide, with NRLA Policy Director Chris Norris saying October’s Budget offers the perfect opportunity to introduce changes.

He said: “Today’s data will be a serious concern for all those renters struggling to find somewhere to call home.  With demand already massively outstripping supply, Rightmove suggests the situation is set to get worse.

“Every rental home that is sold simply exacerbates the imbalance between supply and demand. Whilst some of these properties will inevitably end up on the owner-occupied market, that will be of little comfort to those households struggling to access quality housing.

“What we need is a housing strategy that recognises the need for more of every type of property, including high quality homes for private rent. That’s why the Budget needs to announce pro-growth tax plans to meet the needs of renters across the country.”

Rightmove says the proportion of former rental properties moving into the sales market is at its highest on record, which indicates; “more landlords are selling up, some potentially driven by the mooted increase in Capital Gains Tax in the Autumn Statement on 30th October.”

What does the data say?

The findings show that:

  • 18% of properties now for sale were previously on the rental market, compared with 8% in 2010.
  • The hotspot is London, where nearly a third (29%) of homes for sale were previously for rent, followed by Scotland (19%) and the North East (19%)
  • The previous five-year average for homes moving from the rental to sales market in Great Britain is 14%, suggesting that this isn’t a sudden mass exodus of landlords
  • The number of new properties coming to the market for sale is now 14% ahead of last year.

More information

Original Post from https://www.nrla.org.uk

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Landlords ‘forced to sell up’ over Government’s energy upgrade plans

Rock and a hard place: Many landlords may struggle to achieve an EPC rating of C or above, and may decide to sell up rather than face potentially expensive upfront renovation costs
  • New rules mean warmer homes for tenants, but upgrades may be expensive

Landlords may choose to sell their properties due to the cost of meeting Government energy efficiency targets for rented homes, experts believe.

The Government confirmed this week that all rented properties in England must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of ‘C’ or above by 2030.

The requirement was part of the Government’s election manifesto, and was repeated by energy security secretary Ed Miliband at this week’s Labour Party conference. The plan will be consulted on later this year.

Experts say many landlords may be forced to sell properties rather than meet the new EPC rules, unless the Government offers extra support.

 

Rock and a hard place: Many landlords may struggle to achieve an EPC rating of C or above, and may decide to sell up rather than face potentially expensive upfront renovation costs
Rock and a hard place: Many landlords may struggle to achieve an EPC rating of C or above, and may decide to sell up rather than face potentially expensive upfront renovation costs

 

A spokesperson for the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) said: ‘Some landlords may find that they are unable to finance the improvements needed, particularly in areas with lower property values.

‘However our past research has shown that over 80 per cent of landlords had either made or planned to make energy efficiency improvements, with most using or planning to use their own savings or rental profits to fund the upgrades.’

A spokesperson for the British Landlords Association said: ‘Yes, some landlords are already selling.’

The cost of upgrading rented properties to an EPC rating of C and above can cost thousands of pounds.

In theory this should also improve the value of the property, but it does mean landlords having to shoulder an upfront cost. For some properties, especially older ones, the cost rises substantially.

NRLA figures show that solid wall insulation can cost more than £20,000, especially in homes built without cavity walls.

Landlords with more modern properties will typically pay £9,000 to meet the new EPC standards, Government figures show.

However, an NRLA spokesperson added: ‘The costs of these changes vary greatly depending on the type of property.

‘It is also important to take into consideration how landlords are impacted by the region their properties are based in. Our research in 2021 found that in some local authority areas of the North and Midlands, the estimated costs of improving home energy are around 25 per cent of property values.

‘By contrast, in affluent parts of London and the South East the cost of retrofitting with heat pumps represents less than 2 per cent of overall property value.’

It may not be possible for landlords to meet the 2030 deadline, either.

The NRLA spokesperson said: ‘If there is clarity at an early stage on what’s required, sufficient tradespeople, and a financial package that means landlords can plan upgrades, 2030 may be possible.

‘But equally, if the expectation is to retrofit every rental property not currently EPC C or above by 2030 there is an enormous amount of work to do in a very limited period of time.

‘Otherwise, landlords may struggle to afford the high cost of home improvements, and may miss the 2030 target altogether, reducing the number of rental homes available and pushing up rents.’

Asked if landlords would meet the deadline, the BLA spokesperson simply said: ‘No.’

 

Counting the cost: Some of the upgrades required to make properties more energy efficient can be expensive, such as replacing the boiler or installing a heat pump
Counting the cost: Some of the upgrades required to make properties more energy efficient can be expensive, such as replacing the boiler or installing a heat pump

 

There is also a chance that rents might have to rise to cover the cost of energy upgrade work.

The NRLA said: ‘Upgrading to an EPC C will require a higher level of investment – and the ability of landlords to fund this themselves will vary, particularly given the regional variability in their options to leverage finance from their property values.

‘Some landlords may have to increase rents to match increased maintenance costs, but this will depend largely on the landlord’s individual circumstances and the type of property.’

The BLA said that rents would not rise for EPC reasons, but only as they are rising already due to many landlords already leaving the letting sector.

Finding up-to-date figures on the number of rented properties in England that are below EPC band C is tricky.

There are around 4.5 million rented homes at EPC ratings of D or below in the UK, according to data analysts Outra in 2023 – not just England, where the 2030 rule applies.

The last Government figures show that 8 million properties in England were below band C – or 31 per cent of the total 25.2million properties – but this dates back to the 2021 census and is for all homes, not just rented ones.

Original Post from https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/

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WARNING: Eviction reforms will make landlords ‘choosier’ about tenants

Paul Shamplina, Founder of Landlord Action

Landlord Action’s Paul Shamplina (main image) has predicted a rise in landlords using rent guarantee insurance as well as tougher referencing to protect themselves against the fall-out of eviction reforms.

A perfect storm of tighter grounds for possession and the end of Section 21, along with a lack of investment in the courts and a chronic shortage of bailiffs – as well as higher landlord costs and higher rents creating a greater risk of arrears – means landlords will want to be more stringent with referencing, he tells LandlordZONE.

Once the Renters’ Rights Bill is passed, landlords must instead use a Section 8 and the government’s new Guide to the Renters’ Rights Bill helpfully explains how the legislation will ensure landlords “enjoy robust grounds for possession”.

It will provide protections for tenants who temporarily fall into rent arrears, “supporting both parties by preventing tenancies which are otherwise viable from ending”. This means an increase in the mandatory threshold for eviction from two to three months’ arrears and an increase in the notice period from two weeks to four.

“This will allow tenants more time to repay arrears and remain in their homes, while ensuring landlords do not face unsustainable costs. Landlords can also continue to use the discretionary rent arrears grounds, for example if rent is repeatedly late,” says the guide.

Worry

Shamplina believes that for landlords, it means starting the process – if they have to go to court – with an extra months’ rent arrears added. “The worry for landlords unfortunately is court delays, getting court orders and having them enforced,” he says. “The process is taking longer which adds to the landlord’s costs.”

Landlord Action is getting more instructions from landlords to enforce money orders against tenants which can be very challenging to collect as many tenants have to be tracked down and don’t have much money.

“Post-Covid, rent arrears are getting bigger and landlords feel that some tenants try and get away with it so will pay to try and get it enforced – and this will show up as a county court order,” he adds.

The ultimate guide to handling the eviction process

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Original Post from landlordzone.co.uk

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Airbnb boss reveals plans to go into longer-term property rentals

CEO of Airbnb Brian Chesky

Landlords may soon be able to rent their homes out via Airbnb to more than just holiday makers, its co-founder has revealed.

The CEO of Airbnb Brian Chesky (main image) yesterday told a conference in the US that he considers ‘longer term rentals’ of more than 28-days duration to be the next big growth area for his renting platform.

He said that longer-term rental now account for up to a fifth of all bookings on Airbnb, a trend spurred on by the pandemic, and that he wants to focus the business on rentals of up to three months.

“Offering significant more things is the future of this company,” he said, going on to say that he was “100%” looking at residential lettings of more than 30-days as a new market. “This is going to be a huge opportunity,” he added.

This would put him in direct competition with the many letting agencies all over the world who offer ‘corporate lets’ and is clearly a landlord market that he wants to dive into, namely rentals of between 30 and 90 days.

Crackdowns

But Chesky’s comments are also an attempt to dodge the crackdowns many city and holiday hotspot councils have introduced as many landlords have switched to the much-more profitable holiday lets market, which offers revenues of up to five times normal ‘long-term’ lettings, albeit with more work and costs attached too.

Labour recently announced that it intends to bring in a national registration scheme for holiday lets as well as the requirement for all new holiday lets to gain planning permission before they can be marketed via platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com.

Watch the interview in full.

Original Post from landlordzone.co.uk