Manchester City Council Landlord Forum 16 December

Manchester City Council are holding a Landlord Forum on Thursday 16th December 2010, starting at 6.00 pm in the Conference Hall, Level 2, Town Hall, Manchester. Refreshments and Registration will start at 5.45pm.

Topics include:

2011 Census - Find out more about the 2011 Census from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). What the Census means for Manchester and how you can help.

Local Housing Allowance – Proposals for Change. The Benefits Services provides an update on the proposed changes to Housing Benefit. Come along and find out how changes in calculation of rates willaffect you, your current and future tenants.

Warmer Homes - The City Council’s Energy Group joins us to provide an overview on Warm Homes and Warm Front Grants, which tenants are eligible and how you can apply.

Private Sector Housing Update - Following the feedback from the last Forum, Jenni Seex, Area Team Leader will be providing an update on PSH Licensing Enforcement.

Local Development Framework: The Core Strategy – Get the latest on Manchester’s Core LDF, including amendments to the Article 4 direction andchange of use to HMOs.

Our Advice Surgeries – The Landlord Advisor and Housing Benefit surgery will be held between 7.50pm and 8.30pm.

Be sure to join Manchester City Council for Coffee, Tea and Mince Pies. Please arrive early in time for Registration and Refreshments before the Forum starts at 6pm.

To book your FREE place contact Private Sector Housing on 0161 245 7850
Email: pshenquiry@manchester.gov.uk
Website: Manchester City Council Landlord Forum

Edinburgh Council Inside Letting - Issue 24 available now

The latest edition of the excellent Inside Letting magazine from Edinburgh Council is now available on-line. NetRent strongly recommend this publication to all landlords.

Inside Letting includes articles on the lettings market, latest news and features, events and training and much more.

Please click here to view Inside Letting.

Further information can be obtained from Lindsay Souter on 0131 529 2178 or by email at insideletting@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Click here for more information about the City of Edinburgh Private Housing Team.

More information can also be found on the NetRent website, please click here City of Edinburgh Council

Halifax November House Price Index shows prices still falling

The latest house price index from the Halifax shows house prices are still falling but the say that they don't expect to see a significant fall in house prices. Their Press Release reads:

"Prices fell by only 0.1% in November, and in the three months to November were 2.1% lower than in the preceding three months. The rate of decline in prices on the three month-on-three month measure has picked up over the past few months, but it remains well below the declines of 5-6% in the second half of 2008. The highly mixed picture of monthly house price rises and falls recorded this year continued. Such a varied monthly pattern is consistent with a relatively flat underlying trend for house prices.

"Higher numbers of properties for sale, combined with reduced demand, have caused the recent decrease in prices. There are, however, some tentative signs that homeowners are becoming more reluctant to put their properties on the market which, if continued, will help to relieve the current downward pressure on prices. Interest rates are likely to remain very low for an extended period, which will support the improved mortgage affordability position for homeowners. As a result, we do not expect to see a significant fall in house prices."

To see the full details please click here November 2010 House Price Index

Lettings News week commencing 28 November 2010

The Top Ten Buy to Let Mortgages

Five tips for landlords to attract rising rents rather than rising damp

Landlords Get Direct Payment Incentive To Reduce Rents

Landlords 'cherry picking tenants' in fierce rental market

BPF calls for housing benefit paid direct to landlords

Housing Benefit reforms rescheduled

Court delays are costing landlords thousands in lost income

Student landlords profit from soaring rent rise

Boost for landlords as void periods plummet

Lettings News week commencing 21 November 2010

The Top Ten Buy to Let Mortgages

Wave of reluctant landlords hit the market

Preparing a home for first-time let

Knowsley Council supports private landlords

Protecting a Tenant’s Deposit in Order to Avoid Penalty

Student landlords to win in doomsday property price plunge

Landlords celebrate falling arrears

Nationwide says house prices to fall and interest rates to remain at 0.5%

The Nationwide's latest prediction is that house prices will continue their steady fall and that UK bank base rate will remain at 0.5% until late 2011.

They claim that house prices have fallen by 3% since June and are now just slightly higher than they were a year ago. Their Chief Executive Graham Beale said "In the housing market, conditions have weakened noticeably over the last six months, with both a decline in buyer demand and a modest downward trend in house prices".

There was no indication that the Nationwide would be offering any exciting new products designed to help the housing market.

For more information please click here Nationwide's latest report

Lettings News week commencing 14 November 2010

Bill to require smoke alarms in rented properties fails

More cheer for landlords as rents go up again and arrears fall

Landlords campaign reaches Downing Street

Student landlords must act quickly to beat new rules

Landlords free to ignore deposit protection deadlines

Free advice for landlords at Sandy Park

The Top Ten Buy to Let Mortgages

Lettings News week commencing 7 November 2010

Landlords hit Downing St over eviction delays

Pick up in buy-to-let lending

Average UK rents rise again

Landlords may be forced to 'green up' properties

Rogue Norwich letting agent jailed

Boiler scrappage scheme

Rental 'gazumping' on the up as demand rises

HMO landlords take first council to court over licencing

Landlord Centre responds to the latest buy-to-let figures published by the Council of Mortgage Lenders

Our business partners Landlord Centre respond to the latest buy-to-let figures published by the Council of Mortgage Lenders

Andy Young, chief executive at Landlord Centre, the online buy-to-let mortgage specialist, says:
'The latest figures published by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) offer good news to landlords, and provide substance to a number of positive developments recently reported in the buy-to-let mortgage market. For example, new and established lenders have entered the market providing more products, increasing competition and better choice for property investors.

'The CML has reported a 33% increase in the value of buy-to-let lending compared with the same period last year and a similar trend in loan size was reported in Landlord Centre's latest Property Investor Profile for Q3 2010. The increase in mortgage value is likely to be a reflection of the gradual recovery of property prices and the availability of some higher loan-to-value buy-to-let mortgages.

'For over two years the buy-to-let mortgage market has been very subdued and these latest results are most welcome. However, there is still a way to go before the buy-to-let mortgage market returns to a reasonable level. The lack of finance available is still a big constraint for landlords and a considerably larger supply of funding is needed to satisfy the demand. This is also important in order for landlords to provide the level of decent rental accommodation required to meet the increasing tenant demand.'

For more information on Buy to Let Mortgages through NetRent.co.uk please click here

Lettings News week commencing 31 October 2010

Landlords set to cash in as demand soars

Scam alert over letting agents

Landlords fire safety bill before parliament

Landlords may be subject to energy efficiency legislation

Landlords accuse minister of making misleading claims

Minister accuses landlords of "inflating prices"

Student landlords warned over tenant privacy laws

Law firm backs calls to speed up eviction system for trouble tenants

Top 10 Buy to Let Mortages