Inside Property With Richard Blanco

Landlords and property professionals in the UK are faced with an unusual convergence of economic, market and regulatory issues. Rising interest rates and inflation, possible recession and the end of the house price cycle are all in view. Yet whilst house prices and lettings activity are currently surging, landlords face a number of regulatory changes. The abolition of no fault eviction and new minimum energy efficiency standards are top of the list – and the government has recently sprung a National Landlords Register, Ombudsman, Decent homes standard and Property portal on landlords in England – all with minimal detail and adding to the uncertainty. Join David Cox, Legal & Compliance Director at Rightmove and Hertfordshire based portfolio landlord and campaigner, Jamie Fraser for some plain-speaking and forthright opinions in a lively discussion with Richard Blanco

Government guidelines have enabled the housing market to re-open for business in England from 13 May 2020.  In this episode, Richard Blanco is joined by broker Jay Rooney, Lawrence Bowles from Savills Research and Arla Propertymark board member, Rachel Hanniquet-Brooking.  We look at how agents and customers are coping with the new procedures and discuss the ongoing mortgage holiday, rent holiday challenge facing many landlords and tenants.   How is the mortgage landscape evolving and what are the prospects for house prices and sales and lettings activity moving forward? Photo by Vicki Couchman

There is a burgeoning offer of residential, buy to let and short term finance available and arguably the market has never been so competitive.  But lending criteria and mortgage regulation can make getting the right finance quite a feat.  Richard is joined by brokers Morgan Stewart from GPS Financial, Nick Blunt from One and All Financial Services and Scott Hendry from lender, Together Money to guide you through the mortgage maze.

Richard Blanco is joined by Meera Chindooroy from the National Landlords Association, Lawrence Bowles from Savills and Richard Bowser from Property Investor News to analyse some of the factors driving the property market as we near the end of 2019. We discuss the latest sales and rental trends, the UK and global economy, housing politics, regulatory changes and landlord and developer sentiment. This programme was recorded just before the announcement of the December 2019 election.

Most of us associate short term lets with AirBnB.  But holiday lets, villas and all kinds of serviced accommodation make this a much more diverse arena.  Far from competing with hotels, there is increasing convergence with other hospitality sectors.  How can landlords finance or switch to these kind of investments and what are the management challenges?  What is the broader impact of this rapidly growing area on our communities and is existing regulation transparent, fair and adequate?  Richard Blanco is joined by Fiona Veitch, Marketing Director from AirBnB partner and letting agent, Portico, Merilee Karr from the Short Term Accommodation Association and MD of Under The Doormat and Chris Poulter from the Serviced Accommodation Podcast.  Photo is from pictureperfectholidays.com

Architect, Richard Ganeshmoorthy and expert landlord developers MaryAnn Richmond-Coggan and Karen Gregory join Richard Blanco to discuss the joys and challenges of refurbishment. From finding the perfect wreck to managing your tradespeople, pushing through the difficult bit in the middle and charming your way through the snagging, we share our best tips and anecdotes.  

The inventory and return of the deposit are key aspects of being able to end a tenancy well – but what if the tenant is in arrears or has breached the contract? How can tenants get redress if their landlords don’t comply with regulations? And what of the softer sides of ending the tenant landlord relationship…. how can staying on good terms help to oil the wheels over those inevitable bumps in the road? Richard Blanco is joined by inventories expert from No Letting Go, Lisa Williamson, Head of Dispute Resolution from My Deposits, Suzy Hershman and Al McClenahan, Director of Justice4Tenants.

Letting Agents are facing a raft of regulatory changes in 2019\. From April they must have a dedicated bank account and insurance for clients’ money and tenant fees will be banned from June 2019\. Meanwhile the government has asked a working group to consider compulsory training and trade body membership plus the establishment of a regulatory body. What is morale like amongst letting agents and how will the sector change in the coming years? Enforcement will be down to trading standards, but will they have the resources? And are these changes a real victory for the consumer? Richard Blanco is joined by David Cox, CEO of Arla Propertymark, Fiona Exley from London Trading Standards and Business Transfer Agent, Adam Walker.

How important is design for let properties? As a landlord, should you always stick to neutral or can you safely stray into something more adventurous? To furnish or not to furnish? Are there particular sectors, like HMOs, where design adds considerable profit? If you are a tenant do you despair at having to put up with the landlord’s leftover furniture and would you prefer more freedom to redecorate your home to your taste? Richard Blanco is joined by designers Nicola Geldart from David Phillips, Julian Maurice of Icon Living and East London portfolio landlord, Toby Scrutton to unpack the issues and offer some useful tips and guidance. Inside Property is produced in collaboration with the [National Landlords Association](www.landlords.org.uk). Photo courtesy of David Phillips. Would you be interested in joining a listeners panel? This would involve a 2 hour meeting in person or by skpe in central London to let us know your views about the programme. If so, please get in touch here. Thank you! This is

How would you feel about compulsory three year tenancies? Would they provide essential security of tenure for families or pose too big a risk for landlords? The government has appointed the third housing minister this year. What will Kit Malthouse bring to the table and how confident are you that housing really is a priority for ministers? Will the Bank of England end nearly a decade of ultra low interest rates and increase them this August? And we discuss a new initiative to help student landlords support tenants with mental health issues. Richard Blanco is joined by Chris Norris, Director of Policy & Practice at The National Landlords Association and Carol Lewis, Deputy Editor of Property and Personal Finance at The Times. Inside Property is produced in collaboration with the [National Landlords Association.](www.landlords.org.uk) Would you be interested in joining a listeners panel? This would involve a 2 hour meeting in person or by skpe in central London to let us know your views about the programm

Are you ready for GDPR? Under this directive, tenants will have the right to sue landlords for misuse of data from 25 May 2018\. The NLA's Chris Norris and Marlon Fox from Outlook Property talk to Richard Blanco about what landlords and agents need to do to comply. We discuss Ellie Flynn's BBC Three documentary Rent For Sex (watch [here](https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p05y93q5/rent-for-sex-ellie-undercover?suggid=p05y93q5)) which exposes so called landlords offering free rooms for sexual favours. A parliamentary select committee has proposed that landlords' properties could be confiscated should they commit certain housing offences. And Tory party conference promises to fully regulate letting agents have now precipitated proposals for a legally enforceable code of practice, compulsory membership of a trade body and a new regulator. Could this sound the death knell for ropey agents? Inside Property is produced in collaboration with the [National Landlords Association](www.landlords.org.uk).[](www.lan

Richard Blanco asks Douglas Haig, Vice Chair of the Residential Landlords Association and Richard Lambert, Chief Executive Officer of the National Landlords Association about the work of landlord associations, whether they can be legitimately seen as the voice of landlords, how their offer supports the landlord community and why campaigns to prevent and now roll back recent tax changes have been thwarted. Vanessa Warwick, landlord and founder of propertytribes.com joins the debate and outlines the role she sees for digital platforms. What role might these organisations play as the government tries to professionalise and regulate the sector? Should landlord associations merge to give them more clout and is it fair to criticise web portals as a forum for ranting? Inside Property is produced in collaboration with the [National Landlords Association](https://www.landlords.org.uk/). Special thanks to the [Residential Landlords Association](https://www.rla.org.uk/) and [propertytribes.com](https://www.propertytrib

NLA Director of Policy, Chris Norris and Nigel Lewis, Head of Content at The Negotiator join Richard Blanco to discuss the latest issues affecting the world of property. There's a new Ministry of Housing and we exchange views on the seventh housing minister to be appointed since 2010\. There's an update on changing gas, electricity and carbon monoxide safety regulations, the new Fitness for Human Habitation Bill and some unexpected changes to arrangements for licensing and article 4 planning directions. Will you be contributing to the consultation on the proposed landlord redress scheme and what do you think about Labour Party proposals to give tenants the right to have pets? Inside Property is produced in collaboration with the [National Landlords Association](www.landlords.org.uk).

How would you define an ethical landlord or investor? Richard Blanco speaks to Susan Aktemel, founder of Glasgow based Homes For Good, Landlord MaryAnn Richmond-Coggan who created Green Farm Kent and Ed Fowkes, Development Director of Prosperity Capital Partners to find out what motivates them and how their practice stands out. We hear about how their businesses are structured, who benefits and what could be done to encourage more landlords and investors to nurture their social conscience. Inside Property is produced in collaboration with the National Landlords Association. With thanks to Aileen Scoular for additional research.

The launch of the Private Residential Tenancy in Scotland heralds the end of no fault evictions and Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, outlines his aspirations for more devolved powers in a Draft Housing Strategy. As letting agents in England look forward to “full regulation,” where is the market heading in 2018 and was the phrase “sky high rocketing rents” ever more than a headline grabbing cliché, particularly as rents are currently rising well below inflation? We look back at the Autumn budget and offer interest rate and election predictions for the year to come. Sarah Davidson, from This Is Money and Chris Norris, Head of Policy at the NLA join Richard Blanco for a round up of all the latest issues facing property professionals. Inside Property is produced in collaboration with the National Landlords Association.

From the Government’s Help To Buy and Shared Ownership schemes to the recent reduction in stamp duty and Bank of Mum & Dad, just how easy is it for first time buyers to get a foot on the property ladder? Are first time investors competing with them for the same properties and with high prices and low yields in London and The South East should prospective landlords simply cross these areas off their wish list? What about property investment clubs and how much of an impact are the PRA changes to buy to let lending dampening their aspirations? In this specially extended edition, we hear from Laura about buying her first home and Jack’s aspirations to become a landlord or developer. Expert guests are on hand to offer help and advice: Kate Faulkner, MD of Property Checklists, Investment Coach Damien Fogg of theepinvestor.com and Financial Adviser Jay Rooney from One And All Financial. Inside Property is produced in collaboration with the National Landlords Association.

It's budget month - what surprises might the chancellor have in store for the property sector this time? And after announcing the first interest rate rise for a decade, if the Bank of England introduces further rises in 2018, how might this affect the housing market? Theresa May wants the state to get back into the business of building subsidised rental homes, so could we see a return to growth for the social rented sector? And weighing up the pros and cons of Conservative and Labour party ideas and initiatives for the private rented sector, what could your property business look like in 2025? Richard Blanco is joined by Chris Norris, Head of Policy at The National Landlords Association and landlord and journalist Victoria Whitlock from The Evening Standard. Inside Property is produced in collaboration with the National Landlords Association.

The Bank of England's Prudential Regulation Authority has introduced important changes to borrowing for landlords with four or more properties. Richard Blanco discusses the implications with Head of Policy at The National Landlords Association, Chris Norris and James Andrews, Editor of Mirror Money Online. As London Borough of Newham awaits a decision from the Secretary of State on the renewal of its borough wide selective licensing scheme, we debate the scheme's merits and the potential impact of the decision. We look more broadly at how local authorities are trying to procure properties from the private rented sector and ask whether Gas Safety Week is making enough headway in promoting safety. Inside Property is produced in collaboration with the National Landlords Association. Correction: local authorities must seek Secretary of State permission for selective licensing schemes of more than 20% of the borough's privately rented properties not 25%.

In a change to our regular format, Richard Blanco is joined by journalist Sarah Davidson from 'This Is Money' and Chris Norris, Head of Policy at the National Landlords Association, to discuss the issues in property and housing making the headlines. We cast our minds back to the 2017 election manifestos and ask whether they might set the tone for future policy, take a critical look at proposals in the Queens Speech and consider how the Grenfell catastrophe could influence housing regulation in the future. Have you seen the BBC series 'The Week The Landlords Moved In'? We consider how fairly it represents landlord and tenant and debate the issues raised. Recorded July 2017. Inside Property is produced in collaboration with the National Landlords Association. 'The Week The Landlords Moved In' is available on BBC iplayer.

As tax changes and buy to let mortgage restrictions start to bite, an increasing number of landlords and investors are buying and creating Homes In Multiple Occupation. Whilst the government has extended permitted development rights used to create more lettable rooms in home extensions, many local authorities are clamping down on what they see as HMOs supplanting family accommodation. Are shared houses still viable for tenants on benefits and is the rise of boutique style lets finally putting to rest the sector’s reputation for poor conditions? Richard Blanco asks planner Alison Broderick, investor Ash Zuberi, letting agent Billy Gill and licensing expert Richard Tacagni for some top tips and whether those higher yields really do outweigh the extra management. Planning and licensing advice applies to England & Wales except where stated otherwise. Inside Property is produced in collaboration with the National Landlords Association.