The Middle Ages was a quiet time for my Italian ancestors, aside from famine, pestilence and war. The Roman Empire was a distant memory and it would be ages before Hollywood offered us parts as Mafia gangsters. So, Italians turned to creating great art. Here in England our ancestors turned to creating strange laws. Some […]
Read moreNow that it is officially Spring I would love to write a column full of fluffy bunnies and dancing daffodils but sadly, the outlook for the private rental sector currently looks like the bleak mid winter for both landlords and tenants. This is largely the result of well-meaning legislation plotting a torturous and ill advised […]
Read moreSpring is almost upon us and romance is in the air. Or is that pragmatism? Recent research from property portal Zoopla reveals that four out of ten young people believe taking out a joint home loan is a bigger commitment than marriage. Since couples are together on average for three to four years before jumping […]
Read moreFew people shed a tear when bank stress test results are announced. Indeed, one professional colleague recently speculated that the introduction of thumb screws might improve the process. But while bank stress test results hit the headlines, the results from banks own stress tests on private landlords fails to make the news. On a mortgage […]
Read moreBuy-to-let investors are being hit very hard by a series of new rules that will place enormous financial burden on their operations. It’s a real shame because the measures are not going to suddenly resolve the country’s housing shortage. Landlords appear to have become easy targets. Somewhere along the line, successive Governments have perpetuated this […]
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