Lettings

For first-time landlords, deciding whether to buy a property through a limited company is a key strategic choice. While the potential tax advantages can be significant, they come with added costs, admin, and legal considerations. This guide explains the pros, cons, and practical factors to help you decide if a limited company structure is right for your first buy-to-let investment.

A proposed amendment to the Renters’ Rights Bill would ban landlords from accepting more than one month’s rent in advance — but this well-meaning change could backfire. While designed to ease financial pressures, it risks excluding international students, self-employed renters, and those with limited credit history who rely on upfront payments to secure housing. Here’s why the rule may hurt the very tenants it aims to protect.

Manchester’s student housing market is being reshaped by the rapid rise of Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA). With modern amenities, all-inclusive rents, and a focus on student well-being, PBSA is redefining expectations and drawing students away from traditional private rentals. For landlords, this shift presents both challenges and new opportunities — from modernising properties to offering flexible, all-inclusive packages that keep them competitive in an evolving market.

By 2030, all UK rental properties must meet a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of Band C — a major shift toward greener, more efficient homes. While many landlords are worried about upgrade costs, there are smart, affordable ways to meet the standard. From low-cost improvements to government grants and phased upgrades, landlords can boost energy efficiency, protect their investments, and stay compliant without breaking the bank.

Labour’s proposed Renters’ Rights Bill is set to reshape the student rental market, particularly in cities like Manchester. With the abolition of fixed-term tenancies, stricter eviction rules, and new limits on rent increases, student landlords face major changes to how they manage their properties. While these reforms aim to strengthen tenant rights, they also bring new challenges around turnover, compliance, and profitability. Here’s what landlords need to know, and how to adapt in the evolving student housing landscape.

As rental regulations grow increasingly complex, more landlords are choosing to hand over portfolio management to professional agencies. Many older tenancy agreements, created in the 1990s and early 2000s, no longer meet today’s strict compliance standards. From gas and electrical safety checks to deposit protection and EPC requirements, ensuring every document is up to date is essential. Here’s how updating legacy portfolios safeguards landlords, protects tenants, and keeps property investments legally compliant in a changing rental landscape.

Tenant demand in the North West has reached record highs, while the supply of rental homes continues to shrink, creating a competitive but complex market for landlords. In Manchester, growing population pressures, new regulations, and rising costs are reshaping the rental landscape. For landlords, success now depends on staying informed, maintaining quality properties, and adapting strategies to meet soaring demand while managing risk.