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House buying, renting & selling

Archives for January 2019

Looking at shared ownership short term but not sure
Looking at buying a shared ownership one bedroom flat. It's a resale property. Mainly thinking of it as we can't afford to buy outright and we can only afford one bedroom at the moment. The thing is we would hopefully want to start a family in the next year or two so we would need somewhere bigger. Thinking of buying a one…
Advice required!!! Pretty please ☺️
Hi, I live in Northern Ireland in a house in which we have been tenants for almost 18years {in may}, and with the landlord for 4-5years before that in another house. Just today she arrived at our home to inform us she is putting the house up for sale as she wants out of the renting business. We have never had a written…
Submitting section 8 query
Hi, I am about to issue a section 8 notice for rent arrears. The tenant pays rent monthly in arrears and he owes me for September. They were due to pay rent today and it has not gone in to my bank, so by tomorrow he will be two months in arrears. I have already issued a Section 21 which asks the tenant to move out on 22nd…
Cgt on gifted property
We are in the process of recieving our inheritance early. The old derelict family home is being split into 3 plots and gifted to 3 children. The property has lay derelict due to being uninhabitable for 25 years and is being gifted early so the children can do something with it while we’re young enough and able rather than…
Buyer's friend to check boiler
Hi all. Got a question which I hope is not silly :D I'm in the process of selling my house. It's in sold state and buyer has pretty much everything in order, just waiting on searches. Today the buyer messaged me directly (we exchanged contacts) asking if his friend can come and have a look at the boiler. I didn't object…
Finding out who owns strip of land
There are a row of 6 houses built in 1940's that were council houses which were later sold off to housing association, all but one are now in private ownership. They back on to open farmland, but between back gardens and field is a strip about 20ft wide I believe council originally retained ownerships when properties were…
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part exchange for buying new build property
looking at buying a new build property. I am in a chain so would need to sell my current property. the developer of the new build I am looking at offers a part exchange scheme. has anyone used this and is it better to go for it and save the hassle of selling your property yourself or should you do it yourself instead?
Do i have to pay the gift deposit back?
Hello, When my husband and I bought our house together his father gifted us a deposit amount. Sadly, we have now broken up and have sold the house, it hasn't been an easy break up and I didn't want to leave the family home as we have two daughters, my husband ( still married although separated) forced the sale. we agreed…
Why were we made to pay for improvements for a garage we don't own
We own the leasehold on a flat where we were obliged (like all other flat owners in our block) to pay an extra £2,000 for improvements to a row of garages we neither own nor use. Despite our appeal we were all obliged to pay by court order. Now we have discovered that the garage owner is about to sell the garages for a…
Viewers whose property is not on the market
How do you house sellers feel about letting people view your home which is up for sale when theirs is not even on the market? It's a lot of work preparing your home for viewers if you have a big house and I now really feel like turning down viewers if they are not in a position to buy. In a sticky market, viewers are…
Undisclosed rent
Afternoon all, I erroneously did not disclose my rental income since 2015. HMRC contacted me earlier this month. With the assistance of an accountant, I have worked out that the value I owe for unpaid taxes is £7k, I've paid this today and now waiting to hear what interest and penalties I am still liable to pay. My…
Eviction process court
Hi All, Hoping to pick the brains of some of the professional landlords on here regarding the eviction process. Background - I am the director for a residents management company, we have flat in the building where the tenants are causing considerable distress to other residents (drug taking, fights, verbal abuse and sexual…
Extending Lease to Sell Shared Ownership
Hi, I live in a 50% shared ownership through Guinness Homes and am in the process of extending my 79 year lease in order to sell. Guinness website states that the fees for Lease extension are £350 plus solicitor fees (to be confirmed at time of application). Yesterday they asked for another £600 for the RICS survey which,…
Claiming stamp duty refund - anyone done it?
Hi all - quick question about stamp duty, if anyone can advise. My wife and I bought our house in October 2017, and at the time she owned a flat that she couldn’t realistically sell because it had dipped into negative equity. To cut a long story short, we’ve had problem after problem with this flat. An ongoing leak from…
Alternative accomm while repairs carried out – privately renting
I live in Scotland, I rent privately. My bathroom is leaking water downstairs, which is a council owned flat. The occupier downstairs has called the council’s Env Health so they are now onto the landlord. They are willing to start work immediately, but asking for help with the cost by way of paying rent in advance. We are…
What is fair wear and tear?
Hi there, I'm looking for some advice. I have been renting a large family house for 7 years now and will be moving out soon. I have always been on great terms with the landlords and they have done occasional inspections during my tenancy. I have looked after the house really well, although it is fair to say that the…
FTB - awaiting home report
i'm looking for some advice/past experience. We are FTB in Scotland and had an offer accepted, the mortgage application has been made however the lenders require an updated home report as the original is 6 months old. It was put in our formal offer that we would need a refresh of the home report and that was over a week…
Lender valuation 10k less than purchase price
I am a FTB with decent deposit , LTV 70% , viewed a property few weeks back ( in london) and made an offer (£495,000 - gone with the asking price) as most check boxes are ticked . seller buying something on chain. Halifax valuation (level 1 , they said desktop valuation , nobody visited the property) came up with 10k less…
Going very quickly: should I be suspicious?
So, bit of a rant here: Went and viewed a property with the wife on the weekend. It's the first one we've seen that we've been at all interested in. Hour commute to her work, house is spotless, within our price range, overall area is really nice. But: the exact street it's on is, to me, a bit grubby. The rest of the people…

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MSE News

Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
If you're a Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holder, the interest rate you're charged for using your overdraft could change soon as part of a fees shake-up. The Lloyds Banking Group, which owns all three brands, says millions of its customers will pay less after the changes – but a "few" will pay more.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more low-income households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

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House buying, renting & selling

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