The escalating cost of fuel, at a time when the cost of living is rising so steeply, makes many homeowners and landlords give serious thought to alternative sources of energy.

To that end, energy captured from the sun’s rays through solar panels may make an obvious choice. Indeed, this year has already seen the installation of solar panels on a record number of homes and with estimated savings of up to £700 a year on energy bills.

Here are some frequently asked questions on solar panels.

What is solar energy?

It’s a simple question but one that is worth reminding ourselves about. Solar energy simply refers to the latent energy radiated by the sun. That energy is captured by solar panels that can convert the sun’s rays into electricity.

Are solar panels cost-efficient?

By installing solar panels, says British Gas, you stand to win on several counts:

• by switching to a “greener” source of fuel you are doing your bit to forge a more sustainable way of living;

• over time, if you have bought the solar panels outright (rather than leasing them) you will have recouped the cost of installation and will be making real savings on the cost of the electricity you consume;

• you could earn an income by selling back to the grid any excess energy generated by your solar panels; and

• the installation of solar panels could add to the capital value of your home.

Do they work whether the sun is in or out?

Clearly, solar panels tend to be at their most efficient in the summertime when there is plenty of sunshine – but they continue to work perfectly well throughout the year even when it is cloudy.

Indeed, when it is cold and bright, solar panels perform with even greater efficiency than in warm weather. That is because of the greater difference in energy between the sunlight’s photons and the solar cells’ electrons. It is that sharper contrast that increases the power generated by your solar panels.

Is planning permission needed?

Unless your home is a listed building, located in a conservation area, on the part of a wall facing the road, or if the panels overhang the roof or wall by more than 200mm you will typically not require planning permission for the installation of solar panels – it will be formally designated as “permitted development” explains the British Dwelling website.

Bear in mind, however, that the installation will need to be inspected and approved by the Building Control authorities of your local council – to confirm that the roof is strong enough to take the weight of the solar panels and to check that all the electrical circuitry meets the relevant safety standards.

When considering solar panel installation, speak to your local council first to understand any potential legal implications.

How much will the installation cost?

As you might imagine, the cost of any installation is extremely variable and will depend on the type of panels used, the size of the system, and the structure and configuration of the roof. Estimates range from £7,000 to £10,000.

Theoretically, installation could be done by a competent DIY enthusiast, but the installation and associated electrical work are more than usually complicated. Work done by professionally qualified contractors is likely to be preferable.

Cleaning and maintenance

There are no moving parts, so your solar panels require a minimum level of maintenance. Nevertheless, keep in mind that the panels need to let in the maximum amount of available light to convert the sun’s rays into power. That means keeping the panels as clean as possible.

Although they will need inspecting for signs of damage every couple of years or so, the relatively maintenance-free nature of solar panels makes them a credible and efficient solution for landlords as well as owner-occupiers.

Should I buy or lease solar panels?

The decision to buy or lease solar panels depends on your individual circumstances and preferences. Both options have their pros and cons – such as:

• owned outright solar panels initially being costlier to install but then offering longer term savings;
• leased solar panels requiring little to no upfront costs but saving you less money as a portion of the energy generated goes to the leasing company.

It is important to note that if you decide to sell your home and your solar panels are leased, this may affect any prospective buyers’ mortgage approval. This is because where mortgage lenders are concerned, the existence of a lease agreement for solar panels may create uncertainty with respect to the ownership of the solar panels. Also, for a mortgage lender, leased solar panels may affect the ease with which the property can be resold following any need for its repossession.

Summary

If you want to use energy in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way, it may be worth considering solar panels. Then you’ll be generating the electricity you use from the abundant and renewable power of the sun.

Disclaimer: Please note that this article is purely for informational purposes only and should not be deemed as advice. 

If you’re a homeowner, investor or landlord, you’ll want to keep fully abreast of development in your sector of the market. With that in mind, we’ve compiled just a few of the latest property news headlines for you. Let’s take a look …

Right To Rent landlord fines to be massively increased

The penalties for landlords who break the Right to Rent laws will face stiffer penalties – much steeper fines that are more than ten times the current rates – according to a story in Landlord Today on the 8^th of August.

Against the background of illegal immigration and the tide of small boats crossing the English Channel, the government is adopting a tougher stance towards landlords who grant tenancies to those who have yet to gain legal residency.

Homeowners who take in a lodger without the necessary residents’ permit will face fines of up to £500 (up from the current £80 per individual) and fines of up to £10,000 for each unlawful tenant (up from the current £1,000).

The penalties become steadily more punitive for those landlords who repeatedly break the Right to Rent laws by housing illegal immigrants. Repeat offences attract fines of up to £10,000 per lodger (the maximum is currently £500) and £20,000 (up from £3,000) for other illegal occupants.

Which properties are selling best right now?

Homebuyers are tailoring their expectations about the size of property they can afford. Three- and four-bedroom homes, for example, are no longer the most sought-after since buyers are looking for cheaper houses and flats, according to a survey by the online listings website Zoopla recently.

Rising mortgage interest rates, of course, have reduced the amount that many potential buyers can now afford. As a result, it has been back to the drawing board to see how far their finances will stretch.

So, out goes the generously proportioned family home for many house hunters and, instead, a modest-sized flat may be all that the budget can currently manage.

What is the new Mortgage Charter?

Another of the online listings websites, Rightmove on the 3^rd of August, focused on a new initiative set out in the so-called Mortgage Charter.

With mortgage interest rates the highest they’ve been for 15 years – and still further increases on the horizon – the new Mortgage Charter has been devised as a partnership between (the majority of) lenders, the government, and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to help those existing borrowers who might be struggling to keep on top of their mortgage commitments.

The Charter is designed to set out more clearly the options for borrowers who are already struggling and in danger of falling into arrears and those whose current fixed-rate mortgage is about to end (when it will revert to the lender’s more expensive standard variable rate).

Among the options available to struggling borrowers will be:

• a temporary switch to interest-only repayment terms – this will have the immediate effect of reducing the monthly outgoings (since there is no capital to repay), but borrowers will need to be aware that the missed repayments will have to be made up some time in the future;

• extend the mortgage term – once again, this might be a temporary measure only, so that the borrower repays more of the outstanding balance when his or her finances allow, and the original repayment term is re-established.

These are probably the most familiar responses, but the new Mortgage Charter reminds borrowers that lenders may offer still further alternatives and options.

Halifax house price index: July 2023

The housing market appears to have found a sense of stability – average house prices continue to drop but by a small margin, with the annual fall currently registering 2.4% (a modest improvement on the 2.6% in the 12 months to the end of June).

The House Price Index published by the Halifax building society noted that July was the fourth consecutive month in which prices have fallen – but by a very modest 0.3%.

From its peak of £293,992 last August, the average price of a home in the UK has now fallen to £285,044 – with properties in Wales and the South of England suffering the most noticeable decline in prices.

Autumn is just around the corner, and with it comes shorter days and longer nights.

When the clocks go back at the end of October, we can expect the usual spike in burglaries that customarily accompany the darker evenings. This swells the already high number of break-ins and attempted break-ins that occur in the UK – the latest figures (2021/2022) reveal that in England and Wales alone, there were 266,283 burglaries.

It doesn’t take any intruder at all long to break in and make off with your valuables. The time taken by most burglars is no more than an average of just 10 minutes.

What you can do

Firstly, take another look at our detailed Guide to Protecting your Property. It is packed with helpful advice for all property owners and landlords in particular. The more secure your let property, the happier your buy to let insurance providers are likely to be – and, conversely, you or your tenants’ failure to take reasonable precautions might be interpreted by your insurer as contributory negligence if you ever need to make a claim.

Here we share some guidelines, with particular interest to landlords in improving the security of their let properties.

Some of that advice might appear only a matter of common sense – but no less worthwhile in reminding your tenants. Remember to lock the front door whenever they go out, for example, since an estimated 5% of all burglaries are committed through an unlocked front door.

In addition to reminders to your tenants, though, there are several straightforward, simple and relatively inexpensive measures you might take to improve the overall level of security:

• ensure all doors – external and internal – are undamaged and fit properly and snugly into their frames;
• ensure that all entry points to your rental property, including doors and windows, have robust and high-quality locks. Consider installing deadbolts or mortice locks that meet British Standards. Additionally, explore modern entry systems such as smart locks or keyless entry for added convenience and security;
• conduct regular property inspections. Performing regular inspections allows you to identify any security vulnerabilities or maintenance issues promptly. Schedule routine inspections to check the condition of doors, windows, fences, and outdoor lighting. Address any concerns or necessary repairs to maintain a secure environment;
• don’t leave ladders or other tools outside where a burglar can use them to gain entry to the property but keep them locked securely away;
• enhance outdoor lighting: Adequate outdoor lighting plays a crucial role in deterring criminal activities and ensuring tenant safety. Install motion sensor lights near entry points, pathways, and parking areas to illuminate the surroundings when motion is detected. Consider energy-efficient options to minimise costs;
• secure fences and gates: If your rental property has a garden or outdoor space, ensure that fences and gates are secure. Regularly inspect them for any damage or signs of weakness. Sturdy fencing can act as a deterrent and prevent unauthorised access to the property;
• a prominently visible burglar system may deter some opportunist thieves but needs to form part of your overall security measures – consider installing spyholes on doors, a burglar alarm system, and security lighting or motion-detector lights. Even a so-called “Dummy alarm” may be a deterrent;
• educate your tenants about basic safety practices, such as keeping doors and windows locked, not sharing keys with unauthorised individuals, and reporting any security concerns promptly. Provide clear instructions on emergency procedures and contact information for emergencies or maintenance issues;
• ensure you have appropriate landlord insurance cover that includes protection against theft, vandalism, and property damage. Review your policy regularly to confirm that it adequately reflects the value of your rental property and covers potential risks;
• prioritise tenant screening by conducting thorough background checks and requesting references from previous landlords. This can help reduce the risk of renting to individuals with a history of criminal activities or negligence;
• if you are the landlord of a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) consider delegating responsibility to one of your tenants for ensuring that the door that gives common entry to the premises always remains locked.

Keeping your UK let property secure is a vital responsibility for landlords. By implementing these essential security measures, you can protect your investment, promote tenant safety, and maintain a positive rental experience. Regular maintenance, strong security systems, and tenant education are key elements in creating a secure environment.

Remember to stay updated on local laws and regulations pertaining to rental property security to ensure compliance and stay ahead of potential risks.

Holiday lets are booming. The number of holiday lets in England alone rose by 40% between 2018 and 2021.  So, if you own a holiday home that you let to visitors or longer-term tenants, it’s clearly important to be up to date with the various regulations and legislation that govern this type of enterprise.

It’s an issue attracting a great deal of attention and discussion about some of the ways of tackling the problems that have arisen with holiday let properties in England. So, let’s take a closer look at some proposed legislative changes …

Balance

Alarming headlines might have given the impression that holiday lets anywhere in the country automatically spell disaster.

That is simply not the case. In some previously down-at-heel seaside resorts, for instance, the increased economic activity helped by a growth in the number of holiday lets has been a positive boon. A story published in Landlord Today on the 8^th of July singled out the regeneration that has been seen in Blackpool as a particular case in point.

While there are other parts of the country – both seaside towns and country villages – where a saturation by holiday homes has made it difficult for locals to afford homes in the area, the problem is by no means one-sided or all down to holiday lets alone. A more balanced approach needs to be taken.

The introduction of a new C5 use class

In search of that kind of balance, last year the government launched a consultation exercise designed to weigh up the relative advantages and disadvantages brought to any area by a greater concentration of holiday lets.

From that exercise, consideration is now being given to a change in planning legislation to create a new C5 use class specifically for the conversion of dwelling houses into premises principally occupied as holiday lets.

Even if a new C5 use class is widely implemented, it is suggested that planning legislation retains the existing C3 use class for residential dwellings that are used as holiday lets for between 30 and 90 days (the exact interval is still to be determined).

Registration

In addition to changes to planning regulations, consideration is also being given to setting up a registration system for holiday lets.

By requiring owners of short-term holiday lets to register their property, local authorities would then have a better picture of the overall state of affairs, the number of properties involved, and the potential impact on the housing stock available for local residents.

Local authorities would have a clearer picture of the affordability of accommodation for local people and the extent to which the prevailing housing situation might be affecting levels of anti-social behaviour.

By extending registration to local holiday lets, landlords would be encouraged to improve the overall standard of short-term accommodation in the area and play their part in ensuring that all tenants have access to safe and high-quality living spaces.

At least three different options are under consideration for any registration scheme:

• compulsory national scheme – possibly administered by the English Tourist Board, local authorities, or some other agency;

• initial opt-in scheme pending a decision on compulsory registration – this would allow local authorities the opportunity of opting into a discretionary scheme in their area pending an evaluation of the benefits of making the scheme mandatory; or

• a scheme that remains entirely voluntary and into which local authorities exercise the ability whether or not to opt into a registration scheme.

Striking the appropriate balance

Although there are certainly areas of the country where the current number of holiday lets has caused grave concern for local authorities – the BBC has previously identified Salcombe in South Devon as a particular hotspot – most of the discussion strives to strike an appropriate balance in the regulation of holiday lets.

Whether controls are extended through changes to planning permissions or to the registration of holiday lets is yet to be decided.

To help you keep abreast of all the latest trends, here we bring you the principal property news headlines – for owners, investors, and landlords.

Let’s take a look …

Up and Up – New records (again) as rents soar skywards

Rent levels across the UK are soaring. Evidence comes by way of a story in Landlord Today on the 6^th of July that identified a 1.3% increase in June alone.

Nationally, the average monthly rent has risen to a record £1,229 but there are regional differences, of course. In London, for example, the average rent costs £2,077 per calendar month – having increased by 1.9% in just the last month.

By far the steepest rent increases, however, were in Scotland, where the average rent rose by a staggering 5.5% month on month – setting new records for Scotland and the biggest increases in any part of the UK.

At the other end of the scale, some parts of the UK recorded falls in the average levels of rent. In the Northeast of England, for example, rents fell by a further 1.1% in June to just £625 a month.

The types of properties losing the most value in June 2023

In a market where overall house prices are in decline – an estimated 11.1 million homes, or one-third of the total housing stock, have dropped in value – the online listings website Zoopla on the 6^th of July identified those types of dwellings currently most likely to have fallen in value this June.

Properties most likely to have fallen the greatest in value are larger detached houses and bungalows, said Zoopla.

Some parts of the country have fared worse than others – with as many as 65% of homes along the coasts of southern England falling in value during June. Other areas where prices have tumbled the most include Scotland and Northern Ireland.

But Zoopla also offers a warning to those wanting to invest in the current housing market. For any prospective buyers thinking of taking advantage by purchasing in areas where homes are falling in value, says Zoopla, it is important to consider the risk of increasing mortgage rates and the prospect of negative equity.

Renters Reform Bill 2023 – What landlords and tenants need to know

Law firm Cripps took the opportunity on the 30^th of May of recapping the contents of the government’s Renters Reform Bill that was introduced to Parliament on the 17^th of May:

• assured shorthold tenancies (AST) will be abolished and replaced by periodic assured tenancies – relieving tenants of the need to commit to a minimum rental term;

• future tenancies can be terminated at any time by tenants giving two months’ notice;

• Section 21 – so-called “no-fault” – evictions will be abolished, and landlords will have the option of terminating a tenancy only for strictly-defined statutory reasons;

• those statutory reasons include:

• an intention on the part of the landlord to sell the let property;
  • if the property is needed for housing a close family member of the landlord;
  • persistent rent arrears on the part of the tenant (at least 2 months arrears on a minimum of 3 occasions during a 3-year timeframe);
  • tenants’ anti-social behaviour.

• landlords can increase the rent only once a year (after giving at least 2 months’ notice of any such increase);

• landlords cannot unreasonably deny tenants the right to keep a pet – but a damage deposit or insurance costs can be charged;

• tenants’ deposits must be held in an approved scheme;

• a register of residential landlords and their properties will be held, and available for inspection, on a Privately Rented Property Portal; and

• landlords will be obliged to register with an Ombudsman scheme set up to examine and decide complaints raised by tenants.

Nationwide HPI: House prices relatively stable in June

The House Price Index maintained by the Nationwide building society confirmed that the housing market has achieved relative stability but remains in overall decline compared with property values one year ago.

In fact, the national average house price rose by a modest 0.1% in June – reversing the fall of 0.1% that had been recorded the previous month – but taking the overall annual fall in values to 3.5%.

There are regional variations, with the biggest falls in value in the past 12 months in East Anglia, where average prices have dropped by 4.7%.

During the second quarter of this year, the decline in average house prices has been felt in every region of the UK except for Northern Ireland.

The energy regulator Ofgem on the 25^th of May 2023 released the good news that energy bills should be coming down this summer. Following recent falls in the overall price of energy, with effect from the 1^st of July the energy price cap will be reduced from its present £3,280 to £2,074 – at the same time reducing the typical household’s energy bill by around £426.

Those reductions are thoroughly welcome, of course, but whether you are a homeowner or landlord there is only really one sure-fire way of cutting your energy bills – and that is to consume less energy. Let’s see how you might do that:

Shorter showers

• you could save almost £100 a year simply by spending less time under your shower in the mornings;

• according to Smart Energy, by cutting your typical time in the shower from 8 minutes to 4 minutes, you could be saving as much as £95 on your annual energy bill;

The showerhead

• while reducing the time in the shower might seem fairly obvious, a further modification to the shower itself could also save you money by reducing the amount of water – and the energy used to heat it;

• an estimated 70% of the water you use in your shower is hot water, so reducing the flow with a more water-efficient showerhead could save you a further £100 a year, said the Huffington Post on the 20^th of April 2023;

Put the kettle on

• do you fill up the kettle whenever you need to boil water regardless of how much you’re actually going to use;

• a story by Wales Online on the 3^rd of September 2022 estimated that by boiling only as much water as you need, you could be saving yourself £11 a year – it might not seem that much, but when it comes to saving energy, every little helps;

No standby

• the same news source also referred to a simple tip that at first sight would seem to have little impact on the energy you consume;

• this is the hoary old chestnut of leaving countless appliances and devices permanently on standby – for as long as all those gadgets remain plugged in, they continue to use electricity;

• by disconnecting the power supply, the average household could save as much as £55 annually, said Wales Online;

Beat the draughts

• you will have spent a fair amount of gas or electricity heating your home, so keep that valuable energy where it belongs on the inside and protected from the draughts and gaps around doors, windows, and up through ill-fitting floorboards;

• it might cost as much as £225 to plug all those gaps, suggests the Energy Saving Trust, but that simple measure alone could save you up to £125 a year – it’ll pay for itself in less than 24 months;

Insulate

• the key to keeping the heat inside your home, of course, lies in efficient insulation;

• there are all manner of areas you might want to think about protecting in this way – from cavity wall insulation to underfloor or roof insulation;

• but the most efficient and effective result for probably the majority of households is still likely to be loft insulation;

• an article in the Consumer Association’s Which magazine on the 4^th of January 2023 estimated that a properly insulated roof space in a four-bedroom detached house could generate energy savings of up to £215 a year while even a 3-bedroom mid-terrace home could achieve savings of up to £115 a year through efficient loft insulation.

The spiralling cost of energy has played a large part in the challenges most of us face in the battle against the rising cost of living. While the signs are promising for a steady reduction in energy bills for the remainder of this year, there is still much we can do to cut consumption – and make further savings on those bills.

Current UK property news focuses on both home ownership and conditions in the private rental sector.

Catching the eye of homeowners will be a story identifying the country’s hottest of property hotspots and an overview of movements in average house prices nationwide.

The private rental sector continues to be marked by a noticeable shortage in the supply of available accommodation – a shortage likely to be made much worse if there is no raising of the mortgage tax relief allowance.

Most valuable areas of the UK property market where conditions remain ‘very hot indeed’

A story in the Express newspaper recently identified a few surprises when it revealed the hottest of the UK’s current property hotspots.

The local property market topping that list was the Scottish capital Edinburgh, where the average price of a home is currently £326,024. A total of 11,295 sales were completed during the past year – at an estimated combined value of £3.7 billion.

Second in the overview’s ranking was Buckinghamshire where there were some 7,115 sales of homes – at a cumulative value of £3.4 billion.

In third place was the London Borough of Wandsworth where home sales reached a total of £3 billion – made up of the borough’s 4,552 transactions.

Some surprises in the top ten hotspots included North Yorkshire (at number four), Belfast (in eighth place), and Birmingham (in ninth).

Nationwide: House price growth shows signs of stabilisation in April

It fell to the Nationwide building society in its regular house price index to summarise the current state of the housing market.

The picture presented is one of a fairly stable market.

After seven consecutive months during which the average house price continued to fall, April saw a modest 0.5% increase in those prices. It also meant some improvement in the annual movement of house prices – from a previous -3.1% to its current -2.7%.

Supply shortage remains the key obstacle for the rental market

An article in Landlord Today on the 30^th of May considered the widening gap between supply and demand in the private rented sector.

The demand – measured by the number of prospective tenants registering their interest with lettings agents – is clearly increasing. Not only are the numbers higher than in the traditionally quiet month of December, but the volume of prospective tenants is also now an estimated 24% higher than at this time last year.

Turning to the supply side of the equation, however, the article noted that despite the surge in demand only the same number of vacancies for tenants existed now as they did last year. The imbalance between supply and demand has risen by some 35%, said Landlord Today.

Although a marked shortage in supply would normally herald increasing rent levels, the article noted that only 50% of letting agents reported month by month rent increases – compared with 75% of those agents who responded to the same question last year.

Reversing the abolition of mortgage tax relief would ease supply crisis in the rental sector

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) claims to have discovered a way of helping to stabilise just such an imbalance between supply and demand in the private rented sector.

In a press release on the 26^th of May, the (NRLA) argued for a reintroduction of mortgage interest tax relief for landlords claiming that this would help to alleviate the crisis of supply of let accommodation.

The NRLA argued that something needs to be done to persuade landlords to remain in the buy to let business. It referred to predictions that if the Bank of England’s base rate peaked at 5% and remained above 2.5% for the next four and a half years – as widely reckoned – a further 735,000 let properties would be sold by landlords quitting the market. Compared with 2021, a further 13% of the property available for rent would be lost.

Whether they are complaints about rowdiness by your own tenants or objections from the latter about the neighbours, dealing with problems of noise can become a major headache for landlords.

All the parties involved, of course, might well be looking to you as the landlord for a calm and timely solution to the problem. As the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) noted recently, how you handle the situation could be saving you an unwelcome tenancy dispute.

Conversation

The seemingly lost art of conversation is probably the first step towards handling any noise complaints – whether they’ve arisen because of your noisy tenants or because the latter have complained about the neighbours.

You might be surprised by the effectiveness of a quiet word in the ear of tenants or neighbours. Often, the issue might have arisen simply because one or the other was unaware that their behaviour was the source of unacceptable levels of noise.

Know the law

If you are going to play a part in managing complaints about levels of noise, it obviously helps to know where you stand in relation to the law.

Noise can come from any number of sources, of course. That includes loud music – whether or not it’s being played at a party – loud televisions, children screaming and shouting, dogs barking all the time, or a host of different domestic appliances or household tools.

If the noise emitted is loud enough to cause a “nuisance”, it is breaking the law. The various laws – including the Noise Act 1996, the Noise and Statutory Nuisance Act 1993, and the Environmental Protection Act 1990 – define a noise nuisance as a level at which it interferes with the quality of life.

Enforcement by environmental health officers

If the level of noise – whatever the source – is determined to have become a statutory nuisance, environmental health officers of the local authority can issue an “abatement order”.

If the guilty party or parties fail to comply with that order, the local authority can issue proceedings for the matter to go to court – where fines up to £5,000 can be imposed. If the police are also called out – where an element of aggression or violence is involved, for example – an antisocial behaviour order might be issued. The police can also confiscate items such as sound systems and loudspeakers.

Who’s to blame?

If you are the landlord, you are not formally responsible for any noise nuisance caused by your tenants. Though you may not be strictly liable, you will nevertheless want to maintain good relationships both with neighbours who are complaining and any other of your tenants in the same building who are affected by unacceptable levels of noise.

Friendly neighbours will be helpful allies in all manner of issues you might have as a landlord, so it is important to keep them on your side. Tenants who are affected by noise nuisance caused by others may decide to quit your premises to live elsewhere – leaving you with the headache of finding replacements.

Eviction

If all else has failed and you have issued more than a couple of warning notices to irresponsible tenants who are continuing to cause a noise nuisance, you have the option of evicting them through a repossession order on the ground of their antisocial behaviour.

If the problem has reached these proportions, of course, you will need to be careful to follow the letter of the law with respect to the grounds for eviction and give the required period of notice to quit before you can seek a repossession order from the courts.

Early intervention

As you will see, therefore – and as is so often the case involving landlords’ issues with tenants and neighbours – early intervention is the key to successfully managing noise complaints.

Act now while understanding and friendly relations still rule the day. That way, you avoid the need for any more stressful action.

UK property news headlines shine a light on apparent trends in the housing market. Some reports focus on the movement in the overall house price index. Others consider the apparent slump in house prices.

Private sector landlords are warned of further, relatively steep, increases in buy to let mortgage rates and the cost of borrowing.

It’s a sign of these uncertain property times, perhaps, but there are some apparently prepared to pay as much as £95,000 for a humble beach hut.

Nationwide House Price Index

The influential House Price Index maintained by the Nationwide building society revealed the biggest decline in average house prices since July 2009.

In the 12 months to the end of March, house prices across the whole of the UK fell by an average of 3.1% – the biggest slump in prices in 19 years.

Changes in the monthly rates of decline have been relatively small – but nevertheless steady. A 0.5% drop this February, for instance, was followed by a further 0.8% fall in March.

There were regional variations, of course. Scotland fared the worst – a previous year on year increase of 3.3% was reversed into a 3.1% fall by the end of the first quarter of this year. In the West Midlands, on the other hand, average prices fell by a relatively modest 1.4% during the same timeframe.

UK house prices have dropped an average of £3,006 since the start of 2023

Similar themes were pursued in a story published by the Express newspaper on the 26^th of April.

This also addressed the recent fall in average house prices across the UK but provided a particular focus on London where values have dropped by an average of £5,903 since the beginning of this year.

Some parts of the country – the Southeast, Southwest, and Scotland – have fared still worse, with a monthly decline of as much as £21,000 in one or two areas, according to local estate agents.

With the cost of a home in the UK falling by an average of £3,006 since the beginning of the year, the current national average house price has fallen from January’s £293,673 to £290,667 in February.

Landlords warned over further interest rate hikes

A story in Landlord Today on the 28^th of April issued warnings to private sector landlords of further impending increases in borrowing rates and the cost, therefore, of buy to let mortgages.

The Bank of England’s base lending rate currently stands at 4.25% – the highest it has been in 14 years. The article says that some sources are expecting the Bank of England base rate to hit 5.0%.

This expectation comes after Office for National Statistics figures stated that inflation fell less than expected to 10.1% last month.

The next meeting of the Bank of England’s monetary policy committee is Thursday May 11.

For sale: a £95,000 beach hut

If you’d thought that a humble beach hut on your favourite stretch of coastline would represent a fairly modest investment, you may need to think again.

A story in the Daily Mail on the 20^th of April identified five seemingly ordinary, standard beach huts ranging in price from a shade less than £30,000 right up to £95,000.

All of the examples were for beachside cabins with the usual restricted floor area, and the price for at least one of them included leasehold ownership only.

The five are at:

• Hunstanton in Norfolk – with an asking price of £29,950;

• Kingsway at Hove in Sussex – £33,500;

• Holland-On-Sea in Essex – £42,500;

• Tankerton in Kent – £65,000; and

• Thorpe Bay in Essex – £95,000.

If you’re planning to invest, you’re probably praying for another fine, sunny English summer.

When disaster strikes and your property suffers loss, damage or theft, it can be very stressful. To get things back to normal as quickly as possible and to make a claim on your property insurance policy, please …

Contact us on 01702 606 301 during office hours. We will be very happy to help you with your claim and provide support at what can often be a very challenging time.

Please have to hand your insurance policy number, which can be found in your policy documents.

Alternatively, you can contact your insurance company directly.

What information will be needed to make a claim?

Once you have notified us or your insurer directly that you wish to make a claim, you will need to provide further information and, possibly, documentation:

• please tell us or your insurer about the situation and the loss or damage you have suffered;
• depending on the insurer and the situation, you may be required to fill out a claims form in addition to providing details over the phone;
• listen to the advice provided by your insurer on how to limit any further damage;
• confirm your excess amount with us or your insurer;
• review your policy documents to ensure that you meet any deadlines or requirements for making a claim.

What happens next?

Once you have started the claims process, typically you will be asked to:

• provide any necessary paperwork, such as photographs or repair estimates, to support your claim;
• in some cases, you may need to meet with an assessor who will assess the damage in person and review the details of your claim;
• if the claim is related to theft or vandalism, make sure to file a report with your local police station as soon as possible. You will need to provide the incident number as proof to support your claim.

How we can help you make your claim

As a specialist landlord insurance provider, we have given advice and help to thousands of customers when they need to make a claim.

We provide assistance at all levels of your property insurance claim as this can be a frustrating time. We speak to people a lot who have issues with the stress of the situation, and it is advisable to contact us in the event of a claim, as we have experts able to help.

We can advise on the action you need to take and help guide you through the claims process.

Your cover and your claim

Landlord insurance policies have different levels of cover and, whilst we try and explain these at inception, you may require clarification in the event of a claim.

When choosing Cover4LetProperty for your landlords insurance, you have access to a wide range of exclusive policies for tenanted properties, unoccupied and commercial covers.

At the inception of your landlords insurance policy, we explain the procedure for making a claim. This is then backed up in writing in your let property insurance policy wording and Schedule.

You are also given a dedicated Account Handler for your policy, who can give advice and a contact number to speak to your landlords insurer.

We are always open to feedback on your claim as we select our landlords insurance providers on the basis that they have the same ethos of customer service as we do!

Further reading: Making a claim for flood damage to your property