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Stamp duty holiday provides investment opportunities in these London postcodes

Published On: July 28, 2020 at 7:59 am

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Categories: Property News

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With Chancellor Rishi Sunak announcing plans for a stamp duty holiday, lettings and estate agent Benham and Reeves has researched the best areas to invest in London.

The research looks at the current average house process and rental yields of London postcodes. The results show that current rental yields sit at an average of 3.7% across the capital.

The postcode of SE17 appears to provide one of the best investment opportunities, with an average house price of £560,120 and an average rental yield of 4.1%. The stamp duty holiday will mean that buyers can save a maximum of £15,000 in this area.

SE17 covers parts of Lewisham, Southwark and Lambeth.

Other key areas to consider include SE11 in Kennington and SE15 in Peckham.

Director of Benham and Reeves, Marc von Grundherr, commented: “For far too long the government has squeezed the life out of the buy-to-let sector, and so it’s great to see that, finally, there has been some financial breathing room afforded to landlords. 

“As the backbone of the UK rental space, landlords are a vital cog in the machine that so many rely on to put a roof over their heads.

“This momentary reprieve where the cost of stamp duty is concerned means that now is a great time to invest for those considering it, those looking to expand their portfolio, and for those that have exited the sector in recent years. 

“Not only is there a considerable saving of thousands of pounds in stamp duty on even the most affordable investments, but we’re seeing above-average rental yields the length and breadth of the capital.” 

London postcodes with above-average rental yields sorted by the second home stamp duty tax saving
Postcode districtsAverage priceCurrent SDLYPrevious SDLTSDLT SavingRental yield
SE17£560,120£19,810£34,810£15,0004.1%
SE11£568,751£20,500£35,500£15,0004.0%
SE15£522,849£16,828£31,828£15,0004.0%
IG7£519,560£16,565£31,565£15,0003.9%
SW9£526,690£17,135£32,135£15,0003.9%
SE16£527,245£17,180£32,180£15,0003.8%
E9£526,139£17,091£32,091£15,0003.8%
SW2£515,004£16,200£31,200£15,0003.8%
N7£560,678£19,854£34,854£15,0003.8%
IG5£530,809£17,465£32,465£15,0003.7%
SE5£498,293£14,949£29,863£14,9154.2%
TW8£488,008£14,640£29,041£14,4004.1%
E16£478,140£14,344£28,251£13,9073.9%
SE8£468,404£14,052£27,472£13,4204.0%
E7£466,197£13,986£27,296£13,3103.7%
CR5£461,895£13,857£26,952£13,0953.7%
E3£454,032£13,621£26,323£12,7024.1%
NW9£434,162£13,025£24,733£11,7084.0%
RM12£428,160£12,845£24,253£11,4083.8%
DA16£424,285£12,729£23,943£11,2143.8%
SE14£423,951£12,719£23,916£11,1984.0%
N17£422,617£12,679£23,809£11,1313.9%
IG2£421,367£12,641£23,709£11,0683.8%
E15£419,352£12,581£23,548£10,9684.5%
SE18£415,234£12,457£23,219£10,7624.0%
HA1£402,216£12,066£22,177£10,1113.9%
SE19£399,937£11,998£21,995£9,9973.9%
SE13£396,240£11,887£21,699£9,8124.0%
UB1£395,443£11,863£21,635£9,7724.1%
UB8£393,758£11,813£21,501£9,6883.9%
E6£390,117£11,704£21,209£9,5064.4%
E12£389,800£11,694£21,184£9,4904.4%
UB4£389,512£11,685£21,161£9,4763.9%
UB2£379,871£11,396£20,390£8,9944.0%
IG1£377,060£11,312£20,165£8,8534.0%
TW4£376,553£11,297£20,124£8,8283.9%
N18£376,507£11,295£20,121£8,8253.9%
RM13£370,560£11,117£19,645£8,5284.5%
SE20£368,119£11,044£19,450£8,4063.9%
N9£365,764£10,973£19,261£8,2884.0%
RM7£362,158£10,865£18,973£8,1084.2%
E13£361,283£10,838£18,903£8,0644.5%
SM6£360,418£10,813£18,833£8,0214.0%
UB3£359,372£10,781£18,750£7,9694.2%
UB7£357,537£10,726£18,603£7,8774.3%
RM6£355,199£10,656£18,416£7,7604.3%
TW13£350,305£10,509£18,024£7,5154.0%
EN8£349,893£10,497£17,991£7,4953.8%
SM2£349,380£10,481£17,950£7,4693.9%
RM3£347,880£10,436£17,830£7,3944.6%
TW14£347,231£10,417£17,778£7,3624.1%
EN3£347,078£10,412£17,766£7,3544.3%
CR0£345,101£10,353£17,608£7,2554.0%
UB5£341,658£10,250£17,333£7,0834.3%
DA14£334,090£10,023£16,727£6,7054.4%
SE2£333,535£10,006£16,683£6,6774.3%
SE25£331,157£9,935£16,493£6,5584.1%
RM8£326,145£9,784£16,092£6,3074.9%
RM9£323,390£9,702£15,871£6,1705.1%
RM10£319,782£9,593£15,583£5,9895.2%
DA8£300,492£9,015£14,039£5,0254.6%
IG11£296,415£8,892£13,713£4,8215.5%
DA1£290,581£8,717£13,246£4,5294.5%
SE28£275,498£8,265£12,040£3,7755.0%
London Average£485,794£14,574£28,864£14,2903.70%
House price and rental data sourced from PropertyData

London renters can reduce rental outgoings by 137%

Published On: July 27, 2020 at 8:20 am

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London tenants can reduce rental outgoings by as much as 137% without leaving their current borough, says international rental marketplace Spotahome.

Its research involved the analysis of current rental prices across the capital. It highlights that the overall average monthly rent price is £1,516, but the most expensive postcode sits at £2,888 and the least expensive at £900. This is a 221% difference between the most and least expensive.

Moving to a cheaper borough might not be an option for most, due to location requirements, so Spotahome has taken a closer look at specific postcodes. By simply moving elsewhere within the same borough, tenants could save a significant amount of money.

The best example of this is the borough of Havering. The RM4 postcode has an average monthly rent price of £2,600. By moving to RM1, with an average rent price of £1,098 per month, rental outgoings could be cut by 137%.

Even in Haringey, the borough with the smallest rental price difference between postcodes, renters can save up to 20% by moving postcodes. 

UK and Ireland Country Manager of Spotahome, Nadia Butt, commented: “Location is key for many London renters, but it’s often the first thing we compromise on to keep costs down.

“While this is inevitable in a market such as London, compromising on location doesn’t necessarily mean moving miles away from where we want to be.

“Our research shows you can cut your rental outgoings considerably in every borough of London, simply by moving from one part to the other.

“While you might not be exactly where you want to be, it means you can remain a short distance away and still have more money in your pocket after your rent is due.

“Particularly in the current circumstances, many tenants may be struggling financially and by being able to reduce what is likely to be their largest financial outgoing, this could make a real difference.

“With such a diverse rental market, finding your perfect London rental is all about research. The more time you spend on it, the more likely you are to find a suitable more affordable property.”

reduce rental outgoings

Property industry reacts to reform of leasehold law announcement

Published On: July 24, 2020 at 8:14 am

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Categories: Law News

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A number of reforms have been planned to improve homeownership for millions in England and Wales.

The government aims to transform the future of homeownership by making it easier and cheaper to buy a freehold or extend the lease. Homeowners will also be able to take control of the management of their block of flats or an estate.

It states that the reforms also aim to improve commonhold to make it the preferred alternative to leasehold as a way of owning homes, “just as it is around the world”. You can read the government’s full report on the Law Commission website.

Mark Hayward, Chief Executive, NAEA Propertymark comments: “We have long called for action to be taken to help leaseholders who have been misled and treated unfairly so it is really positive to see the Law Commission’s report today. 

“For too long, housebuilders and developers have not been transparent enough about what it actually means to buy a leasehold property, which in turn has meant many owners have been faced with escalating ground rents and unreasonable fees, leading them into financial difficulty. 

“In 2017 we argued for leasehold reform through our ‘Leasehold: A Life Sentence?’ report which found that 93% of respondents wouldn’t purchase another leasehold property.

“It’s vital that the proposals laid out in today’s report lead to actions as soon as possible to give some hope to those who are currently trapped in leasehold properties with no easy route out.”

Mary-Anne Bowring, group managing director at Ringley comments: “The Law Commissions report into leaseholds is a timely announcement, coming just as the government looks to get the housing market going again.

“The proposals to streamline and simplify the process of buying the freehold are especially welcome – not least because every lease is getting shorter. It is debatable whether the process simplification will equitably offset the proposed extension to permitted development rights, which would allow certain building owners to add another two storeys without planning permission, thereby increasing what is known as the hope value of a building, making purchasing the freehold of a building more expensive.

“Similarly, improving leaseholders’ rights to manage their building is also welcome. In many smaller blocks especially, because if there is harmony self-managing can be an option, insurance commissions can be saved, budgets and major works plans can be set by those who want to maintain their asset value, not by an absentee freeholder whose disillusioned by the diminishing value of his reversionary interest may have given up.

“The Law Commission’s report carries the oft-repeated call for converting leasehold flats into commonhold but this wouldn’t be as simple as people think and would create a lot of grey areas around building management. 

“Many institutional investors such as pension funds and insurers have also invested in freeholds and ground rents are an important income stream to match their liabilities. With many having lost out on revenue with shopping centres and offices being closed, any move to commonhold needs to keep this fact in mind.”

It was in July last year that the government announced plans to abolish the selling of new houses as leaseholds.

Clarification needed from Government on new eviction rules

Published On: July 23, 2020 at 8:21 am

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Categories: Law News

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As a matter of urgency, Generation Rent has called on the Government to explain how the new Civil Procedure Rules will protect renters affected by the coronavirus once the eviction ban ends.

The housing campaign group has written to Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick MP and Justice Secretary Robert Buckland QC MP with a list of questions. The group says that the Government must answer to provide clarity to renters under threat of eviction. 

Alicia Kennedy, Director of Generation Rent, has said: “The Government snuck out its plans to resume evictions on Friday (17th) evening with no explanation or accompanying guidance on what this means for renters. 

“Clearly, the Government doesn’t understand how scared renters are about losing their homes. As it stands, these rules alone will not help the vast majority of renters who are at risk of losing their home, and judges will not have the powers to prevent Section 21 no-fault evictions or Section 8 evictions for rent arrears built up during the pandemic.

“Over half a million households are behind on rent, and urgently need reassurance that they will not lose their home due to the economic shock of coronavirus, as the Government promised in March. The Government must use the final days of Parliament to legislate to ensure that no home is at risk.”

From 23rd August, evictions will restart with Civil Procedure Rules. Generation Rent says that these new rules are inadequate, as it is unclear how they will work in practice and provide any protection for renters struggling to pay rent due to COVID-19.

Generation Rent highlights:

  • The new rules will require landlords seeking possession of their property to submit a ‘reactivation notice’.
  • In this notice, they must set out any relevant information about a tenant’s circumstances, including whether coronavirus has affected their ability to pay rent or if the tenant is vulnerable.
  • Judges will be able to adjourn proceedings if the information is not provided.
  • However, if the information is provided, judges will have no legal means to prevent Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions, or Section 8 evictions for rent arrears built up due to coronavirus, despite evidence that the tenant has been affected by the pandemic or is vulnerable.
  • Courts will also be able to spread out hearing dates, to ensure that they are appropriately distanced. 

Generation Rent is concerned that these adjustments alone will not protect vulnerable renters from eviction. The questions they have asked the Government can be read here.

Alicia Kennedy comments: “In March, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick pledged that “no renter who has lost income due to coronavirus will be forced out of their home.” However, these rules raise more questions than answers. They offer little comfort to renters across the country who are terrified about losing their home because they can’t pay their rent due to COVID-19. 

“The Civil Procedure Rules state that landlords must provide information on a tenant’s circumstances to avoid delays, but as long as information is provided, it appears evictions will go ahead. 

“These rules alone are worthless and will not help the vast majority of renters who are at risk of losing their home, as judges will not have the legal powers necessary to prevent Section 21 no-fault evictions or Section 8 evictions for rent arrears built up during the pandemic. 

“Coronavirus has created a rent debt crisis, which is set to get worse as the furlough scheme is wound down. Renters who have been left out of Government support schemes have now been left in the dark.

“The Government must provide clarity on how renters affected by coronavirus will be protected from eviction and homelessness.”

Surge of tenant moves predicted as lockdown measures continue to ease

Published On: July 22, 2020 at 8:06 am

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Inventory service No Letting Go predicts a continued surge of tenant moves in the coming weeks as lockdown measures as eased.

The service is advising letting agents and landlords to prepare for a new wave of tenancies while also managing the ongoing impact of COVID-19. It highlights that an efficiently executed pre-tenancy process can pave the way for a smooth tenancy and increase satisfaction for stakeholders.

Lettings market bouncing back strongly after lockdown

The property market was allowed to reopen on 13th May. Since then, rental activity appears to have rebounded impressively and at a faster rate than the sales market.

According to Goodlord, the number of completed lets was above the 2019 average for all but six days in June, while new tenancy applications remained 90% above 2019 levels last month.

London agency Chestertons reports that the number of new tenants registering for a new property was up 43% in June compared to May, with figures for viewings, offers and agreed tenancies all significantly higher over the same period.

Nick Lyons, CEO and Founder of No Letting Go, says: “It’s clear that tenants have been buoyed by the recovery of the rental market and that due to the extraordinary circumstances, activity in recent weeks has been significantly higher than the annual average.

“The combination of those tenants whose contracts are expiring and need to move, those who wanted to move before or during lockdown but couldn’t and those that decided they want to move during lockdown, means the next few weeks and months are likely to be extremely busy for agents and landlords.”

Battling the impact of COVID-19 while remaining on top of everything

Lyons says dealing with the ongoing issues caused by Covid-19 while maintaining high levels of service and compliance will be a big challenge for property professionals.

He continues: “First and foremost, agents and landlords need to ensure all safety precautions are taken and government guidance is followed. This in itself has been a steep learning curve for the industry.

“The balancing act of achieving this while continuing to stay on top of all the administrative processes required to grant a new tenancy marks the next step for agents and landlords to negotiate.”

Landlords currently have to comply with over 150 pieces of legislation, which is up from 118 in 2010, according to the Residential Landlords Association (now the National Residential Landlords Association). Lyons highlights that it was just this month that mandatory electricity checks for new lets were introduced. There were also changes to the Tenant Fees Act in June. 

He explains: “We know from experience that getting all the ducks in a row at the start of a tenancy can help to reduce the chances of disputes or the potential need for eviction. It also increases the chance of a happy tenancy and the subsequent prospects of a long-term residency which benefits all parties.

“As well as meeting all regulations and carrying out the relevant health and safety checks, it’s important that processes such as referencing tenants, carrying out a thorough inventory check-in and monitoring properties through mid-term inspections are given due care and attention.

“Landlords and agents should never take the risk of accepting potentially problematic tenants or not having the necessary records in place to protect against property damage or rent arrears. However, during a time of such uncertainty and financial instability, protecting investments is vital.”

He acknowledges that the workload of agents and landlords who self-manage is likely to be considerably higher for many months to come as they aim to overcome numerous obstacles.

Lyons concludes: “For letting agents, having an adaptable and dedicated staff will be more crucial than ever. Meanwhile, all stakeholders will need to make sure they work with the best industry suppliers and use technology to increase efficiency to meet compliance obligations while a quality service.”

Would you consider higher rent prices to live near a famous UK landmark?

Published On: July 21, 2020 at 8:51 am

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New research shows that renting near a famous UK landmark can cost as much as 207% more than renting in the wider area of its location.

Rental deposit replacement scheme Ome has looked at 32 famous UK landmarks and the current cost of renting in the surrounding area. It then compared these renting costs to the broader area in which they are located.

The results show that the average cost of renting close to a famous landmark is currently £1,613 per month. This is 55% more than the average of £1,043 across the wider areas.

When looking at the cost of renting near a famous landmark, compared to its surrounding area, Hampton Court Palace is the least affordable. It costs a monthly average of £4,965 to rent a home within the KT8 postcode. This is 207% more than Elmbridge as a whole, at £1,617 per month.

However, in some areas, it appears to be cheaper to live closer to a famous landmark. For example, It costs an average monthly rent of £447 to live near Blackpool Tower, which is 17% lower than Blackpool’s average rent price of £538.

Co-founder of Ome, Matthew Hooker, has commented: “It seems that it’s not just commuter links and nearby amenities that will drive up rental prices, as the close proximity of a famous landmark also appears to push rental costs above and beyond the wider average in a given area.

“However, while the diversity of the UK rental market does mean there are some landmark rental bargains to be had, those struggling with the affordability of renting probably won’t consider it a necessity when house hunting.

“In this instance, the best option is to find a more affordable pocket of the local market and bridge the distance with some good old-fashioned exercise to reduce your monthly rental outgoings.” 

Below is the full table of famous UK landmarks and their locations analysed for this research:

famous uk landmarks