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Should holiday-let owners be paying council tax?

Should holiday-let owners be paying council tax?

News

However, Carol Lewis writing for the Sunday Times newspaper thinks that holiday let owners should be paying council tax. Given that levelling up is the government's buzzword du jour, it is time to level the playing field and bring holiday-home owners in line wi

Landlords left struggling to claw back deposits owed after property firm ceases trading

Landlords left struggling to claw back deposits owed after property firm ceases trading

News

Landlords and letting agents hit by the collapse of Ash Residential Property Management Limited (ARPM) have been left struggling to claw back deposits and fees after it ceased trading last month with debts of almost �1.5m. At least 8,000 properties and their landlords are affec

HMRC warns holiday let owners about their tax obligations

HMRC warns holiday let owners about their tax obligations

News

HMRC warns that owners must accurately declare these earnings on their self assessment tax returns or face criminal charges if in default. A boom in bookings The Covid pandemic has stored up excess demand for stay at home Britains under the foreign holiday restrictio

LATEST: Scots landlords face new EPC rules but up to �15,000 to pay for upgrades

LATEST: Scots landlords face new EPC rules but up to �15,000 to pay for upgrades

News

Scottish landlords have until 2028 to meet energy efficiency standards but can access interest-free loans of up to �15,000 to help them spread the cost. The Scottish government has published its Heat In Building Strategy setting out that, by 2030, greenhouse gas emissions from

Sir Philip Green and his wife bought-up high-end London property as their retail empire was collapsing

Sir Philip Green and his wife bought-up high-end London property as their retail empire was collapsing

News

The so called Pandora Papers is a financial services leak of nearly 12 million documents that reveal an international treasure trove of hidden wealth, tax avoidance and money laundering, by some of the world's richest individuals. The secret files were unearthed by a Washington

Nationwide launches platform to help landlords manage their properties and finances

Nationwide launches platform to help landlords manage their properties and finances

News

High Street lender the Nationwide has launched a platform that will be first of its kind created for landlords by a major financial institution. Called The Landlord Works, it has been developed by a team headed up by Paul Wooton (main picture) who, after leaving its mortgage bro

UK's most expensive ever HMO licensing scheme to launch in London

UK's most expensive ever HMO licensing scheme to launch in London

News

Lambeth Council has launched a new additional licensing scheme that will see the boroughs private landlords paying the highest per bedroom HMO fees in the country. Under the current licensing scheme, landlords pay an application fee of �289 per bedroom for a five-year licenc

Test case: Servicing a section 21 notice and prescribed information

Test case: Servicing a section 21 notice and prescribed information

News

The Section 21 possession procedure (currently under threat of being removed) is a no fault eviction process where the landlord can serve notice on a tenant to regain possession once the initial minimum 6 months or contracted fixed term has ended. A section 21 notice is for 2

LATEST: Pet-owning resident in legal clash with freeholder over 'permission'

LATEST: Pet-owning resident in legal clash with freeholder over 'permission'

News

A dog-owning tenant has launched a legal challenge against her freeholder which could result in parting with her pets or the leasehold. The womans partner moved into her property five years ago with three small dogs and admitted this to the freeholder. It then sent her a

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Book Review: Carl Bayley’s book, Shelter your Family from the Taxman: How to Save Inheritance Tax

Book Review: Carl Bayley’s book, Shelter your Family from the Taxman: How to Save Inheritance Tax

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Carl Bayley is the author of more than twenty ‘Plain English’ TaxCafe published tax guides designed for the layperson and the non-specialist

Expert sounds alarm over rent arrears court decision

Expert sounds alarm over rent arrears court decision

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News
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An expert has warned that a court's decision to allow tenants to challenge landlord-requested rental arrears deductions from their UC payments will see more landlords shun tenants in receipt of benefits.

Big East of England town rushes in anti-HMO rules

Big East of England town rushes in anti-HMO rules

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Fenland Council has introduced an immediate Article 4 Direction before its consultation in a bid to clamp down on burgeoning HMOs in Wisbech.

Northern council heralds landlord fines of £1.38 million... so far!

Northern council heralds landlord fines of £1.38 million... so far!

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News
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Landlords in County Durham have had to fork out fines totalling £1.38 million in the three years since selective licensing was introduced.

Dozens of new amendments proposed for Renters' Right Bill

Dozens of new amendments proposed for Renters' Right Bill

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Peers have tabled amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill which, if approved, would shape the legislation into a version of the previous Renters’ Reform Bill.

'Chancellor must boost rental homes supply or risk economy'

'Chancellor must boost rental homes supply or risk economy'

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News
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been warned that unless more rental properties are built her recent promise to ‘attract the best talent to the UK’ and boost economic growth will fall flat.

Build-to-rent giant celebrates as landlords exit student sector

Build-to-rent giant celebrates as landlords exit student sector

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News
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Private HMO landlords leaving the sector have created a shortage of student housing, according to Unite Students, which boasts that it can help fill the gap with purpose-built student accommodation.

Labour rejects new calls for rent controls

Labour rejects new calls for rent controls

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The government has repeated its rejection of “heavy handed” rent controls despite pressure from peers in the House of Lords.

Northern city to clamp down on 'too many' HMOs

Northern city to clamp down on 'too many' HMOs

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News
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Preston Council has proposed new powers to reject HMO applications amid fears that the city is already being over-run by shared homes.

Big council to spend £19m finding benefit tenants private rental homes

Big council to spend £19m finding benefit tenants private rental homes

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News
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Liverpool Council aims to source 400 private sector properties in a bid to house growing numbers of homeless people in the city.

Some renters' terrible behaviour revealed by new tenancy breach research

Some renters' terrible behaviour revealed by new tenancy breach research

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News
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The key tenancy breaches by tenants reported by landlords have been revealed with non-payment of rent, dirty homes and failing to report repairs and maintenance issues as the most common.

Landlord reveals 20-year slog to a £6m rental portfolio

Landlord reveals 20-year slog to a £6m rental portfolio

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News
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An ambitious landlord who bought his first property aged 18 now has an impressive property portfolio worth £6 million 20 years later.

Agents report unusually quiet rental property market

Agents report unusually quiet rental property market

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News
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Fewer would-be tenants registered with letting agents in December, while rental stock levels also dipped during the typically quieter seasonal period.

BBC probes complaint against infamous Scots landlord

BBC probes complaint against infamous Scots landlord

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A tenant has told of how a man – who he believes is landlord and controversial businessman Mark Fortune – threatened him over a rent row.

'Scrap extra Stamp Duty for landlords to solve rental crisis'

'Scrap extra Stamp Duty for landlords to solve rental crisis'

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The Chancellor has been urged to scrap the extra Stamp Duty paid by landlords when buying properties after new research shows the extra activity within the PRS - if it was scrapped - would generate an extra £10 billion in tax revenue for the Government.

Airbnb warns landlords over new HMRC reporting rules

Airbnb warns landlords over new HMRC reporting rules

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News
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The tax net is closing in on property owners who use short-let platforms to earn rental income from their portfolios but not pay tax on it, Airbnb has warned.

Landlords slam Scotland's latest rent controls measures

Landlords slam Scotland's latest rent controls measures

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Scottish landlords say the country’s new 'rent arbitration scheme' which for most people is rent controls by the back door, will only exacerbate existing problems and worsen access to housing.

Landlords: it's time to get 2024 off to a flying start

Landlords: it's time to get 2024 off to a flying start

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You’re a landlord looking to sell, but last year was a challenge. In 2024, it’s time to get your portfolios and properties sold and get you moving on to your next projects.

Home counties borough warns landlords over imminent HMO crackdown

Home counties borough warns landlords over imminent HMO crackdown

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News
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HMO owners in Gravesham are being given a last chance to get their house in order ahead of a crackdown on unlicensed properties.

40% of people worried about paying rent or mortgage

40% of people worried about paying rent or mortgage

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News
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Two in five (40%) of people who pay housing costs in England – equivalent to 12 million adults – are worried their housing pressures will get worse this year.

What's your opinion on being a landlord? Fill in this survey!

What's your opinion on being a landlord? Fill in this survey!

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Landlords are being urged to fill in a survey on the state of the private rented housing market and some of the key topics likely to be affecting them in the coming months.

Martin Lewis urges London tenants to report non-compliant landlords

Martin Lewis urges London tenants to report non-compliant landlords

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News
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Money expert Martin Lewis has advised tenants in London to check if they are in line for a big pay-out when renting unlicensed properties.

Landlords ARE exiting the market and reforms will make it worse, say agents

Landlords ARE exiting the market and reforms will make it worse, say agents

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News
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A survey of the nation’s letting agents has revealed that two thirds of them have seen a significant increase in the number of landlords either exiting the private rented sector (PRS) or reducing the size of their portfolio.

Is commercial property set for a rebound in 2024?

Is commercial property set for a rebound in 2024?

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News
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The commercial property sector has been particularly badly hit with reduced property values and rents, and increased lending costs, but it's not all doom and gloom

Be ready for new safety rules on March 1st, Scots landlords warned

Be ready for new safety rules on March 1st, Scots landlords warned

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News
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Landlords in Scotland will have to meet a raft of measures to keep their properties up to scratch when new rules come in on 1st March.

Minister reveals new green scheme and cash for landlords

Minister reveals new green scheme and cash for landlords

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News
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Landlords will be able to apply for bespoke green loans and cashback rewards to make their properties more energy efficient under a new government-backed scheme.

Looking to reduce your tax bill? Then you're in good 'company'

Looking to reduce your tax bill? Then you're in good 'company'

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News
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Mortgage brokers are bracing themselves for more landlords seeking to borrow via limited companies during 2024, it has been claimed.

Government becomes shareholder in PRS investment platform

Government becomes shareholder in PRS investment platform

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News
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The government has become an investor in PRS financing platform Shojin through the conversion of a pandemic-era loan facilitated by the Future Fund scheme.

Council proposes unusual property licencing REDUCTION!

Council proposes unusual property licencing REDUCTION!

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News
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Landlords are being urged by a London councl to take part in a consultation on plans for a new, slimmed down selective licensing scheme.

Bad plumbing not mould is top concern for private tenants

Bad plumbing not mould is top concern for private tenants

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News
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Two thirds of private renters had an issue with the quality or condition of their home during the past six months, according to new research, with plumbing problems top of the list.

Winchester council latest to become big private landlord

Winchester council latest to become big private landlord

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News
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Winchester City Council has set up its own housing company, Venta Living, one of a growing number of councils going down the private route to help meet the growing demand for rental properties.

Landlord fined £6,500 after member of public reports HMO

Landlord fined £6,500 after member of public reports HMO

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News
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A landlord in Norfolk has been fined £6,500 after a significant investigation by local housing officers.

Mental health – are we doing enough in the HMO sector?

Mental health – are we doing enough in the HMO sector?

Opinion
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One might immediately answer 'no' to this question, but does the HMO property industry possess adequate understanding of this delicate subject to address it effectively?

Lawyer warns landlords NOT to blame tenants for mould

Lawyer warns landlords NOT to blame tenants for mould

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A senior lawyer has told landlords that they cannot blame their tenants if mould appears within privately rented homes.