LATEST NEWS

A 'rental void' is what agents call an empty or unoccupied period in a...

As of May 2022 Letting Agents must now comply with changes made by the...

Letting & Renting Glossary is a list of definitions commonly used when...

The buy-to-let sector is highly competitive and, not surprisingly, the landlords who are most successful are the ones who appreciate the importance of making their properties attractive to their desired tenant market.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has just confirmed that they...

Average rent debts still owed by renters as a result of the pandemic have...

Carbon monoxide alarms???? will soon be REQUIRED in all rental properties...

It seems our clients are already looking to the future and creating...

Did you know that we are a NO LET NOT FEE agent! Put simply if we do not...

DID YOU KNOW………

HMRC extends time for landlords to comply to new ‘Making Tax Digital’ rules until April 2024
This will give landlords further time to prepare for the changes as the government say that they understand that with all the issues that the pandemic has caused the deadline has to be extended.

Eviction notice rules for landlords in England switch back to two months from 1st October.
As it currently stands landlords in England must provide four months notice to tenants to evict them from a rented home under section 21 Housing Act 1988. But from 1st October 2021 this reverts back to a two months notice period which was the pre-COVID deadline.

Have you heard about the SNUG scheme?
It is a scheme run by Sheffield City Council to approve and inspect student accommodation it launched in 2014.

It can’t be denied, it’s clear, Britain’s property market isn’t just...

The Green Homes Grant deadline is now 31st March 2021, following the...

In the 12 months since Covid reared its head Landlords have faced 47 changes!

The past 12 months are a period that many landlords may want to forget about and completely delete from their buy-to-let memory banks.

Sheffield is considering a city-wide selective licensing scheme, and...

There will be a new sur-charge on stamp duty land tax (SDLT) for non-UK buyers of residential property in England and Northern Ireland

For those worried about paying utility bills or credit cards, loans, or mortgages due to the impact of coronavirus, this article sets out the steps you can take to get the support you need.

The last year has been crazy – starting with Chinese bats; toilet roll queuing and hand washing guidance to happy birthday (twice)…

Then escalating in the property world to heated debates about mortgage holidays and, very extreme legislation changes such as no evictions for 3 months… Although everybody is sick of the word now – it has certainly been unprecedented.

This virus has had a dramatic effect in not only the property industry, but every single industry and it is now a truly global worry.

We may be in lockdown again, but the Government is allowing the property market to continue operating, albeit with lots of new rules for everyone to comply with to keep people safe and avoid hefty fines. The situation is often so fast moving that DIY landlords can find the stress of trying to remain legally compliant extremely challenging.

Sheffield is the 5th largest city in the UK, undergoing major transition from being the centre of steel manufacturing to being well renowned for its fabulous parks and access to the beautiful Peak District.

In fact, a third of the city lies within the Peak District itself!

As the new year begins, we think it is important that our Landlords are aware of these FIVE key dates in 2021.

This year ahead promises big changes in the way landlords pay tax, evict tenants and pass safety criteria. Whether you’re a self-managing hands on landlord or a hands off remote property investor, it’s getting more and more important to know the legislation in the property industry.

With the announcement that the country would be entering into a third lockdown, the inevitable question has been asked about the status of possession claims and evictions during this time.

The government has faced requests to tighten restrictions to help reduce Covid-19 infections.

They have warned that the government may have to do more if current lockdown rules are not enough to stem the spike in coronavirus cases. Unfortunately, if this is the case, it would include putting a stop house moves in England – this would apply to owners and private renters.

In the latest quarter (September to November) house prices were 3.8% higher than in the quarter before (June to August) meaning that the housing market is certainly still moving despite so many other things being different this year. In comparison to 2019 the house prices in November were 7.6% higher than in the same month – this is the strongest price growth that the market has seen since June 2016.

Homes England, the Government’s housing delivery agency, has become a Registered Signatory of the Building Safety Charter.

This Charter, developed by leaders within the industry and supported by Government, responds to recommendations by seeking to create positive change in the industry’s approach to safety. The registered Signatories commit to putting people’s safety first during the construction and occupation of residential buildings.

How much can the economy, and the UK housing market, be expected to take? Covid-19 has delivered the deepest UK recession for more than 300 years, albeit one that mainly happened several months ago. Now, while we should not make any assumptions until the clock has struck midnight, the warnings of a no-deal Brexit have grown further.

The Energy Performance (EPC) ratings are due to change on privately rented homes from a minimum of an E to a C rating. This will apply to all new tenancies from April 2025 and any existing tenancies from April 2028.

A new ‘How to Rent’ guide has been released by the Government this week – This must be served to the tenants at the start of any new tenancy or renewal and it also must be the newest version.

The end of COVID-19 could be closer than we think with the vaccine now being distributed so there is good reason to believe we may be able to return to almost normality in 2021.

Property valuation is often overlooked as one of the key pillars of the property sector. In many respects, this is not surprising; assessing the value of a property can, to the untrained eye, seem like a straightforward process. The reality is very different!

After the last few months, you might have thought that the uncertainty was over – how wrong we were, especially after the introduction of new tier-based restrictions and the potential of a 2-3 week circuit breaker lockdown. There is no sign, as yet, of any further closures within the housing market that we saw from March to May thankfully, however it does not mean this will not happen. From its low point in April, the economy has bounced back a lot, more than 20%. People have been spending, so retail sales are not only growing again but they are higher than they were a year ago.

Sheffield is a hive of excitement, culture and expansion. Forever growing and improving, this is the place to be in Yorkshire. With over 575,000 residents, not only is it the fourth biggest city in England but it is also known as the “green city” as it is one of the greenest in Europe.

Sheffield has so much to offer a property investor, a thriving city centre, green suburbs and the picturesque rolling hills of the Peak District. All on your door step.