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Property investment tips, insights, interviews, strategies, area research and industry news.
A planning performance agreement is an agreement that is made between an applicant who applies for planning permission and the local planning authority. It sets down a framework for how the planning application will be handled and what timescales will apply.
The JCT is an organisation which produces contract documentation for building and construction projects. These include standard forms for both main and sub-contracts, homeowner contracts plus agreements, collateral warranties and associated guidance documents.
In the construction industry collateral warranties are used in building projects. They are used to create a contractual link between parties who do not directly have a contract with each other.
The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 is a new law affecting leasehold property ownership. Here’s more information on the what the Leasehold Reform Act could mean for landlords and buy-to-let investors in the UK.
Wandsworth has some hidden gems that offer good value for buy-to-let investors. Plus some huge regeneration projects that promise to make the Wandsworth property market even more up and coming in the future.
The first step to successfully investing in property is to know where you are investing. So where is Havering, we hear you ask? Havering is a borough on the eastern side of London. The largest town in Havering is Romford.
Harrow is one of London’s most popular residential areas, yet house prices in Harrow remain comfortably under the capitol’s average. This makes this London borough increasingly attractive to London-centric property investors.
Hounslow is one of the best connected places in all of London, with great connections by road, train and plane. And yet, for property investors, Hounslow also has some of London’s cheapest property prices, too.
Lambeth sits just across the River Thames from Westminster, the West End and the City of London. That’s helped to make this once-overlooked South London suburb a property hotspot in recent years.
The concept of tokenised real estate is fairly new to the property world. However some people believe it could be the next big thing in property. Here’s our simple beginners guide to tokenised real estate.
Rising energy prices and the risks of climate change mean energy efficiency is more important today than ever. Here’s what landlords and property investors need to know about optimising their buy-to-lets for energy efficiency.
When you own or buy a buy-to-let property there are several risks to consider but one you must consider is flood risk. The Environment Agency estimates that around 5.2 million properties in England, or one in six properties, are at risk of flooding.
Net-zero carbon housing is often connected with a number of other terms such as eco-housing, sustainable housing, low energy housing or Passivhaus. These are not necessarily the same as net zero carbon housing, however.
In simple terms, a USRN or Unique Street Reference Number is a kind of identifier and one that is used specifically for rights of way. A USRN is a unique numeric identifier for every street in Great Britain. A USRN is also a kind of geocode.
You will have read in the news, energy prices are increasing by 54% as of the 1st of April 2022. This article aims to explain how the increase in energy price affects you as a landlord as well as the options your tenants have.
Against the backdrop of a global pandemic and inflation reaching a forty year high, the need for property investors to seek out better ways of making their buy-to-let investments work efficiently is most certainly on the rise.
A maisonette is a self-contained flat or apartment within a larger building that usually has its own front door to the outside. Unlike flats or apartments, maisonettes are not usually accessed from a communal entrance and hallway.
If you think your Council Tax bill is too high then it may be possible to get it cut. Here’s how to request a change to your Council Tax band to reduce your bill and even claim back money on payments that you have already made.
UPRNs or Unique Property Reference Numbers have the potential to revolutionise property. UPRNs could change the way we buy, sell, rent, let, invest and work with property. Here we will look at what UPRNs are and what they can be used for.
Walsall benefits from a great location at the heart of the West Midlands alongside some very good value property prices. Here’s more about the very best areas of Walsall to invest in buy-to-let.
Basildon is a rare find in property terms. It’s near enough to London to be commutable yet far enough away from London to have much more attractive property prices. Here’s how to find the best areas of Basildon to invest in buy-to-let.
Every year millions of people use online property portals to help them find a property to buy or rent their next investment property. But there are now several different property portals to choose from. Here we’ll look at the main UK property portals and what each has to offer.
A listed building can be an exciting and rewarding property to own. But owning a listed buildings can also present many problems. Here we look at what a listed building is and at the pros and cons of owning one.
Most people bypass Dudley in favour of the bright lights of nearby Birmingham. But Dudley has a lot to offer: There’s a £1 billion investment programme aimed at regenerating the town alongside a new tram line to transform local travel. Dudley also has property over 25% cheaper than the national average.
If you’re planning home improvements in a leasehold property (typically, a flat) you may need what is known as a licence to alter. In essence, it is simply official written permission from the landlord (leasehold owner) to carry out refurbishments on the property.
Hastings is famous for a couple of things. One of them is the battle of 1066 and the other is for being that rare beast: a cheap place to buy and invest in property in the South East. A traditional seaside town on the English Channel coast, today we examine this buy-to-let hotspot.
Northampton, located in the Nene Valley in the East Midlands, enjoys below average house prices and is one, property investors should watch. The area appeals to London commuters who want access to London but also want to benefit from lower prices and a more rural location.
Solihull calls itself the ‘town in the country’ and is often thought of as a place that offers the perfect mix of both town and country living. But does that make Solihull a perfect mix for property investors and buy-to-let landlords too?
In times of fast-rising property prices, Blackburn remains a cheap property hotspot. For the price of one house in an average UK town, property investors can buy two in Blackburn. Here’s the lowdown on the best areas of Blackburn to invest in buy-to-let.
Cheltenham has a reputation as being a smart place to live, home to well-heeled residents and elegant period houses. But is Cheltenham a smart place to invest in property too? Here we’ll look at the best parts of Cheltenham to invest in a buy-to-let.
One of the world’s largest natural harbours, Poole is also one of Dorset’s largest, commercial towns and has a thriving economy. So, how does Poole stack up as a place to invest in property?
Southend on Sea is known for being a traditional seaside town and for having the longest pier in the world. It’s less well known for having some of the best value property in south east England. The announcement that Southend is to become the UK’s newest city could be great news for the property market here too.
Derry, or Londonderry to use its formal name has a population of around 150,500 and is the second largest city in Northern Ireland after Belfast. Here, we’ll look at where are the best areas of the Derry City to invest in buy-to-let.
Belfast is the capitol and largest city in Northern Ireland but does this make it a good place to invest in buy-to-let? As a major tourist destination, commercial hub and student city it has everything that investors would normally look for.
If you are looking to sell your house then one option you can consider is selling it to a housing association. They will often buy, regardless of the condition of the property and are cash buyers, which can often mean a faster sale.
Millions of homes across the country contain asbestos. Your home has a 50% chance of containing asbestos. So, what does this mean if your house contains asbestos? And can you sell your home if it is known to contain this dangerous material?
There are many different scenarios in which you could claim a Council Tax exemption or discount. From houses under probate, to those going through major repairs, to those housing defined classes of people. Of course, none of us want to pay more than we need to.
Today, we’re looking at subsidence and asking the question… Does the presence of subsidence always mean a hard no or are there some cases where realistically, it isn’t so bad and negotiating a bargain is eminently possible.
Birkenhead is often overlooked in favour of Liverpool, its bigger brother across the Mersey. But as a property investment location, Birkenhead has some great value properties. Plus, there’s a huge programme of regeneration, planned for the town.
Though often thought of as a summer holiday resort and retiree destination, Bournemouth has a youthful population and a modern, future-facing and buoyant economy. It is, in short, just the sort of location that property investors ought to be interested in.
As a new town, Telford isn’t known for its history and culture. However, what Telford does have though is great amenities, great transport links and property prices that are well below average… all things that can make for finding a sound, property investment.
Bolton has an image as a northern mill town but today Bolton is a busy commercial centre and an employment hotspot. Better still Bolton benefits from being close by the economic powerhouse that is Manchester, while still enjoying property prices that are something of a bargain.
If you are thinking about getting a new driveway, you might be asking yourself, will this increase the value of my property? Here we look at the different driveway types available and while it’s not straightforward, we’ll seek to answer that very question.
Owning a property doesn’t mean you can do exactly as you like with it. Often, legal covenants dictate what you can and cannot do with your property and when you might need consent to do them. Here’s what you need to know about covenant consent.
Squatters’ rights in the uk are often misunderstood or exaggerated but there are some circumstances under which squatters can occupy or even claim a property. Here, we look at what you need to know about this sometimes controversial subject.
True to say that the property market has been running hot for a while now. In the current climate selling a house is generally an easy proposition. But these market conditions won’t last forever so, in the spirit of arming ourselves, let’s have a look at how to sell a home when the market is slow.
The largest cities of Hampshire are the coastal cities of Southampton and Portsmouth. Together they form an almost contiguous urban area known as the South Hampshire conurbation. With a population of around 1.5 million, it is one of the biggest urban areas in the UK.
If you were looking to buy a house, only to find out that it has an issue with woodworm, would you still buy it? Well, each to their own but depending on the severity of the problem, woodworm is often an easy problem to fix and you may be able to negotiate a better price.
Baths today are available in a wide variety of different bath shapes to suit different bathrooms and different bathing needs. So, If you’re choosing a bath then one of the most important things to consider is what shape your bath will be.
Every investor should have an answer to the amount of risk they are happy to take on and what reward they are looking for. But many do not. Here, we run through 3 different risk profiles to help you make the best decisions about your risk versus reward ratio.