Landlords in Scotland may have benefited from a four per cent drop in the cost of running and maintaining a home.

Figures from Bank of Scotland reveal that properties there now cost on average £388 less to manage than in April 2008.

The Budget may have been less severe than expected for property investors, but financing will still be a barrier to market activity.

This is according to one buy-to-let property expert.

Chancellor George Osborne's Budget announcements included cancelling previous Labour restrictions on holiday lettings' tax incentives and capping capital gains tax at a lower than expected 28 per cent.

Property investors across the country have seen the value of their homes grow by close to double digits, according to the latest figures.

Nationwide's data for the second quarter shows that prices grew on average by 9.5 per cent.

While London landlords saw inflation hit just over a third more than the national average (13.2 per cent), property investors in the south-west and the outer Metropolitan region saw similar rises.

House prices fell in May, which could be good news for first-time buyers.

New data from Land Registry for last month showed the first drop since April 2009.

Figures for May were 0.2 per cent down on the previous month.

Overall, prices have increased by 8.2 per cent year-on-year.

More people are struggling with paying their monthly rent, according to new figures.

The Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCSS) has claimed that the number of people wanting advice on rental problems and eviction has increased.

Whereas more than half of those struggling with money problems last year lived in rented accommodation, most had ensured they could pay their rent, which is classified as a priority debt.

The availability of affordable new homes could be threatened by forthcoming changes to the planning system, according to one builder.

Taylor Wimpey, which has recently slashed its huge debts, said that it was concerned about the impact of policy overhauls to volumes.

The cost of owning, running and maintaining a home has become cheaper since the recession.

New figures from Halifax's regular review show that the average costs of home ownership have fallen by six per cent for owner-occupiers.

According to its data, home costs have dropped by �554 between April 2008 and April 2010.

Sale and rent back schemes (SRB) will now be subject to tough scrutiny.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has introduced new rules to protect vulnerable homeowners struggling to pay off their mortgages.

SRBs buy homes from owners and then allow the former occupiers to 'rent' the property back.

Property investors should take advantage of good economic conditions, according to one industry expert.

A recent survey by Paragon Mortgages found that over a fifth (21 per cent) of landlords planned to expand their portfolios in this quarter.

The capital gains tax (CGT) hike will not affect serious long-term investors in the market, according to one industry figure.

Chancellor George Osborne this week (June 22nd) announced the 28 per cent cap on CGT.

It had been expected that CGT would be pushed up in line with income tax.

Building societies need more government support to bring diversity into the mortgage market.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has called on the government to allow building societies to become more competitive.

In response to a Treasury discussion paper called "Building society capital and related issues", the CML said that the government should also focus on reducing regulation and addressing funding problems.

Energy minister Chris Huhne will say today (June 25th) that 14 million houses across both sectors could benefit from a nationwide retrofitting programme.

The so-called Green Deal aims to reduce carbon emissions by allowing householders to pay through their energy bill savings for energy-efficiency retrofitting loans.

Measures include insulation and potentially, smart meters.

Housing associations need to be independently regulated if they are to manage building homes on restricted budgets, claimed one industry figure.

Chancellor George Osborne this week announced serious cuts to the housing budget, which some bodies such as the National Housing Federation believe will lead to a deficit of homes over the next four years.

Landlords and aspiring second-home owners will not be deterred by the rise in capital gains tax (CGT), according to one property industry expert.

The chancellor announced that CGT will be capped at 28 per cent, despite earlier speculation that it would be raised in line with income tax.

Housing benefit reforms are to be welcomed, according to one property expert.

The chancellor announced in this week's Budget a raft of reforms aimed at tackling so-called "abuse" of the housing benefit system.

These included cutting ten per cent off housing benefit for working age people who have been on Jobseeker's Allowance for more than a year and capping housing allowance for people who are living in properties too large for their household size.

Property investors in the south-east have gained most from the government's raising of the stamp duty threshold.

The former Labour government removed stamp duty for properties below �250,000 this year.

According to Lloyds Banking Group's latest factsheet on the impact of the rise, 70 per cent of homes for homes for first-time buyers in this region are above the original threshold of �125,000.

Affordable homes in the UK will be slashed by a quarter over the next decade, according to one industry body.

The National Housing Federation (NFH) has claimed that the chancellor's Budget cuts will mean that 250,000 affordable homes can no longer be built.

Mortgage brokers have welcomed the chancellor's decision to cap capital gains tax (CGT) below income tax, according to new research.

A survey from Kensington conducted two weeks before the budget found that close to half (46 per cent) of intermediaries thought capping CGT below income tax was the best way to reduce the blow to the buy-to-let market.

Government budget cuts could mean that an additional 350,000 people end up on housing waiting lists, claims an industry campaign group.


The National Housing Federation (NHF) has warned that there will be a shortage of 142,000 affordable homes by 2020, unless housing is ring-fenced.

The government needs to address the lack of available finance for aspiring home-owners and landlords, according to one industry body.

IMLA, the representative body for lenders who use brokers, says that the current "drought" of lending is set to become worse unless the government acts now.

More landlords would expand their portfolios if lending conditions were eased, according to new research.

Paragon Mortgages Trends' survey has found that just over two in ten (21 per cent) of landlords are planning to purchase new properties in this quarter of the year.

Raising capital gains tax (CGT) will be a severe blow to the fragile recovery of the private rented sector, according to one industry body.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has said in an emergency budget submission that investors could lose confidence in the sector.

Plans to change capital gains tax could result in a 'fire sale', claims one industry body.

The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) has urged the government to rank private rented property as an "entrepreneurial business activity" for capital gains tax purposes.

One in five of the UK population could become renters, according to new research.

The Building and Social Housing Foundation (BSHF) has predicted that the private rented sector (PRS) will be larger than the social rented sector by 2013, based on current trends.

The decision to amend the rules regarding houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) has been welcomed by one industry body.

Housing minister Grant Shapps recently announced that the new government will give local authorities the power to decide when and where landlords must submit a planning application to use a property as an HMO.

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has claimed a victory in its battle to see "draconian" rules regarding houses of multiple occupancy (HMO) redrawn.

Housing minister Grant Shapps recently announced that a consultation will now decide on how HMO rules can work effectively without placing an "unnecessary burden" on landlords and planning authorities.

A warning has been issued to UK residential landlords about unfit properties following an incident in Peterborough.

The city's magistrates court has fined a letting agency and a private landlord �1,300 after they failed to bring a property "up to standard" despite a series of warnings, the Peterborough Evening Telegraph reported.

Buy-to-let landlords who are letting properties in central London could be benefitting from an increase in accommodation budgets among foreign students.

Specialist estate agency LDG, which focuses its attention on the capital's West End area, has reported that the increased budgets and a lack of good quality rental properties have pushed prices up.

Residential landlords who have added new properties to their rental portfolios could be among the increased number of people taking out a fixed-rate mortgage.

The latest Mortgage Index from John Charcol has revealed that 26 per cent of borrowers took out a fixed-rate deal last month.

Residential landlords could be set to benefit from a simpler private rented sector after housing minister Grant Shapps vowed to scrap plans to bring in new regulations.

Mr Shapps said that the vast majority of the UK's three million private tenants are satisfied with the service they receive from their landlords.

Residential landlords contemplating acquiring new properties for their rental portfolios could be tempted to make their move following the comments of one expert.
Stuart Inman, director at MyMortgageDirect, said that providing investors have got the capital to put up a "decent-sized deposit", now is a reasonable time to purchase a property.

Landlords could also be encouraged by Mr Inman's views on a recent report comparing rent and mortgage prices.

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has called on the new coalition government to make changes to the way the local housing allowance (LHA) is distributed.

According to NLA statistics, in 2009 a total of �4.229 million was lost by 949 residential landlords as a result of LHA-based rent arrears.

Residential landlords who are looking to purchase properties to add to their rental portfolios could be among those to benefit from an increase in supply.

According to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (Rics), housing supply in the UK has been boosted by the abolishment of home information packs (Hips).

House prices are set to stabilise in areas of "high demand", according to one industry body.

The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) has said that increased supply will see prices dip in some areas and stabilise in others.

It follows the publication of a report by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, which revealed that more houses are expected to be put up for sale now that home information packs (Hips) have been abolished.

The rising level of housing stock is as much down to a lack of transactions as it is an increase in confidence, according to one expert.

Lucian Cook, director at global real estate service provider Savills, said bad news regarding the economy has probably led to a weakening of confidence in the housing market.

More than half (56 per cent) of homeowners have carried out some improvement work on their property over the past year, new research has revealed.

The study by Halifax found that, on average, landlords and other owners are spending around �6,000 on DIY jobs on their properties.

Landlords in the buy-to-let sector will be badly affected by any increase in capital gains tax, it has been claimed.

The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) said that the tax, which currently stands at 18 per cent, would be "devastating" to landlords if it is brought in line with earnings.

The private rented sector (PRS) should not be overlooked as an important part of the housing industry.

This is the view of the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) following a recent speech by housing minister Grant Shapps.

Mr Shapps commented on making sure there are enough homes in the UK for homeownership aspirations to be met.

The strengthening of the property market has made lenders more comfortable, it has been claimed.

Simon Rubinsohn, chief economist at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics), explained that the "better tone" in the market has encouraged lenders.

Landlords facing void periods have been offered a set of tips on how they can avoid this problem.

Belvoir Sheffield said that void periods are property owners' "worst nightmare" as they are costly and can force landlords to use their personal savings to pay off their mortgage.

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has welcomed the government's commitment to scrapping the planned national register of landlords.

Housing minister Grant Shapps said in the House of Commons that the legislation would not be brought forward by the coalition.

The new coalition government is ignoring the need for a balanced housing market.

This is the view of the National Landlords Association (NLA) following housing minister Grant Shapps' recent speech about home ownership.

According to Vincenzo Rampulla, NLA public affairs manager, Mr Shapps' speech was "just another ritual offering at the altar of home ownership".

Residential landlords in the UK who are looking to add to their rental portfolios could be among those to be encouraged by recent discussions about the home buying process.

The Building Societies Association (BSA) said the housing industry can work together to make the process of buying and selling property easier.

Residential landlords operating in the UK could be among those to look into remortgaging some of their properties following the comments of one expert.

Ray Boulger of leading independent mortgage adviser John Charcol said homeowners can offset the impact of government cuts by remortgaging and reducing their monthly payments.

A scheme set up to register residential landlords in Scotland is "clearly not working", it has been claimed.

Alex Johnstone, housing spokesman for the Conservative Party, has written to housing minister Alex Neil demanding that the registration initiative be reviewed.

Residential landlords in Oxford could be set to benefit from a new guide designed to help them improve their properties.

Oxford City Council has launched a new Good Practice Guide in a bid to improve the standard of rented accommodation in the area, the Oxford Mail reported.

House prices in the UK fell by 0.4 per cent in May compared to the previous month, new figures from Halifax have suggested.

The bank's monthly house price index showed that the average value of a property in the country now stands at £167,570.

Optimism about the future of the property market has risen among landlords for the fifth consecutive quarter, new research has revealed.

The study by BDRC Continental found that almost one in three landlords is making profits on their assets and is able to save.

Residential landlords who are looking to add new property to their portfolios could find that competition is high and prices are rising, it has been suggested.

Timothy Lambert, head of consulting at property investment consultancy Ducalian, said prospective property purchasers could find they are in competition with six other buyers for one property.

The choice of mortgage products for buy-to-let landlords and other homeowners has increased by 42 per cent since July 2009, according to new figures.

Data from a recently-published moneysupermarket.com report has revealed that the number of mortgages available on the market has broken the 3,000 barrier for the first time since last summer.

Residential landlords with property in the south-east of England are seeing rents increase due to a lack of supply, according to a new report.

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) said rents are being pushed higher in the area as there are limited options for those entering the rental market.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has called on the new coalition government to use the emergency Budget to prioritise support for homeowners.

Chancellor George Osborne is set to deliver his first Budget on June 22nd and the CML has called for support for homeowners, despite recognising that the UK's current fiscal position leaves "little room for manoeuvre".

Residential landlords in the UK who offer properties on an all-bills-included basis could be seeing their profits eroded by a postcode lottery on energy prices.

According to a new report by price comparison website uSwitch.com, homeowners could be paying more for their energy because of where their properties are based.

Residential landlords will only be affected by a rise in capital gains tax (CGT) if they decide to sell their properties now, it has been claimed.

However, the National Landlords Association (NLA) has said the majority of landlords are unlikely to be affected as they see their properties as a long-term investment.

Landlords and other mortgage customers at Lloyds TSB and Cheltenham and Gloucester are unlikely to look elsewhere for new deals, it has been claimed.

It comes after the financial establishments announced that their standard variable rates on their mortgage deals increased at the beginning of this month.

Landlords who offer lets on an all-bills-included basis could be among those to be interested in new comments on energy improvements.

Dr Hasim Altan, from the University of Sheffield, has urged homeowners to make energy-saving alterations, such as installing insulation, to their properties during the summer, as they will have more money available while their heating bills are lower.

The removal of home information packs (Hips) will have little effect on the UK's housing market, it has been claimed.

Residential landlords and other property purchasers were cheered by the news that the expensive packs have been suspended with a view to being scrapped last month.

The vast majority of UK residential landlords are opposed to a rise in capital gains tax (CGT), according to a new report.

Figures from a study by LSL Property Services have revealed that 90 per cent of landlords are against plans to increase the CGT rate.

Residential landlords with multiple property portfolios could be among those to benefit from rising house prices in the UK.

Recently-published figures from the Land Registry's House Price Index have revealed that values in the UK have increased by 8.5 per cent in the last year.

Residential landlords who are looking to acquire new properties could be among those affected by a rising number of "time wasters" in the housing market.

David Amstell, founder of property website Briffy.com, said now that home information packs (Hips) have been scrapped, "chancers" can put their properties up for sale just to see what they are worth.