Rich
Rich is the founder and editor of PropertyDispatch. He has been involved in UK property investment since 2018, covering buy-to-let, HMOs, and property finance. He writes from direct experience as a landlord and investor, and every article is sourced from official legislation, government guidance, or verified industry data.
Articles by Rich
Is property still a good investment in 2026?
UK property investment in 2026: the case for, the case against, and the numbers. Yield compression, regulatory burden, tax changes, and...
12 mistakes new property investors make
Common errors that cost new BTL investors money. From overpaying for the first purchase to underestimating running costs, these are the...
Property crowdfunding UK: an honest assessment
Property crowdfunding lets you invest in UK property from £100. Two models: equity and debt. The platforms, the returns, the risks, and...
Property joint ventures: how they work and when they fall apart
Joint ventures in UK property: structures, profit splits, legal agreements, and the common disputes that destroy partnerships. What to...
REITs vs buy to let: which performs better?
REITs offer liquid, diversified property exposure without a mortgage. BTL offers leverage, control, and direct capital growth. A comparison...
Deposit protection schemes: TDS, DPS, and MyDeposits compared
A comparison of the three government-approved tenancy deposit protection schemes in England and Wales. Custodial vs insured, fees, dispute...
HMO licensing: the complete UK guide
Mandatory, additional, and selective HMO licensing in England explained. Thresholds, fees, room sizes, fire safety, fit and proper test,...
How to evict a tenant in England after the Renters' Rights Act
Step-by-step eviction process under the post-RRA regime. Section 8 grounds, notice periods, court procedures, and timelines for landlords...
Landlord insurance: what you need and what you can skip
A breakdown of landlord insurance cover types in the UK: buildings, contents, liability, rent guarantee, legal expenses, and unoccupied...
Section 21 abolished: what landlords must do now
Section 21 no-fault evictions ended on 1 May 2026. This guide covers what replaced it, transitional rules for existing notices, and how...
Selective licensing: is your area affected?
How selective licensing works, which councils operate schemes, what it costs, and what happens if you rent without one. A practical guide...
Change of use: classes, costs, and common pitfalls
Use classes in England, when you need planning permission for a change of use, Class MA prior approval for office-to-residential, and the...
Converting commercial property to residential: a practical guide
Converting offices, retail units, and other commercial buildings to residential use in England. Class MA prior approval, Class Q...
Development finance: rates, criteria, and lenders compared
Development finance funds ground-up builds and major refurbishments. How it works, typical rates, LTV and LTGDV limits, draw-down...
Permitted development rights 2026: full guide
Permitted development rights in England allow certain building works and changes of use without planning permission. Size limits,...
Planning permission: types, process, and how to get approved
Full planning, householder, outline, and prior approval explained. Application fees, timelines, documentation, and what happens if you are...
Below market value property: how to find real deals
BMV deals are properties priced below their open-market value. Where they come from, how to verify them, and why most advertised BMV stock...
Bridging loans explained: rates, risks, and when to use one
Bridging finance for property investors in the UK. How bridging loans work, current rates, LTV limits, exit strategies, and the costs most...
The BRRRR strategy in the UK: how it works in practice
Buy, Refurbish, Rent, Refinance, Repeat. How the BRRRR strategy works in the UK property market, the numbers you need to hit, and where it...
Buying at property auction: a practical guide
How UK property auctions work: traditional auctions, modern method, legal packs, reserve prices, completion deadlines, and finance options....
Assured periodic tenancies explained
From 1 May 2026, every residential tenancy in England is an assured periodic tenancy. No more fixed terms, no more ASTs. This guide...
The Decent Homes Standard in the private rented sector
The Decent Homes Standard will apply to private landlords from 2035. Five criteria covering hazards, repair, facilities, thermal comfort,...
Electrical safety standards for landlords: EICR rules and costs
Landlords in England must have a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report every five years. EICR requirements, costs, what happens...
Rent tribunals: how they work and what landlords can expect
Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, tenants can challenge rent increases at the First-tier Tribunal. How the process works, what evidence...
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm regulations for landlords
Since October 2022, landlords must install smoke alarms on every storey and carbon monoxide alarms in rooms with fixed combustion...
Allowable expenses for landlords: what you can deduct
HMRC allows landlords to deduct certain expenses from rental income before calculating tax. A practical list of allowable costs, how to...
Capital gains tax on property: the 60-day reporting rule
When you sell a residential property in the UK, you must report the gain and pay CGT within 60 days of completion. Rates, calculations,...
Incorporating a property portfolio: when a limited company makes sense
Moving an existing property portfolio into a limited company. The tax advantages, the SDLT cost, incorporation relief, and when it makes...
Making Tax Digital for landlords: software, deadlines, and penalties
HMRC's Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment applies to landlords with rental income above £50,000 from April 2026. Quarterly...
Stamp duty for second homes: surcharges, exemptions, and refunds
The 5% SDLT surcharge on additional residential properties in England. When it applies, the exemptions, and how to claim a refund if you...
Bridging finance vs development finance: which do you need?
Bridging loans and development finance serve different purposes. When to use each, how they compare on rates, terms, and structure, and...
Buy to let affordability: how lenders stress-test your application
How BTL lenders calculate affordability using rental income coverage ratios, stress-test interest rates, and minimum income requirements....
Mortgage interest rates for BTL: fixed vs variable in 2026
Fixed-rate vs variable-rate BTL mortgages. Current rates, when each makes sense, and how the Bank of England base rate affects your monthly...
How to finance your first buy to let
Finance options for first-time BTL investors in the UK. BTL mortgages, deposit requirements, lender criteria, stress testing, and...
Remortgaging a buy to let: when and how
When to remortgage a BTL property, how the process works, early repayment charges, product transfers vs remortgages, and how to release...
Average UK house prices by region: where the numbers stand
Regional house price data from the UK HPI and ONS for 2026. Average prices, annual growth, and where values are rising and falling across...
Best areas for buy to let in 2026: a regional breakdown
Regional yield and growth data for BTL investors in 2026. Where the highest yields are, where capital growth is strongest, and which areas...
Build to rent: how BTR is changing the UK rental market
Build to rent (BTR) is the fastest-growing segment of UK residential. How the sector works, current pipeline data, rental premiums, and...
PBSA and student housing: yield data and market outlook
Purpose-built student accommodation in the UK: market size, yield data, occupancy rates, and the demand drivers. How PBSA compares to...
UK rental market in 2026: supply, demand, and where rents are heading
ONS rental data for 2026, regional rent growth, supply constraints, and the impact of the Renters' Rights Act on the private rented sector....
How much does it actually cost to buy your first buy-to-let?
A realistic breakdown of the total cash needed for a first UK buy-to-let property, including the costs most guides skip over.
Stamp duty rates and rules: 2026 guide
Current SDLT rates for residential property in England and Northern Ireland, including the 5% additional property surcharge. Worked...
Buy-to-let mortgages: rates, rules, and criteria
How buy-to-let mortgages work in the UK, what lenders require, and how rental coverage stress tests affect how much you can borrow.
UK property training courses: what you're paying for and whether it's worth it
An independent look at the UK property training industry — what courses typically cost, what they teach, free alternatives, and how to...
The property training industry has a transparency problem
Editorial: most UK property training courses teach information available free from government sources. The industry resists transparency...
Renters' Rights Act 2025: what changed on 1 May 2026
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished Section 21 evictions and converted all tenancies to rolling periodic contracts from 1 May 2026. This...