Tag: Buy-to-let

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Best cities for buy-to-let investments revealed

Best cities for buy-to-let investments revealed Despite the recent tax and regulatory changes, buy-to-let continues to look an attractive income investment at a time of low-interest rates and volatile stock markets, but which city ranks best for buy-to-let investment?

Aldermore’s new Buy-to-Let City Tracker, which analyses 25 cities across the UK to understand the best places for landlords to invest in, has found that Oxford narrowly ranks number one, ahead of Manchester.

The Buy-to-Let City Tracker comprises of five core indicators: average rent per room per month, short-term yield for a new buy-to-let purchase, average property price rise over the last 10 years, the proportion of vacant properties in the city and size of the private rental market.

The index uses a series of secondary data sources including the ONS, Census and other official housing statistics.

Oxford, which scored well on four out of five metrics, has one of the largest private sector markets of all 25 cities, with 28% of all residents in the city renting privately.

Oxford also offers above average rental ability, at an average of £596 per room per month, a low level of vacant properties, and security in investment with property prices having increased yearly by on average 4.8% the past decade.

The only sore spot is that short-term return through yield is one of the lowest on the list.

Seven of the top ten cities for landlords are in southern England. Both Bristol and Oxford fare particularly well for long term returns, with an average 4.8% increase in property prices. Brighton scores well for rent, yielding an average of £507 per room. The city also has one of the largest market sizes across the UK, with a staggering 28% of inhabitants privately renting.

Damian Thompson, director of mortgages at Aldermore, said: “Aldermore’s Buy to Let City Tracker shows there are still great short and long-term investment opportunities for landlords.

“The number of people renting in the UK has been rapidly growing, up 1.7 million in ten years, so private landlords are an increasingly central part of the housing market as supporting a robust and strong Private Rented Sector becomes more essential.

“The UK housing market has never been a singular thing, instead made up of multiple smaller markets with their own unique conditions and challenges. There have been numerous regulatory changes recently and persistent economic uncertainty but this affects every region differently.

“Going forward, landlords will need continual backing and advice from lenders and the wider industry so they can provide choice, diversity of tenure and quality properties for renters.”

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The UK’s next prime minister needs to take housing seriously

The UK’s next prime minister needs to take housing seriously Thursday’s general election presents the main political parties with an opportunity to address voters’ concerns about housing, and not just focus on attempts to leave the EU.

With UK house prices and rents continuing to rise, owed largely to the imbalance between property supply and demand, housing needs to be top of the agenda for the incoming prime minister, according to Apropos by DJ Alexander.

Whichever party wins office, the property management firm believes that they need to immediately respond to the UK’s growing housing problem and develop a coordinated response which involves building more social housing, maintaining and developing a better private rented sector (PRS), and encouraging affordable home ownership.

David Alexander, managing director of Apropos by DJ Alexander Ltd, said: “Housing has become one of the key issues in the UK as the population increases, the number of smaller households rises, and the number of older people increases all of which has ensured that demand far outstrips supply.

“There needs to be a coordinated and unified approach to resolving this issue which involves the three main pillars of the housing market: home-owners; the private rented sector; and social housing.

“With the UK population set to increase by over 300,000 people a year for the next 25 years demand will continue to be strong and rather than set one group against the other the market needs to respond as a whole.”

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Average rental deposit hits almost £1,300

Average rental deposit hits almost £1,300The cost of the average deposit paid by renters has dropped to £1,299, new figures show.

The latest research from Hamilton Fraser’s deposit replacement scheme, Ome, reveals that in 2019 to date, existing tenants have collectively paid deposits worth £1.9bn.

But the amount paid for the average deposit is due to drop for the first time in five years, already down 3% from last year’s average of £1,336, although it is still 7% higher than in 2015.

So far in 2019, the number of new deposits being taken has dropped by 17% when compared to last year, while the total value of these deposits is also down 19% from some £611m to £496m.

Looking over the last five years, the number of new deposits being taken has fallen by 22%, while the total value is down 17% when compared to last year.

Matthew Hooker, co-founder of Ome, said: “We’ve seen a decline in the number and value of new deposits being taken over the last few years and a driving factor behind this is a change in our lifestyle choices to rent for longer, which reduces the number of deposits being taken and the total value as tenants opt to stay put in the same property.

“Although the average cost for the individual tenant has continued to climb due to increasing rents which form the basis of the deposit calculation, this year looks to be the first in a long time that we might actually see this cost drop.

“This has largely been driven by new legislation that has reduced the number of weeks rent an agent or landlord can charge for both a holding and tenancy deposit.”

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Two in five renters fear they will never afford to own a home

A significant number of people renting in the UK say they will never be able to afford a home, according to new research by Halifax and YouGov.

The study found that two in five renters cannot see how they will ever be in a position to buy a property, despite a desire to own a place of their own.

It was also revealed that around three in ten private renters in the UK think it is now normal for people to rent for life. However, just 14% of those aged between 18 and 24 share this view, with more than half of this group believing they will one day own their own property.

Renters aged between 35 and 44 are less optimistic about  being able to ever acquire a property, with a third considering it normal to rent for life and 28% believing that they will never buy somewhere.

Russell Galley, managing director at Halifax, commented: “Taking that first step onto the property ladder remains a rite of passage for many,” said Russell Galley, managing director at Halifax.

“Last year, first-time buyers accounted for the majority of the mortgage market for the first time in well over 20 years. This shows that with the right support and a few sacrifices, home ownership can remain an attainable goal.

“The financial hurdle of saving enough for a deposit might feel like a daunting or at times near-impossible task, but there are a number of options out there, including government schemes and family support mortgages, to help put first-time buyers on the right track.”

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Rogue landlord ordered to pay almost £3,000 for unlicensed HMO

A buy-to-let landlord in Worcester has been ordered to pay almost £3,000 for operating an unlicensed House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) on Canterbury Road, WR5.

Worcester Magistrates Court heard that Mohammed Rafiq operated a premises illegally, leaving the council with little option but to take legal action against the landlord.

Rafiq was charged with three offences for breaches of the management of HMO regulations, including failing to supply firefighting equipment and having insufficient fire alarms, failing to install emergency lighting and the failure to display his name, address and contact details at the house.

Cllr James Stanley, chair of Worcester City Council’s communities committee, commented: “The majority of landlords in Worcester abide by the law but as this case demonstrates, the City Council won’t hesitate to act in cases where landlords exploit tenants, provide dangerous or substandard accommodation or flout their legal obligations,” said.

“I would urge any Worcester residents who are facing difficulties with their tenancy or have concerns about an HMO to contact the City Council’s housing team for advice and support.”

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Property expert urges BTL landlords to ride out recession

With Britain edging closer to its first recession since the financial crisis, a leading property auctioneer is urging property investors, including buy-to-let landlords, to hold their nerve against the spectre of an economic downturn.

The country’s dominant service sector, which accounts for about 80% of the economy, unexpectedly plunged into contraction last month, in a sign of the increasing stress facing the economy as Brexit looms.

According to IHS Markit and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (Cips), activity in the sector fell as companies reported a fall in sales, job losses, cancelled and postponed projects and weak investment levels.

There has been a recent rise in properties going into receivership, banks unwilling to lend for construction projects and a decline in tenants looking to rent business or residential properties, according to Mark Bailey, managing director of Landwood Group, who says that a rise in auction sales is also evident, largely down to an increase in repossessions.

He said: “Worryingly, at Landwood we are also receiving more instructions over the past few months than we have done for a year or more – instructions for properties that have sadly gone into receivership.

“It is harder for property owners to let business space and for domestic landlords to find tenants  – there’s no doubt that a squeeze is on.

“With each failed building project, banks become more nervous to lend, builders stop building… and we fall headlong into a dreaded recession. Once we do, it’s anyone’s guess how deep it is or how long it lasts.

“The blame for all of this cannot be put at the door of Brexit… well, not entirely. There is no arguing with the fact that this is a period of change – domestically and globally. People err to the negative whenever there is change on the horizon – until events transpire and the scales balance out. The big issue is uncertainty and property is key to all of this. Uncertainty causes negativity, while a solid market has the opposite effect.”

So, if the pointers are all correct and a recession is upon us, what is the advice?

“Sit tight,” said Bailey. “Whether you are a commercial property owner or a domestic landlord, try your best to ride it out, perhaps for six months, before making any business decisions. Look at your borrowings and don’t over-stretch yourself at this time.

“There are always people who benefit from downturns in the market and they tend to be cash buyers. So if you have cash to invest long-term, a ripe time to buy may be about to begin.

“For the rest of us, it’s time to batten down the hatches and ride out the storm – see you on the other side.”

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Rogue landlord ordered to pay almost £3,000 for unlicensed HMO

A buy-to-let landlord in Worcester has been ordered to pay almost £3,000 for operating an unlicensed House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) on Canterbury Road, WR5.

Worcester Magistrates Court heard that Mohammed Rafiq operated a premises illegally, leaving the council with little option but to take legal action against the landlord.

Rafiq was charged with three offences for breaches of the management of HMO regulations, including failing to supply firefighting equipment and having insufficient fire alarms, failing to install emergency lighting and the failure to display his name, address and contact details at the house.

Cllr James Stanley, chair of Worcester City Council’s communities committee, commented: “The majority of landlords in Worcester abide by the law but as this case demonstrates, the City Council won’t hesitate to act in cases where landlords exploit tenants, provide dangerous or substandard accommodation or flout their legal obligations,” said.

“I would urge any Worcester residents who are facing difficulties with their tenancy or have concerns about an HMO to contact the City Council’s housing team for advice and support.”

Posted on

Property expert urges BTL landlords to ride out recession

With Britain edging closer to its first recession since the financial crisis, a leading property auctioneer is urging property investors, including buy-to-let landlords, to hold their nerve against the spectre of an economic downturn.

The country’s dominant service sector, which accounts for about 80% of the economy, unexpectedly plunged into contraction last month, in a sign of the increasing stress facing the economy as Brexit looms.

According to IHS Markit and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (Cips),

activity in the sector fell as companies reported a fall in sales, job losses, cancelled and postponed projects and weak investment levels.

There has been a recent rise in properties going into receivership, banks unwilling to lend for construction projects and a decline in tenants looking to rent business or residential properties, according to Mark Bailey, managing director of Landwood Group, who says that a rise in auction sales is also evident, largely down to an increase in repossessions.

He said: “Worryingly, at Landwood we are also receiving more instructions over the past few months than we have done for a year or more – instructions for properties that have sadly gone into receivership.

“It is harder for property owners to let business space and for domestic landlords to find tenants  – there’s no doubt that a squeeze is on.

“With each failed building project, banks become more nervous to lend, builders stop building… and we fall headlong into a dreaded recession. Once we do, it’s anyone’s guess how deep it is or how long it lasts.

“The blame for all of this cannot be put at the door of Brexit… well, not entirely. There is no arguing with the fact that this is a period of change – domestically and globally. People err to the negative whenever there is change on the horizon – until events transpire and the scales balance out. The big issue is uncertainty and property is key to all of this. Uncertainty causes negativity, while a solid market has the opposite effect.”

So, if the pointers are all correct and a recession is upon us, what is the advice?

“Sit tight,” said Bailey. “Whether you are a commercial property owner or a domestic landlord, try your best to ride it out, perhaps for six months, before making any business decisions. Look at your borrowings and don’t over-stretch yourself at this time.

“There are always people who benefit from downturns in the market and they tend to be cash buyers. So if you have cash to invest long-term, a ripe time to buy may be about to begin.

“For the rest of us, it’s time to batten down the hatches and ride out the storm – see you on the other side.”

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Scrapping Section 21 could lead to ‘open-ended tenancies and rent controls’

The government’s plans to scrap Section 21 notices to evict tenants could potentially pave the way for the introduction of open-ended tenancies and rent controls, according to London Assembly member Tom Copley.

The Labour politician is urging the government to press on with plans to outlaw the use of Section 21 eviction notices. 

In a letter to the housing secretary, Robert Jenrick, Copley said that with more than a quarter of Londoners now renting, more stringent measures should be put in place to prevent tenants being forced to leave rented homes with two months’ notice, without having to provide a reason for the eviction. In July, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) launched a public consultation on its proposals to scrap the use of section 21 notices.

The MHCLG expects any changes to come into force by late 2020 or early 2021 and have highlighted that this will also be dependent on where other government priorities may take precedence.

But in his letter to the housing secretary, Copley called upon the government to swiftly scrap section 21 now that the consultation has closed. He said this was a “vital first step” towards providing more robust protections for the growing number of private renters.

Copley also wants to see the government take a further step towards sparking wider reform in the PR by following the example of other European countries and introducing open-ended tenancies. Copley said: “The threat of no fault evictions can deter tenants from reporting problems with repairs to their landlords for fear of retaliatory eviction. Abolishing ‘no fault’ evictions is the vital first step in protecting tenants in an often unfair and unforgiving private rented sector.

“There were thousands of no-fault evictions in London last year, but this is likely to be the tip of the iceberg. So we need to get on with scrapping section 21 without dither or delay.

“We know that the end of a private tenancy is now the leading cause of homelessness in the capital. It is clear that the sector needs quite radical reform as a matter of urgency.

“Of course, after abolishing section 21, the government have a golden opportunity to go further and follow the lead of many other European countries by introducing open-ended tenancies and rent controls.”

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UK rental market looks more attractive for BTL landlords as rents rise further

Rents in the UK’s private rented sector continued to increase in September, the latest figures show. The data from HomeLet reveals that the average rent in the UK hit £697 per calendar month (pcm), up 2.2% on the same period last year.

When London is excluded, the average rent in the UK is now £797pcm, up 2.2% on last year. Average rents in London are now £1,694pcm, up by 3.3% on last year

All 12 of the regions monitored by HomeLet showed an increase in rental values between September 2018 and August 2019.  Five of the regions monitored by HomeLet showed an annual increase of over 3%, the North West, the East Midlands, the South West, Greater London and the North East

The region with the largest year-on-year increase was the North West, showing a 4.4% increase year-on-year.

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