Best of the BTL Blogs

The last month has seen numerous posting from our landlord bloggers covering a range of topics from the absurd EPC (Energy Performance Certificates), to a number of postings of relevance to student landlords. Our bloggers inevitably look at the state of the housing market and there is useful guidance on how to get a buy-to-let mortgage in our post ‘credit crunch’ world. With over 50 posts since the beginning of August there is plenty for fellow landlords to look at.

EPCs get a Property Hawk thumbs down!
We think that EPC actually stands for Extra Piece of Cr…p
It appears our landlord users agree with a resounding 0% of our users thinking that they are a good idea. For those landlords that have not heard about them they should know that they need one by 1st October

To find out the essentials read this Q & A session.

Are you a developer landlord?
At the beginning of August I looked at the potential requirement of developer landlords to register for the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS). Will the extra regulation ever cease?

London landlords suffering
Many of us in the provinces have little sympathy, but it appears that London landlords are starting to suffer with the rest of us. It appears that our illustrious capital is no longer immune from the effect of property price gravity. I look at which parts of the capital are suffering the largest fall in the down turn.

Property shares to buy
It may be all doom and gloom in the residential investment market but the Income Monkey highlights some commercial property shares that could well represent a bargain in the current depressed market.

Property Sparrow diary
Property Sparrow concentrates on the details. We see in her posts what makes a small scale London landlady tick and what things have been on her recent agenda including her recent visit to the London Landlord Show.

In search of a buy-to-let mortgage
The under cover landlord goes in search of a buy-to-let mortgage. We follow his epic journey to find out what it takes in the post credit crunch world to get ones hand on a buy-to-let mortgage. Does anybody know who he is? Rumours are that it is Peter Mandelson or Tony Blair. Suggestions on the back of a postcard.

Suffering a rental loss?
Landlords who are suffering a rental loss may be interested that they are not alone in experiencing their rental loss. Belvoir Lettings suggest 20 ways to cut costs which may help with a landlord’s cashflow.

Student landlords gearing up
Student landlords are likely to be getting geared up for the imminent return of the student hordes. Bee in the bonnet advises student landlords that the ‘check in’ of their student tenants is just the time to remind them about their check out responsibilities.

Should I use a property company?
Confucious explores whether landlords should place their property investments in a company to minimise their tax liabilities.

Landlords – GOOD NEWS –nice people
Despite the press branding us as money grabbing exploitative capitalists, who don’t give a damm about our tenants, Margo highlights the fact that we aren’t all bad; in fact landlords are mostly quite nice people!