How to fix the UK – it’s all about property

Margins and Mortar episode 18 Few issues loom as large over Britain’s economic and social future as housing. It shapes where people live, how they work, and the opportunities available to them. From high house prices to regional inequality, many of the country’s most persistent challenges appear, at least in part, to trace back to […]

How to buy property like an investor

Mortar and Margins episode 16 For most people, buying a home is the biggest financial decision they will ever make. Yet the way many approach it is emotional, reactive and, at times, financially naïve. By contrast, seasoned property investors take a far more structured and strategic approach – one that prioritises long-term value, flexibility and […]

How to avoid a bridging loan to nowhere

Mortar and Margins XV asks how to avoid default interest rates when projects go awry. Property investment often begins with optimism. A derelict auction property appears full of potential, the numbers stack up, and bridging finance unlocks the opportunity. Yet the reality can quickly unravel. Delays to materials, unreliable contractors and stalled permissions can push […]

Are you being played by your tenants?

Mortar and Margins 12 Imagine you are a landlord with a handsome Regency property in Cheltenham. It is a short walk from the centre, all high ceilings and winter draughts. Your tenants are a young couple who have caused no trouble for two years. Then, during Festival week, the boiler fails. You send a trusted […]

Beware the perfect tenant

Mortar and Margins episode 11 explores how to deal with a scam tenant. You find what looks like the ideal tenant for your high-end Manchester property. Professional, high income, spotless references. The keys are handed over and everything seems straightforward. Then, after the first month, the rent stops. Phone numbers are disconnected. Emails bounce back. […]

There’s more to London and homes as pensions

For more than a decade, headlines have periodically announced the death of London. Each time, the claim is framed as a sudden collapse, a dramatic turning point, or proof that the capital’s dominance is finally over. In reality, what is being described today is not a new phenomenon but the long tail of changes that […]

Don’t wait – your mortgage options won’t get much better

The US Federal Reserve recently cut its benchmark interest rate, and the Bank of England is expected to follow suit next week. Property owners and investors are naturally asking what this means for mortgages, borrowing, and their portfolios. A common temptation is to wait for rates to drop before making financial decisions, but this approach […]