Residential Landlords could be among those to benefit from a recent announcement from the Environment Agency (EA).

The organisation has unveiled plans to double the number of businesses and homes that can receive free flood warnings.

According to the agency, the move will see around 500,000 properties at risk of river and sea flooding receive free warnings from the end of this month.

New home registration numbers are at their highest level for more than a year, new figures have revealed.

Latest statistics from the National House-Building Council (NHBC) showed that there were 9,163 registrations in October, the highest number recorded since July 2008.

Landlords who operate properties in areas at risk of flooding could benefit from new protective measures announced by the government yesterday (November 19th).

Communities are set to be "better protected" under the new plans published in the Flood and Water Management Bill by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

A residential landlord in Bradford was fined over £13,000 yesterday (November 9th) following a string of complaints from tenants.

Brahim Taleb was fined £4,850 and ordered to pay costs of £8,477 by Bradford magistrates, after tenants complained of damp problems, damaged fire doors and a lack of central heating and hot water.

Property investors have been advised to carry out key improvements as a matter of priority in order to maximise potential profit.

Taking care of issues such as damp problems and adding central heating will "always pay back more than they cost", according to one expert.

Confidence in the benefits of investing in residential property has remained stable since July, according to new figures released by Reita.

The education and awareness campaign for property investment released its findings yesterday, showing over 40 per cent of independent financial advisers (IFAs) think that returns from real estate investment trusts (REIT) will be better than from direct property over the next 12 months.

Mortgage lending for house purchases continued to grow in September. However, at the same time remortgages continued to plummet, according to British Banking Association (BBA) figures.

Monthly mortgage approvals for house purchases reached over 40,000 in September for the first time in two years, but remortgages continued to fall to around 20,000 after reaching nearly 80,000 in early 2008.

Building applications for new houses are on the rise and have increased by four per cent in the last quarter, according to a new report.

There were over 24,000 applications made in the third quarter of the year, according to figures from the National House-Building Council (NHBC).

Parents are planning to take advantage of lower house prices with 70 per cent believing now is the right time to assist their offspring with property purchases.

Almost a quarter of parents with children over the age of 18 plan to use their savings to help them buy their first home, say Lloyds TSB, who conducted the survey.

The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) has insisted that more needs to be done to aid the recovery of the housing market, despite reports that the mortgage industry is seeing a modest growth.

Following £12.5 billion being made available in September, mortgage lending increased by 18 per cent to an estimated £38.9 billion between the second and third quarters of this year, Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) figures revealed yesterday.

The insurance industry has taken positive steps in improving customer focus but still has more to do, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

Stephen Haddrill, director general of the organisation, told the Insurance Times Forum: "We have come a long way in improving customer outcomes. We have been competitive and innovative to the customers' great advantage. But we have further to go."

A property coalition formed by the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) and the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) has called for stamp duty to be abolished.

Named after the year the tax was extended to property sales in Great Britain, the 1808 coalition slammed the charge as a "relic", saying it no longer reflects the modern UK housing market.

Landlords could be forced to pay tenants' unpaid water bills to the tune of £500 million per year under plans outlined in a new government review.

The Walker Review on Water Charging includes a proposal from water companies asking the government to consider legislation allowing them to pass unpaid bills to landlords.

Property investors are expecting the base rate to be increased over the next year, new research has shown.

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) held the base rate at its current level of 0.5 per cent this month.

A study from Young Group indicated that landlords and other investors are preparing themselves for rises in the next few months though.

There is currently less desire among people in the UK to climb the property ladder than in the past, a housing expert has claimed.

George Clarke believes that the credit crunch is behind this new reluctance to buy new homes as people have less spare money to invest.

New proposals from the European Union could have an impact upon landlords in the buy-to-let sector, property experts have insisted.

The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) has suggested that new legislation from the EU may result in expensive changes having to be made by landlords in the UK.

New life is being breathed into the property market across the country, experts have suggested.

According to iammoving.com, a trend for house price rises in the south and in London will be repeated in other areas of the UK.

The website noted that once property markets in some areas become livelier, this will have a knock-on effect.

A substantial amount of British people do not want to own their own houses, a new study has found.

Research from the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) indicated that more than one in four adults in UK cities has no wish to be a homeowner.

In order to succeed in the buy-to-let sector landlords need to know the market, from issues such as insurance for rented property to new legislation.

That is the opinion of Property Owners Directory, which has urged people to do their research thoroughly before entering the sector.

Landlords and homeowners are appreciating the benefits that ensuring that their properties are well maintained can bring.

That is the view of the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC), which has suggested that keeping homes in good condition can add value.

Homeowners are putting off carrying out vital repair work to their properties for as long as possible in order to save money.

That is the view of Aspect Maintenance, which has suggested that the recession is forcing people to take poorer care of their homes.

Asking prices for homes in the UK have moved into positive annual growth for the first time this year, new research has shown.

The first Findaproperty.com House Prices and Affordability Index has indicated that property prices are currently £512 higher than at this point last year.

Landlords who are looking to sell one or more of their properties have been reminded of the importance of Home Information Packs (Hips).

The documents are required for all houses that are put on the market in England and Wales.

However, the price of Hips can vary widely depending on where they are bought, new research from Which? Money has found.

An event has been organised to provide information and assistance to landlords in Gloucestershire.

The free conference, titled the Gloucestershire Landlord Expo 2009, will be held on September 16th at Gloucester Rugby Club.

There will be a whole host of activities to get involved in and seminars to attend, as well as a wide range of exhibitors.

Loft insulation could represent a good investment opportunity for landlords, experts have indicated.

According to the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC), improving properties without extending them can add value to houses.

This could result in landlords being able to charge higher rent prices to tenants, as the quality of their living circumstances improves.

Landlords need to make sure that they declare any structural changes to their insurers.

The National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) has called for property investors to make alterations to their homes known as these can affect landlord insurance policies.

A new guide has been launched by the Land Registry to provide assistance for landlords and other property owners.

The publication will focus on what to do where deeds lodged for registration need to be altered or corrected.

There is practical advice on the steps that need to be taken to complete this process, which may come up due to a clerical error or a change of plan.

The recession should lead landlords to be more vigilant in keeping up repairs on their housing stock, according to a leading law firm.

Shoosmiths warned that, under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords must ensure that the property is in good condition, including water and gas supply and any structural issues.