Useful Info · 10 guides
Housing & Renting
Renting and tenant rights, buying a home, mortgages, stamp duty, social housing and Council Tax.
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- All the costs of buying a home: solicitor, types of survey, searches, Land Registry fees, insurance and an example budget1 read
- After the Renters' Rights Act, can a landlord ask for 6 months' rent up front? Can someone without a job rent a home?1 read
- Renting in England: has Section 21 ended? How do rent rises, deposits and right to rent checks work?1 read
All guides on this topic (10)
Nine mistakes people often make buying a home in England: how a home in Turkey affects stamp duty, skipping a survey, hidden costs and fraud
Points that cause problems according to official guidance: leaving costs out of the budget, extra property anywhere in the world raising stamp duty (+5%), not counting as a first-time buyer, the non-resident +2%, treating an offer as binding, confusing a valuation with a survey and property fraud.
Can an ILR holder apply for council housing? Waiting list, habitual residence, local connection, rent support and Council Tax discounts
ILR holders can generally apply for council housing (sponsor-undertaking exception); if you moved to the UK in the last 2 years habitual residence is checked and most councils want a local connection. Rent support now mostly comes through UC; Council Tax Reduction varies by council.
The home-buying process in England step by step: offer, conveyancer, searches, exchange and completion, and how long it takes
Buying a home in England takes about 5 months on average, longer in a chain. An offer is not legally binding until contracts are exchanged; after exchange, pulling out means compensation or losing your deposit. The steps are preparing, offering, conveyancing, tax, exchange and completion.
How to get a mortgage in England: Mortgage in Principle, deposit, income multiples, rules by visa type and the approval process
What you can borrow depends on income, outgoings and credit score; lenders stress-test for rate rises and job loss. A Mortgage in Principle is not binding. Nothing bars foreign nationals from buying, but lenders may want a bigger deposit depending on visa status. Fees and approval steps explained.
Stamp Duty (SDLT) 2026: bands, first-time buyer relief, the 5% second-home surcharge and the 2% non-resident surcharge with worked examples
In England SDLT is 0% up to £125,000, then 2%, 5% from £250,000, 10% from £925,000 and 12% above £1.5 million. First-time buyers pay nothing up to £300,000 (no relief if the price exceeds £500,000). Additional homes pay +5%, non-residents +2%. Worked examples included.
Help for first-time buyers: Lifetime ISA, Shared Ownership, First Homes, Stamp Duty relief and the planned First Time Buyer ISA
First-time buyers pay no Stamp Duty up to £300,000. The Lifetime ISA adds a 25% bonus on up to £4,000 a year (for homes up to £450,000); the government plans to replace it with a First Time Buyer ISA. Shared Ownership and First Homes lower the deposit or price.
Leasehold or freehold? Lease length, ground rent, service charge, the 80-year rule and what the 2024 law changed when buying a flat
Leasehold means owning a property for a fixed period; most flats are leasehold. With 80 years or less left, extending costs far more and many lenders hesitate. The 2-year ownership rule went in January 2025; 990-year extensions and the ground rent cap are not yet in force.
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All the costs of buying a home: solicitor, types of survey, searches, Land Registry fees, insurance and an example budget
Besides tax, buying a home brings a solicitor (about £2,000), a survey (from about £250 to £600+), a valuation, Land Registry fees (£20 to £500 by portal), searches, buildings insurance and moving costs. For a £300,000 home allow at least about £7,500 including tax.
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After the Renters' Rights Act, can a landlord ask for 6 months' rent up front? Can someone without a job rent a home?
GOV.UK says that in England from 1 May 2026 at most one month's rent can be asked in advance, and only after the agreement is signed. No rent can be taken before signing. Offers above the advertised rent are banned. The page does not say landlords must accept someone without a job.
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Renting in England: has Section 21 ended? How do rent rises, deposits and right to rent checks work?
As of October 2026, official pages say Section 21 no-fault evictions have ended in England (since 1 May 2026). Rent can rise once a year with at least 2 months' notice. Deposits must be protected within 30 days. Right to rent applies in England only.