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Underwriting standards and the buy-to-let business

Recently there have been several announcements in the press about buy-to-let mortgage providers tightening up their lending criteria. Skipton and Leeds Buildings Societies, Santander and New Street have all announced changes. NatWest has just released details of changes to its underwriting processes while stressing that it will continue to support investors. If you’re wondering what’s […]

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Letting agents – If you’re not happy with yours, think about switching rather than ditching.

One of the likely outcomes of the ban on upfront agency fees will be an increase in the fees charged to landlords. Coming on top of tax changes, landlords’ profitability is going to be under pressure. More and more of them will be trying to save costs and wondering whether they need to work with […]

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Many landlords find themselves in this situation and are surprised to learn they could have taken out an insurance policy to protect.

Better protection for landlord’s income

In the current climate, the focus is often on the protection of tenant’s rights, and it can be easy to forget that landlords get a raw deal when a tenant defaults on rental payments. Expenses are still incurred and there are legal costs to regain possession. If the property is not owned outright, mortgages still […]

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LegalforLandlords WINS “Professional Firm of the Year”

LegalforLandlords WINS “Professional Firm of the Year” IN E3 BUSINESS AWARDS 2017 Warrington based tenant referencing, insurance and legal service provider, LegalforLandlords has been named “Professional Firm of the Year” at the 2017 E3 Business Awards. The event was held on 13th July at the Macron Stadium in Bolton. The company, who offer referencing, insurance […]

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Landlords – stick to the rules to keep your income

Landlords – stick to the rules to keep your income

In April, the system for fining landlords in breach of housing regulations changed. There’s now a maximum penalty of £30,000 which can be imposed without court proceedings. What’s more, local authorities have the right to recover up to 12 months’ rent from those landlords who have harassed their tenants or let properties which are in […]

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More landlords are serious about growing their property portfolio

More landlords are serious about growing their property portfolio

Despite increasing rules, regs and tax changes, the numbers would suggest that plenty of landlords are still looking to grow their property business. A recent survey by brokers Mortgages for Business suggests 48 per cent of landlords want to expand, and that’s a big climb from the 41 per cent figure recorded in May 2016. […]

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Choosing the bargain buy? Think again

Choosing the bargain buy? Think again

Everyone is familiar with the advice that it’s worth paying a little extra for a quality product. We hear it in so many guises – c; false economy; you get what you pay for. We’re certain you could add other sayings to the list, but we’d like to warn you of another danger. Paying less […]

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We’re another step closer to the fees ban

We quote from Her Majesty The Queen’s speech: “Proposals will be brought forward to ban unfair tenant fees, promote fairness and transparency in the housing market, and help ensure more homes are built.” It now looks likely that a draft bill will be published later this year, and with cross-party support, it probably won’t encounter […]

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Employee of the Quarter Award

Congratulations to Verity from our Insurance team who has won the LegalforLandlords employee of the quarter award.  Verity has won £250 towards a break away. Well done Verity, well deserved!  

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Subletting scams – don’t get stung

If you think that Airbnb is just a great way to find inexpensive accommodation for your next city break, think again. Airbnb and similar platforms are widely used to advertise rooms for subletting –  a nasty business that can get private landlords into a lot of trouble. You should have a clause prohibiting subletting in […]

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The morning after the night before

The best-laid plans of mice and men do have a habit of lurching off the track. If one thing is certain, this post-election morning, it’s that Theresa May’s decision to call a snap election has not, for her or her party, gone according to plan. And the result – in the short term at least […]

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A peek at the possible: comparing the party manifestos

Not every promise made as part of a manifesto makes it into the real world. Priorities and budgets change and political systems crawl along. Some promises remain things the parties would like to do rather than things they manage to implement. But we thought it a good time, with the general election looming, to peek […]

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Right to Rent Checks – following up

Now that the dust has settled over the introduction of Right to Rent checks, the smaller details of the rules are beginning to cause some concern. We’ve just about got to grips with the idea of the initial check and the documents we’re required to keep, but what happens where all the checks are fine […]

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Another increase in Insurance Premium Tax

We feel like apologising for yet another increase in the standard rate of insurance premium tax (IPT) which will apply to policies with effect from 1st June 2017, but of course, we don’t have much say in Government policy. The Chancellor’s decision to increase the rate from 10% to 12% seems harsh. Only two years […]

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LegalforLandlords shortlisted for 2017 E3 Business Awards

Warrington based referencing, insurance and legal services provider, LegalforLandlords has been shortlisted as a finalist in the 2017 E3 Business Awards, which will be held at the Macron Stadium in Bolton on Thursday 13th July 2017. The company, which has become one of the brightest and best providers of tenant referencing, insurance and legal services […]

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