Beginning construction in 2009, the Elizabeth Line was due to open at the end of 2018. Last month the government announced a delay of 9 months on the project, meaning the earliest we’ll see the new stations open will be Autumn 2019.
But what does thi...
If you're trying to decide where to buy property in London in an area that offers a good commute distance but reasonable house prices and more of a community atmosphere, look no further. We've scoured Zone 2 to pick out the best spots based on their ...
Thinking of buying a property in London? With 17 offices around the city, we've gone on a hunt for a variety of properties - all under £500,000. There are some fantastic emerging hotspots to check out and plenty of reasonably priced properties so exp...
With Autumn in sight, the house market moves into one of its busiest times once more. Our Yield Map auto updates with the latest property sold prices and is showing some strong trends in places. Offering really strong rental yields, these four areas ...
Choose your next property purchase tactically by buying in locations due for transport developments in the coming years. We’ve done the research for you and pulled out the best areas to invest now. Whether you’re looking to buy property for price gro...
September is here again, and with term time beginning, we’ve been keeping school in mind by looking at which areas are home to the best schools in London. These top 10 areas are home to the most Outstanding schools, as deemed by official body Ofsted....
Now that it’s September, the kids are back at school, everyone is back from their holidays and it’s time to get back into work life before we get to Christmas. This month at Portico we have used our Yield Map to find you some very prominent rental yi...
Airbnb are celebrating 10 years in 2018, so to celebrate how far they've come, we've selected our favourite Airbnbs around London.
Thinking of putting your home on Airbnb? Find out how much you could be taking for your property on Airbnb with a quick...
Over the past few years, Forest Gate has proven it’s a fantastic area to invest in property, with the knowledge that Crossrail is opening here, amenities and eateries appearing at a rapid rate and close proximity to Central London. With all of these ...
Last week the Bank of England changed their base mortgage rate from 0.5% to 0.75%. Having changed at the end of last year, the adjustment comes in the wake of a stronger economic climate in the country and is predicted to not be the last change in co...
As we've moved into the height of summer, the rental yield map has shown some definite hotspots around London if you're looking for the best places to invest in property. We've taken a look at the map and picked out a variety of areas which stand out...
Putting your property on Airbnb is something you might not have considered before, but may be a fantastic option for utilising your empty property and earning you a little extra cash at the same time. Whether you’re a landlord who usually long-term l...
If you’re considering putting your home on Airbnb this summer, find out how Portico Host could help you - and for a limited time only, you could qualify to use our Special Summer Offer, valid until 31st August.
Summ...
Becoming a landlord isn't always planned, but that doesn't mean you can't be prepared! Have a look at our five top tips and some advice from the experts, to make sure you're in the know before you take the plunge to become a landlord.
If you’re looking for a property investment in London, why not explore the most popular commuter spots, as these are areas most often sought out by renters. We’ve searched high and low to bring you the top 10 areas which are under 30 minutes commute ...
There are many reasons your property could be sitting empty – whether you travel for work often, it’s currently for sale while you're living elsewhere or you’re a landlord between long-term tenants - or you could even just be going on holiday.
Short l...
It’s slowly moving towards summer and there’s been a lot of movement on our auto-updating Yield Map, showing us the latest rental yield prices around London based on real-time sold house prices. Read on to explore areas our map has deemed a good area...
HMOs have been a hot topic for a while now, with their rules changing last in April 2017 to bring in tighter legislation in certain boroughs. With the new rules changing in just a matter of weeks, make sure you know all the details and have done the ...
When looking for an area to invest in London, there’s several areas that have been growing and reinventing themselves lately at rapid speeds. One such area is Islington, North London.
Within easy proximity to Central London, Islington is a great pros...
If you’re looking to invest in property this spring, you need to be aware of the latest data. Last month we pulled out Regent’s Park, Mile End, Denmark Hill and West Kensington in our May spotlight blog as areas to invest and this month we’ve saved y...
It seems like forever since the £2.3 billion investment to improve the existing railway through London began but it’s finally almost time to unveil the Crossrail.
The line, which runs over 188km through London, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Essex wil...
If you’re trying to decide which area of London you should buy a property, maybe it’s time to look east. Whether you’re climbing onto the property ladder for the first time, you’re looking to move for those extra couple of bedrooms or you’re looking ...
It’s time to bring you your May yields fix! We’ve studied the data, priced up the options and we bring to you the best investment hotspots this month, on each side of London. Whatever type of property you’re looking to invest in, we have plenty of lo...
Moving can be a crazily busy time. There’s loads of things to remember when you’re moving home to minimise disruption and make sure you’re up and running in your new home as soon as possible. So if you’re moving to or around London, here’s 10 handy t...
It’s time to visit the west side and one up-and-coming area that’s on the tip of everyone’s tongue. Shepherd’s Bush, the original home of the BBC, is a well-known area of West London. After the BBC moved, it was feared the area may become forgotten b...
It’s quickly moved into April so it’s time to consult our Yield Map once again to work out where the best places are around London to purchase a property this month, by expected yield. East London is still the strongest prospect, with both cheaper pr...
There’s been several changes in the Buy-to-Let space in the last year, so it’s time we pulled it all together and brought you up to speed. We’ve done the research and spoken to the experts, so read on to find out everything you need to know about bei...
Looking to buy to let in London? If you're not sure where to look, check out our handy Yield Map by Tube Station. Get the bigger picture by comparing the whole city by yield before you decide which is the best area for you. The top areas you should b...
Walthamstow is fast becoming one of London’s most popular areas to live.
There’s so much going on here right now, with investment due to being 2019’s London Borough of Culture and new businesses moving in to cater for the growth in popularity. Just 20...
Whether you're a landlord in-between tenancies or a homeowner looking to give your property a little facelift before you sell, there's many little things you can do to quickly add value to your home in this period. Use our Instant Valuation tool to s...
Looking to buy property in London in 2018? We've spoken to our local property experts in our offices to find you the up and coming areas of London. Whether you know what side of London you'd like to be on or you're open to persuasion, we've done our ...
This month, once again, we've consulted our Yield Map to share with you the most up-to-date rental yield data in London. Whichever side of London you're looking to invest in properties to rent, make sure you know what return you'll be getting for you...
Right now, east is the place to be. And specifically, Ilford.
The town has it all. Sat in the borough of Redbridge, Ilford is the next town out after Stratford. Following in Stratford's footsteps, Ilford looks to be the next town to get a facelift in ...
Looking for your next investment opportunity? Whether you're looking for the perfect property to short-let, an area of regeneration or a do-er upper, we've got a variety of quirky and wonderful properties on offer.
Explore our 5 top picks or head to ...
In a recent survey we conducted, 90% of landlords said they would use Airbnb to short-let their property. This growing trend has seen landlords increasingly use both Airbnb for short-lets and estate agents for long-term tenants collectively, to avoid...
If you're looking to rent out or if you're already renting out your property in London, it's always good to keep an eye on which areas are offering the best yields. But don't worry about spending hours on the internet to find the latest stats, we hav...
Letting out a property can feel like a daunting task. What rules and regulations apply to you? What duties do you have to tenants? Who can you turn to for information and support? If you haven’t yet bought your buy-to-let (BTL) property, where are th...
Rented accommodation unfit for human habitation is being targeted in a new Bill designed to improve housing standards and boost tenants’ rights.
The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation and Liability for Housing Standards) Bill passed its second readi...
There's been a lot of press recently about the changes to Airbnb short-let rules in London, as the option has become more popular with landlords. With Airbnb short-lets offering a great accompaniment to long-term tenants, landlords can now balance th...
Tax doesn’t have to be taxing, according to HMRC. But for those facing the looming self-assessment deadline on January 31, it may not feel like that.
Tax returns can seem particularly daunting for landlords. Understanding what you are required to pay...
Despite Brexit gloom and doom, multi-billion pound regeneration plans and transport upgrades are creating new property hotspots across the capital.
So if you’re planning on buying or investing in London in 2018, here are the areas to consider:
Theresa May gambled on a ‘snap’ election, Brexit negotiations have remained a top concern, and we saw the first interest rate rise in 10 years – 2017 has certainly been an eventful year for the property market.
But despite economic and political unc...
If managed efficiently and fully occupied, HMO properties can be extremely lucrative investments. But they’re also subject to lots of regulation and changing legislation, and the rules surrounding planning permission can be confusing.
Here, planni...
We recently put on a sell-out investment seminar, where a host of industry experts gathered to share their insight on some hot property topics.
One of the first experts to speak was Carla Sateriale, Senior Policy Advisor for UK Finance. Carla and ...
Mary Monson Solicitors is a firm specialising in conveyancing for investors. They are a family firm that have been around since 1979 and they have an office on Fleet Street serving their London clients.
They’re proud to be rated by the independent...
Phillip Hammond has unveiled the Government’s latest economic plan for our country, in what is being considered a bold pitch to millennials.
From axing stamp duty to council tax premiums and Help to Buy, here are the key points that first-time bu...
Most landlords understand the importance of protecting their rental properties –some may even have considered securing their rental income against potential rent arrears – but do you truly understand the cover you may need? Just Landlords would like ...
For the first time in more than 10 years, the Bank of England has raised interest rates.
What does this mean for buy-to-let? Can landlords mitigate the interest rate hike? Is now the time to remortgage?
We ask finance experts, Capricorn Financi...
There’s no escaping the fact that the private rental sector has suffered some major blows in recent times.
Landlords have been hit with a barrage of tax changes and new legislation, and it’s now more important than ever that landlords know how to ...
Autumn is a time of wonderful interiors – everything suddenly gets more cosy and snug as the colder weather arrives. If you’ve added some autumnal tweaks to your property, there’s a new competition for you…
To celebrate autumn interiors, Landlord ...
New regulations, tax changes and tighter lending rules are changing the buy-to-let market. In these uncertain times, it’s more important than ever that landlords are clued up on their obligations and seriously savvy about minimising overheads.
He...
If you're considering renting out your property, the big question is whether to opt for a let-only or a managed service. Let-only looks like the cheaper option, but is it the smartest move?
What happens if…
Landlords have just over six months to ensure their rental properties meet the new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES).
Here we’ll explain how the new MEES will work in regards to EPC ratings, the impact the rules will have on landlords, an...
A raft of new buy-to-let mortgage rules are coming into effect at the end of September 2017. Here’s everything landlords need to know ahead of the latest buy-to-let crackdown:
What are the new buy-to-let mortgage rules?
The Bank of England, ...
London was recently ranked the second-best city in the world to invest in property, but which areas within the M25 offer the best rental returns?
We've used our Interactive Yield Map to uncover the current top 10 places for buy-to-let, and include...
Converting houses into flats is becoming increasingly popular. There’s a high demand for flats in London, and splitting a property into units can maximise both rental income in the short-term, and profit on sale in the long-term.
But where do you star...
If you want to be a successful landlord, you’ve got to be tax efficient. We ask the experts, including seasoned landlord Richard Blanco, for 10 legitimate ways to reduce your bill.
1. Expense, expense, expense
The first step in making your pr...
New powers for Local Authorities were introduced last week (Thursday 6 April 2017), which allow councils to now issue a fine up to £30,000 for landlords who:
As of today, the 6th April 2017, landlords will no longer be able to deduct all of their finance costs from their property income to arrive at their profits. Instead, they will receive a basic rate reduction from their income tax liability for their ...
If you're tempted by the lucrative business of Airbnb, there are certain things to bear in mind.
Will your property be insured? What rules and regulations must you comply with? Is there a minimum time you can put your property up for rent? How doe...
If you’re planning on investing in London property, it pays to know about upcoming transport plans and improvements. As despite the fact that house price growth in London is likely to slow over the remainder of the year, London locations set to get a...
The Budget has been set and the Chancellor will not be reversing the mortgage interest tax relief changes expected to come into effect next month, with many reacting to this by saying that the heady easy money days of buy-to-let property investment a...
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, has delivered his first and last Spring Budget. Here’s our summary of the key points relevant to the property industry…
I’m a landlord - how am I affected?
Landlords across the country will be...
A large number of landlords will be considering forming a limited company to negate the tax hit coming into effect in April - but is it the best move?
We’ve asked London Accountants, Accounts & Legal, and seasoned landlord, Richard Blanco, for som...
Lenders have slashed mortgages to record lows, making it a great time to grab a deal and get on the housing ladder or invest in buy-to-let.
To help you discover the right deal for you, we’ve asked mortgage experts, Capricorn Financial for their ad...
What will 2017 hold for the London housing market?
We put some key questions to our resident property guru, Mark Lawrinson, plus reveal our key predictions and potential property hotspots that buyers, sellers and investors should be aware of this ...
Most landlords will know about standard buy-to-let mortgages, but you might not be aware of the other types of finance that can help grow or enhance a portfolio.
Karl Griggs, Director of CPC Finance, shares his property finance 101…
Buy-to-let ...
Our latest data shows that sale transaction levels across London have fallen dramatically. Mark Lawrinson discusses what this means for rental yields - plus gives his tips on investing in this market.
The London borough heat map
Let’s begin by ...
Are you up to date with industry regulations and legislations?
Seasoned landlord and NLA representative, Richard Blanco, recently gave a useful regulatory round-up of new legislation, including tax and mortgage changes - here's what we took away f...
What impact has Brexit had on the private rental sector?
Richard Blanco, London Representative for the NLA, recently discussed the panorama landlords and investors are facing now the UK has decided to leave the European Union - here's what we took...
How should landlords and investors reappraise their strategy in the light of Brexit and tax changes?
Richard Bowser, Editor of Property Investor News, Nicole Bremner a Commercial and Residential Developer from East Eight Group, Simon Allen from Se...
Daniel Neves, a.k.a. “The Terminator”, is a vocational biologist and founder of Inoculand Ltd - a London-based pest control company with a dynamic approach to pests. We sat down to chat pests, property and proofing...
So, why did you decide to sta...
Philip Hammond has delivered his first Autumn Statement as Chancellor. From Right to Buy schemes to the banishing of tenant fees, here are the key points relevant to landlords, tenants and the property industry:
Making housing more affordable
I...
Catch up on our latest listings! From sky scraper apartments and mock-Tudor mansions, to cottages with character – properties don't get much better than these!
Give us a call 0207 099 4000 to arrange a viewing, check out all of our properties for...
The EU referendum result has raised a myriad of questions for the private rented sector. What will happen to house prices, how is government policy going to shift and where is the economy heading?
The NLA & Portico Landlord Seminar on the 22nd Nov...
On the 23rd November, Philip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer, will deliver his first Autumn Statement. This year’s Statement is a big deal, as it will reveal the state of the UK economy after the Brexit vote, and the reforms that will help suppo...
In a recent poll by Simply Business, over 70% of buy-to-let investors said rental yield is more important than capital gains when making property purchase decisions.
With that in mind, we decided to use our Interactive Yield Map to find the 10 Lon...
How do you divide the family home during divorce? What costs do you face if you want to give your home or your rental property to your children? How can you reduce the capital gains tax on an inherited house?
We put some key legal property questio...
Changes to stamp duty rules, the shock Brexit vote, and looming tax changes - it’s been a bumpy few months for landlords to say the least.
Doom and gloom or future boom?
But while there’s still a degree of uncertainty in the market as we’re yet...
Richard swapped a career in dancing to become a landlord, after buying his first property in Hackney in 1995. Since then, he has bought 11 more properties and made an extremely successful business from buy-to-let. How does he do it?
Read our inter...
Investing or buying to let has been the easy way to make money for decades.
And despite Brexit uncertainty and recent tax changes, London remains the property investment capital of the world, in terms of both rental yields and capital growth.
B...
London is officially the city that never sleeps, as its celebrated underground network has introduced its first ever Night Tube!
In the capital, people will pay a premium to live near great transport links, and as we’ve seen from Crossrail and Cro...
It will come as good news to landlords that Britain’s decision to leave the EU last month has not rocked the rental market, and rental prices have remained fairly stable from May to July.
Interestingly, prime central London has even been given a B...
LendInvest’s latest Buy-to-Let Index has revealed that you’ll stand to profit most from buy-to-let in London than anywhere else in the UK.
Their data shows that east London offers the highest yielding postcodes in the UK, with 7.4%, closely follow...
More people than ever before are choosing to invest in a buy-to-let property to fund their retirement, or as a form of investment.
If you’re considering buying a property to rent it out, here are our top tips on getting the best return on your inv...
“How should I decorate and furnish my rental property to maximise my return on investment?”
We hear this question time and time again from our landlords, so we thought we’d commission a survey to find out the answer.
As part of this survey, we...
Great news for landlords, not so great news for tenants: rental prices are rising, rapidly.
Our latest Q1 Rental Report shows that the average rental price for a two-bed home in London already stands at a staggering £1,867 per month - but we predi...
We have some good news for landlords!
Our latest rental report has shown that rental prices are rising in most areas in the capital, and we predict that the average rental price for a two-bed home in London will top £2,000 by the late summer.
W...
Yesterday George Osborne presented his “Budget for the next generation” - here’s a summary of how landlords, investors and property owners will be affected.
Stamp Duty
Osborne cracked down on the buy-to-let sector, stating that everyone who in...
Four in 10 landlords are either seriously considering forming a limited company or looking into the option in the coming months, according to latest research from the National Landlords Association (NLA).
This is to avoid the tax hit that will be ...
There’s been much talk of the war against buy-to-let landlords recently.
George Osborne opened the batting in the last Autumn statement by saying, “People buying a home to let should not be squeezing out families who can’t afford to buy a home”. A...
One in four homes in London are now bought to let.
It’s a staggering figure that indicates just how many people will be hit by the proposed second-home tax rules that come into effect in April.
But it's not just the 3% additional stamp duty tax...
Looking for a relatively inexpensive buy-to-let investment? We’ve collated our top investment opportunities that are under £500,000, and worked out the rental yield* to help you choose the best investment.
If you’re interested in any of the proper...
By undercharging your tenants, you’re effectively losing money each month, so here are our top tips to make sure you maximise the return on your rental investment.
Increase rent annually
Last year we saw rents steadily increase, and this year ...
Renting out a property can be a great way to make money - but it can be an expensive business if you get it wrong.
Here are our top 10 money saving tips that will help landlords boost their rental profits.
1. Mortgage upgrade
Mortgage paym...
It’s every landlord’s biggest nightmare: a tenant who can’t, or refuses to pay rent.
We go to great lengths to make sure we only approve the best tenants, but unfortunately sometimes circumstances change and tenants fall into arrears of rent.
T...
We’ve put together a list of top investment opportunities and calculated the rental yield* to help you pick the best investment.
If you're not sure where to invest, try our street level Yield Map which shows you exactly where to find the best yiel...
If you want to be successful as a landlord, knowing where to find the best rental yields is crucial.
We have looked at the history of buy-to-let hotspots over the past few years, the current buy-to-let hotspots in London and an incredible amount o...
All landlords have legal obligations with regards to fire safety. Working out which bits apply to you and which don’t can be confusing, however. So to make sure you don’t end up with a hefty fine or even persecution, we’ve compiled our top fire safet...
Didn’t manage to get a ticket for the much-talked about NLA & Portico Seminar 2015? Don’t fret - we’ve compiled the presentations given by each of the industry experts on the night, to bring you the content you’ve been asking for!
The seminar took...
With bank interest rates stubbornly low, the buy-to-let market is continuining to grow. Rental yields remain robust, rental demand is higher than ever, and there are more record-low mortgages rates available than ever before.
We've compiled a l...
Success in the letting industry hinges largely on the ability to find good tenants. And while it may be obvious what makes a good tenant, most landlords will agree that it’s not as obvious where to find them!
We looked at the profiles of 300 tenan...
Huge numbers of buy-to-let landlords are set to potentially see their profits decrease after George Osborne announced plans to cut mortgage interest tax relief in the summer Budget.
What’s changed?
Under the current rules, landlords are allowed...
Rising rents, cheap mortgage deals, a stable house market and a volatile stock market mean buy-to-let is more attractive than ever – but where should you invest?
Location, location, location
Rental yields are a big deal for landlords. Yields f...
Have you ever wondered why it sometimes takes more viewings than you'd think to let your property? We commissioned some research which identified 5 key deal breakers for tenants - in other words, the top five things that immediately put a tenant off ...
As you may already be aware, you will soon be required by law to install working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in your rental properties.
The new law will take effect from the 1st October 2015, and according to Housing Minister Brandon Lewis it...
The UK's rental market is remarkable for its stability. In a good year, it might go up by 3%, and in a bad year it might be flat.
So whilst rental price growth is modest at an annual level, the same is certainly not true for price movements within...
Whether you’re a first time landlord or adding to your existing portfolio, the chances are you will need a buy to let mortgage. The latest NLA research tells us that 1 in 7 landlords increased their portfolios in the last 3 months with 69% using a b...
Tax on rental income
As Albert Einstein once said, “the hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.” This is especially true for tax on rental income for landlords. In fact, a huge majority of landlords aren’t taking advantage of t...
Over the past few weeks there has been an avalanche of policy announcements from both major political parties hoping to sway voters in the run up to next Thursday’s election.
The Labour Party has been particularly vocal about reform of the Private...
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