The Padlord blog
Practical, jargon-free guidance for UK buy-to-let landlords: the tax, the compliance, the tenancy law and the numbers that decide whether a property is worth holding.
51 articles, newest first
Tax
Is my buy-to-let still worth it after Section 24?
5 min read
Tax
Allowable expenses for landlords: the UK-only checklist (and why 'depreciation' is a US trap)
6 min read
Tenancy law
Assured periodic tenancy explained: the tenancy that replaced fixed terms
6 min read
Compliance
Awaab's Law and the Decent Homes Standard for private landlords: the new damp and repair duties
6 min read
Returns & yield
Buy-to-let running costs: the net-yield drag most calculators ignore
6 min read
Tenancy law
Can a landlord still refuse pets under the Renters' Rights Act? The consent rules
6 min read
Tax
Capital gains tax when you sell a buy-to-let: 18% / 24%, private residence relief and the 60-day deadline
5 min read
Returns & yield
Cash-on-cash return for UK landlords: the formula US calculators get wrong
6 min read
Compliance
Deposit protection compared: DPS vs MyDeposits vs TDS, custodial vs insured, and the 30-day deadline
6 min read
Compliance
Do I need a landlord licence? Mandatory HMO, additional and selective licensing in 2026
7 min read
Compliance
EICR codes explained: C1, C2, C3 and FI, and exactly what you must fix
7 min read
Mortgages
First-time landlord mortgage requirements in 2026
6 min read
Compliance
Gas safety certificates (CP12) for landlords: what it is, when it is due, how often
6 min read
Returns & yield
Gross vs net rental yield: the 1.5-3 point gap Section 24 hides
6 min read
Tenancy law
Ground 1A (selling): notice, the 12-month re-let ban, and when you can re-let
6 min read
Tenancy law
Ground 8 rent arrears: how much arrears you need to evict, and when it is tested
6 min read
Returns & yield
HMO yield vs single-let yield: does the room premium survive bills-included?
6 min read
Compliance
How much does an EICR cost in 2026? An estimate by property size and region
6 min read
Returns & yield
How to calculate rental yield in the UK: the 2026 formula and a free calculator
6 min read
Mortgages
Interest coverage ratio (ICR) for buy-to-let: the number lenders actually use
5 min read
Strategy
Is house flipping still worth it in 2026? Modelled with the 5% SDLT surcharge
5 min read
Local market
LHA rates 2026/27 by postcode: what the freeze at 2024 rates means for your rent
6 min read
Mortgages
Limited company (SPV) buy-to-let mortgages: rates, ICR, and the Section 24 case
6 min read
Tax
Limited company vs personal buy-to-let: the 2026/27 break-even, modelled property by property
5 min read
Tax
Making Tax Digital for landlords: are you in, and from when?
6 min read
Mortgages
Remortgaging a buy-to-let in 2026: releasing equity, the stress test, and timing
7 min read
Tenancy law
Rent in advance and rental bidding under the RRA: what is banned from 2026
6 min read
Local market
Rental yield by postcode: how to build it from Land Registry and VOA data
6 min read
Tenancy law
Renters' Rights Act notice periods: the full 2026 table for landlords
6 min read
Tax
SPV corporation tax on buy-to-let: what a property company really pays in 2026/27
6 min read
Tenancy law
Section 13 rent increases under the RRA: once a year, the first-year block, and tribunal limits
5 min read
Tax
Section 24 explained: how the mortgage-interest restriction taxes profit you never keep
6 min read
Tenancy law
Section 8 grounds for possession in 2026: the full list, mandatory vs discretionary
6 min read
Strategy
Serviced accommodation vs buy-to-let: which nets more after costs and tax
6 min read
Strategy
Short-term lets in 2026: the registration scheme and the 90-day rule, explained
6 min read
Compliance
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm rules for landlords: where they go and the day-one test
6 min read
Tax
Taking money out of a property company: dividends vs salary vs retaining, compared
6 min read
Compliance
The 2026 landlord compliance checklist: every duty, with per-property deadlines
6 min read
Tax
The 2027 property-income tax changes: what landlords should plan for (and what is only proposed)
6 min read
Tax
The 5% stamp duty surcharge on buy-to-let: how the extra SDLT works, with a worked example
5 min read
Strategy
The 70% rule for BRRR and flips, adapted for UK SDLT and the 5% surcharge
6 min read
Mortgages
The buy-to-let stress test explained: why deals that passed in 2021 fail today
5 min read
Local market
The cheapest and most expensive council tax areas in 2026/27 (sortable Band D table)
6 min read
Compliance
The private rented sector database: what landlords must register, and the dates to gather now
6 min read
Tax
The true cost of moving a buy-to-let into a limited company: SDLT, CGT and refinance
6 min read
Mortgages
Top slicing explained: using personal income to pass the ICR stress test
7 min read
Returns & yield
What counts as a good rental yield in 2026? Net figures, not headline gross, by region
6 min read
Strategy
What is the BRRR method in the UK? A worked deal, refinance, and money-left-in
6 min read
Compliance
What it costs to get a rental to EPC C, and how the £10,000 cost cap works
6 min read
Tenancy law
What replaced Section 21? How landlord possession works now
6 min read
Returns & yield
Yield vs ROI vs cash-on-cash: which return actually decides a deal
6 min read