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A cautionary tale for Landlords - Our guest blogger, Lettings Barrister Michael Grant, discusses a gap in the Housing Act 1988.

If you are thinking about moving to a new area, near or far away, then we’re the estate agent for you.

With Autumn swiftly approaching, you should make sure your home is ready for the change. We have compiled a list of 9 jobs to help you get prepared.

The Residential Landlords Association has recently confirmed that the proposed changes will be implemented in April 2018.

Cardiff's leading independent estate agent, Moginie James, has announced Ty Hafan as its charity of the year by releasing balloons across the city. The initial launch took place in Roath Park with Moginie James Managing Director and Emma Sankey from the children's charity.

Moginie James is soaring high as it is ranked Wales number 1 estate agent

Latest data from Mortgage Advice Bureau, the UK’s leading mortgage broker, highlights the increasing affordability of mortgages for first time buyers, home movers and those who are remortgaging.

Here at Moginie James we are very pleased to see an article in the news recently that show two Cardiff neighbourhoods have made it into the list of the top 20 hippest areas in the UK!

We're hosting another tax seminar!

The family home is something special and close to many people’s hearts. A place where memories are made and a place you can always come back to, no matter where life takes you. So when relationships break down and households split, it’s no surprise that there’s a main concern for what will happen to the family home.

2016 will certainly be a year to remember. We sadly said goodbye to an astonishing amount of celebrity icons, then there was Brexit, Theresa May, Donald Trump, plastic fivers, and most importantly (in our world, anyway) record low interest rates. But with the Bank of England continuing to freeze the bank rate at 0.25 per cent, it poses the question: what does this mean for the year ahead?

We were delighted to sponsor the Pontcanna Christmas fair yesterday which was held in Plasturton Gardens. The MJ team was on hand to pour the mulled wine (priorities)!

As Cardiff’s leading independent estate agency, we feel we have a duty to look after our city and our neighbours. As well as working with Cardiff’s Civic Society to protect our green space in the capital, all our branches have been busy collecting for the Cardiff Foodbank.

In light of recent tax changes due to take effect in 2017, we thought it might be a good idea to remind all landlords about the changes to the wear and tear allowance that came into operation back in April 2016.

Moginie James want to help all landlords ensure that they are registered and compliant with Rent Smart Wales and the House (Wales) Act 2014 before 23rd November 2016.

Landlords have failed in their attempt to force a judicial review of the Government’s controversial Mortgage Interest Relief plans. PRS landlords Steve Bolton and Chris Cooper were at the High Court on 12 October asking for the review into the changes to MIR proposed under section 24 of the Finance (No.2) Act 2015, which will stop buy-to-let costs being a claimable business expense.

Top tips for moving out of your parents' home.

Our Ted has made his small screen debut!

Roll up, roll up!! Who wants to star in the next Moginie James Rightmove advert?

As a young professional, you may be getting to grips with the business way of life and how to make your mark in the working world. There’ll be many obstacles ahead for you, some even as simple as finding a place to work when on the go - but don’t worry, we’ve got that covered for you.

You may or may not have heard, but we’ve recruited a new member of staff – a black labrador called Ted.

From April 2018, Land Transaction Tax (LTT) will replace UK Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) in Wales. LTT will be payable when you buy or lease a building or land over a certain price. The legislation is intended to be broadly consistent with SDLT in its current form. Decisions on the rate of the new tax will be made closer to April 2018 and will reflect the economic conditions at that time.

Here are seven top tips to help keep your home clean and pristine this season

Unless you’re new to the role of landlord or agent, you’ll have probably heard about the new law introduced in 2014 requiring all landlords and letting agents of private residential property in Wales, to register themselves and their properties with Rent Smart Wales. But what you may not realise is that the deadline to do this 23 November 2016 is fast approaching and, if ignored, could see you facing legal action.

Essential guide for accidental landlords

On 4 August, the Bank of England slashed the Base Rate from 0.5 percent to 0.25 percent – the first decrease since 2009 and lowest in the establishment’s 322-year history.

Not just for first-time buyers...

The Supreme Court this week has overturned a Court of Appeal decision which is very important for the letting market, particularly landlords who own leasehold properties in blocks of flats.

The long awaited HMO Supplementary Planning Guidance has now been released for consultation!

Persimmon Homes new development at St Edeyrn’s Village is launching Friday 1st July 2016!

How to make your garden dog friendly.

Get your free, online instant valuation – at a click of a button

Training for Professionals are an authorised provider of Rent Smart Wales approved courses and we have teamed up them to run Landlord Licencing training courses. The comprehensive landlord module will be held over 5.5hours, and will cover everything you are…

Buying your first home is often seen as the biggest hurdle you will face on the property ladder, and, while there are obstacles facing second steppers who want to move onward and upward, there are some definite advantages to not…

When the Chancellor George Osborne announced that he was curbing tax breaks for landlords in the Summer Budget 2015, there was speculation that it would result in thousands of landlords selling up and getting out of the property business. This…

Moginie James have teamed up with Training for Professionals to provide a Landlord Licensing Training day. The date of the course is Thursday April 21st 2016. Training for Professionals are an authorised provider to run Rent Smart Wales approved courses.…

In many respects, there has never been a better time to become a landlord. The challenging housing market of the last few years has seen the process of getting a mortgage more difficult than ever, and when you couple this…

While we are on the way to economic recovery, household improvement costs can still be tough for many people, and non-essential home improvements can prove an expensive luxury. That said, we all need little luxuries from time-to-time, and the good…

Christmas is a great time for winding down, shifting our attentions from meetings to mince pies and from emails to Edam (because who doesn’t love a cheese platter, right?) And as with everything in life, there are winners, losers and…

With winter officially upon us, it is important to deal with your damp if it is affecting your home. Signs that you might have a problem include wet patches – or even running water – on walls, floors and ceilings,…

In our earlier blog post, we talked about the importance of being properly insured over the Christmas period and remembering that all of those extra gifts will really drive up the contents value of your home. When working out your…

December has finally arrived and over the next few weeks we can expect to see last minute shoppers elbowing their way through Queen Street and St David�s shopping centre as they purchase their last-minute festive gifts. Homes up and down the

A word of advice from Martine Harris, Head of Lettings at Moginie James. This morning i met with a lovely lady who decided to rent out a property in Cathays last year – unfortunately, she decided to instruct an unregulated…

What is Abandonment? Abandonment is when a tenant leaves the property (usually without notifying the landlord or agent) before the tenancy has ended. Very often this occurs when the tenant owes rent and the tenant may or may not leave…

You don’t need to be Swampy* to go green and save money Energy prices always seem to go one way – up. And, as winter approaches, the temptation is to whack on the heating at full blast to keep the…

Winter is rearing its wet and windy head, which means home building projects may need to be put on the back burner until 2015 is out. But fear not! Your time can be used wisely by sitting back, thinking ahead…

Rain. We seem to get our fair share in Wales and, if you believe what they say about the early arrival of the Siberian Swan, then we are due to have our longest winter in 50 years. Just as well we had such a lovely summer then�.oh.Every year,

Rent Smart Wales, the brand name for the new compulsory registration and licencing scheme for agents and landlords in Wales, will be launched on November 23rd, 2015. From this date, we are told that the Rent Smart Wales team will…

It’s term time and if you live in Cardiff, you can’t help but notice the increase in students with top knots and Nikes, mooching about in Roath and Cathays as university life swings into action. As well as wondering why…

Last week, students across Cardiff were looking ahead to the start of a new term and, for most, a completely new way of life. For many, this is the first time that they will have lived away from home, and…

Whatever your involvement in property, you will find everything you need to help you succeed at the landlord and letting show, taking place at Cardiff City Hall on the 7th and 8th of October 2015. Moginie James will be exhibiting…

Renting for the First Time as a Student? Check out our top tips! You’ve packed up your possessions, had that last crazy night out with your school friends and managed to persuade your Mum or Dad to do ‘the big…

The 8th of August will see Moginie James vendor Jayne Powling, 49 from Llanishen, swapping her nightly walks along the Taff trail with her two excitable dogs, to taking on the challenge of climbing 2,430 metres above sea level to…

MJ’s Maintenance Team Manager, Leah, advises us on common home maintenance and what to look out for Keeping on top of repairs around the home can feel like a real chore and it is all too easy to leave them…

Preparing your garden for a sale… The garden is an important feature of any home, and can play a significant part in securing the sale of a property. When viewing a property, people still judge a book by its cover…

Martine Harris, our head of lettings, provides Welsh Landlords with advice about the newly passed (UK) Deregulation Act The newly passed (UK) Deregulation Act 2015 closed a legal loophole that was opened by Superstrike, and also brought about changes to AST’s…

We look at Tuesday’s ONS house price statistics and what it means for the Welsh property market. According to Tuesday’s ONS house price index, annual house price inflation…

Nick James, director of Moginie James, on freshening up your living space There is a no doubt about it but after a few false starts summer has arrived, and the housing market is in full spring as sales pick up…

Leah Edmunds, Maintenance Team Manager at Moginie James, offers tips on fire prevention in the home More than 900 grass fires have been tackled in south Wales between March and April this year. With these recently released figures in…

We look at Tuesday’s ONS house price statistics and what it means for the Welsh property market. According to Tuesday’s ONS house price index, annual house price inflation…

There has been a lot of good news about Wales’ housing market recently, with house sales and house prices both on the up. If you’re thinking of selling, now could be a very good time, so here’s a step-by-step guide…

Professional Lettings Agents unite for SAFEagent Awareness Week 2015 It’s Day 3 of SAFEagent Awareness Week 2015, the annual campaign that sees over 3,000 professional lettings agents unite across the UK for what will be the 4th annual initiative that…

According to today’s Nationwide house price index, nearly four out of 10 homes were sold without the need for a mortgage in the first quarter of 2015. The surge in cash buyers, which now stands at 38% and an increase…

SENT ON BEHALF OF COUNCILLOR BOB DERBYSHIRE The Housing Act 2004 radically overhauled the way local authorities regulate standards in private rented housing. From 30 June 2006 the Act allowed the Council to introduce mandatory licensing for Houses in…

Trying to decide whether to rent or buy? We look at the benefits of each … When deciding whether to rent or to buy, it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons. Owning and renting a property each have…

Trying to get on to the property ladder? We share our top tips for those looking to buy for the first time… Buying your first home is one of the most exciting – and daunting – milestones in our…

Lettings legal update The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 was passed by the National Assembly for Wales in July 2014 and received Royal Assent on 17 September 2014. Part 1 of the Act will introduce a mandatory registration scheme for all…

Boost your home’s selling potential with some simple spring touches… Spring is a popular time for us to embark on some DIY, and if you’re looking to sell soon it’s a great opportunity to spruce up your home from…

We’re hosting an investor and landlord event tomorrow afternoon in our brand new Pontcanna Branch, and you’re invited! If you are purchasing an investment property with a view to letting it, or you are already a landlord, come and meet…

WIN A WEEKEND AT THE OPERA AT ST DAVID’S HALL Fancy winning a pair of tickets to TWO breathtaking operas? Sounds Bellissimo!!! So we’ve teamed up with St David’s Hall to offer one lucky a pair of top-price tickets for both…

If you’re looking to sell or let your home, then you should probably know the reasons why more of the city’s residents trust Moginie James over and above any other estate agent. See our latest advert in the South Wales Echo!…

Welcome to the Moginie James Blog, keep an eye out on all the latest gossips, trends & news from the property world. We shall also be dedicating a section to our charities and the work they do to help so…