Rentvesting: What Is It? Can It Pay Off?

Rentvesting is an arrangement where you rent a home to live in yourself, but buy a property elsewhere and rent it out.

Rentvesting has received a lot of attention in Australia, New Zealand and the USA in recent years. Here we’ll look at whether it might work for you.

The pros of rentvesting

Rentvesting might appeal to people who live and work in one area but don’t want to actually buy a home there.

It might also suit people who currently can’t afford to … Continue Reading…

Could an HMO Be Your Ideal Investment Opportunity?

Shared houses or HMOs are often thought of as being a very lucrative type of property investment. Here’s what you must know before investing in an HMO or converting your existing property into one.

What is an HMO?

An HMO (house in multiple occupation) is a property where the rooms are let individually to different people. Tenants have their own bedroom and may share communal amenities like bathrooms and kitchens.

In law, a property let to three or more people forming more than … Continue Reading…

How to Avoid Invalidating Your Landlord Insurance

Landlords who make any of these common mistakes could find their insurer refuses to pay out on claims.

Picture this: you’ve been loyally paying your landlord insurance premiums for years without ever making a claim.

Then there’s an unfortunate and unforeseen incident at your buy-to-let.

Once you’ve dealt with the immediate crisis, you lodge a claim with your insurer (which is quite a faff because, let’s face it, they don’t make it easy).

And guess what? Your claim is swiftly and resoundingly rejected.

Despite all … Continue Reading…

The Pros and Cons of Owning Buy-to-Lets Through a Company

New figures show there are over 401,000 buy-to-let companies* in the UK – more than any other type of business. Let’s look at what landlords need to know about owning their property through a limited company.

Reasons to set up a limited company

Possible tax savings are the main reason some landlords opt to own property via a limited company.

Limited companies may reclaim the full amount of mortgage interest paid as an expense against tax. In comparison, a tax rule known as … Continue Reading…

New Financial Sanctions Rules: What Landlords and Tenants Need to Know

Strict new financial sanctions rules affecting many landlords and tenants apply as of May 2025. Here’s a quick heads-up on the changes.

What are the new financial sanctions rules?

Financial sanctions rules prevent certain people and organisations from doing business in the UK and enable their assets to be frozen. These include those suspected of terrorism, corruption or connected with certain foreign regimes.

The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), part of HM Treasury, runs the sanctions system. They publish a list of … Continue Reading…

53% of House Fires are Electrical – Urgent Advice for Landlords

A shocking 53.4%* of house fires are caused by electrical hazards, according to a new report from the electrical trade body NICEIC. Here’s what landlords must know about electrical safety in their property.

Landlords’ responsibilities for electrical safety

Landlords are legally responsible for the safety of the permanent wiring in their property. They’re also responsible for the electrical safety of any appliances they provide.

While landlords aren’t responsible for electrical appliances that belong to their tenants, they should be conscious of the safety … Continue Reading…

Landlords, Don’t Stress: Follow These Five Buy-to-Let Rules Instead

Protect your investment and your health by following these stress-busting property management tips.

Being a landlord is a great way to earn income and build equity – but it’s a job that can be challenging sometimes.

While most tenancies run without a hitch, issues such as emergency repairs or tenant disputes can occasionally crop up.

And when problems occur, resolving them can be stressful and costly.

This prompts the question: is it possible to future-proof your buy-to-let portfolio?

Is there a way to enjoy the … Continue Reading…

Landlords’ Redecoration Responsibilities: What Are They?

Redecorating your rental helps protect your investment and keeps your tenants on side. Here, we’ll look at how often you should refresh your buy-to-let.

The law on rental redecoration

There are no specific rules on how often you must redecorate a rental property.

The law says that a rental property must be fit to live in, safe and free from hazards. So it is something that is open to interpretation.

Deciding on a suitable redecoration schedule

Opinions differ on this from person to person. A … Continue Reading…

Garden Maintenance: How to Avoid Disputes at Your Rental

Ensure everything stays rosy with your tenants by following these simple garden maintenance strategies.

A garden can be a real drawcard at a rental property, helping to attract and keep good quality tenants.

But garden maintenance can be a thorny subject and consistently ranks among the top five causes of end-of-tenancy deposit disputes*.

So what triggers garden disagreements, and how can landlords avoid them?

New research from Propertymark sheds some light on the issue.

First, let’s look at two key reasons why problems arise.

1 The … Continue Reading…

How to Protect Yourself from Rental Fraud

New Home Office figures show there were 5,000 reported cases of rental fraud last year, alongside losses of £9 million. Here’s how tenants and landlords can protect themselves.

With new figures revealing the scale of rental fraud in the UK, the Home Office has provided an insight into how scammers work and who they target.

 Types of rental fraud

 A common fraud, says the Home Office, is where fraudsters advertise properties for rent that do not actually exist. Fraudsters may also advertise properties … Continue Reading…