Akiva worked in the charity sector and property management before joining the legal team at Landlord Action. He has helped countless landlords get back possession of their property from some of the most difficult tenants.”
Alex Nolan, Senior Training Manager at NRLA, provides expert training on HMO management, tenancy processes, and rental sector legislative updates.
Alphaletz is designed to be a simple, cost-effective solution to these problems. Their mission is to free you from the burden of spreadsheets and paperwork, so you can free up time and keep an eye on your profits.
Partner at Xeinadin. Xeinadin is a leading provider of accountancy services and business advice for small and medium-sized enterprises and individuals across the UK and Ireland.
Established in 1860 to care for abandoned animals, Battersea aims to never turn away a dog or cat in need of help. In 2023, we helped 2,529 dogs and 2,450 cats across our three centres. Our work means we see day-to-day the many animal welfare issues facing dogs, cats and the people who care for them.
The number of homes available to rent across England has plunged by at least 15,500 in just three months, new analysis finds.
Property experts have warned that Andy Burnham’s promised crackdown on rogue landlords could damage relationships and lead to good ones selling up.
A property management duo has been hit with a £100,000 fine for renting out a property with a catalogue of serious problems.
Landlords in Scotland have been urged to get to grips with new damp and mould rules as Awaab’s Law comes into force next week.
The government has pledged to introduce an independent regulator for property agents and caps on fees for leaseholders.
A Tory activist says the PRS will shrink if the government presses on with “politically motivated tax raids”.
Wales has cemented its position as the top yielding landlord location in the UK during the third quarter of the year.
Struggling to maintain rental profits? Learn 5 key steps to protect your margins - from setting the right rent to smart insurance and cost reviews.
What are the implications of renting to a 17 year old or someone who is under the age of 18?
Oldham Council plans to introduce a borough-wide Article 4 Direction requiring landlords to get planning permission for HMOs.
Landlords now face an average cost of between £12,708 and £19,223 to evict a tenant and are waiting between six months and 12 months on average to get
A third of all landlords have sold up or actively tried to sell in the last 12 months, according to a shocking new report.
Private tenants in Scotland are struggling to resolve problems with rent increases, housing conditions, eviction and recovering deposits.
The party in England and Wales has revealed its plans to force landlords out of the market via harsh new taxes and regulations.
Older renters are rising fast - up 70% in 10 years. Here's what landlords need to know to stay ahead.
Pet deposits look set to be the key battleground in the Renters’ Rights Bill as peers make another bid to include them.
Solicitors are increasing their spend on advertising to tenants concerned about damp and mould.
Over-enthusiastic scrutiny of Universal Credit claims is putting tenants months into rent arrears and frustrating the landlords trying to help them.
As landlords prepare to face huge changes to the private rental sector, the Government has announced a similar overhaul of the way homes are bought an
This is an inspiring story that tracks a Leeds private investor's journey from city lets to commercial conversions
Southend-on-Sea City Council has fined two property firms a total of £21,000 for operating an unlicensed HMO.
Turn loss-making portfolios into high-profit machines by selling poor performers, releasing equity, and reinvesting for better returns.
Some landlords face devastating issues, returning to find properties trashed, no enforcement, no recourse, and huge emotional cost.
HMO landlords in Peterborough will have to apply for an additional licence once a new scheme launches in January.
The NRLA warns landlords could be forced to sell up without support to meet ambitious energy efficiency targets.
Landlords have claimed that their ‘personal’ touch is more popular among tenants than the service offered by letting agents and corporate ‘build to re
Buy-to-let landlords need clarity on tax in the Autumn Budget instead of confusing policy leaks, says financial expert.
More than two-thirds (68%) of UK landlords have discovered their tenants renting out the property without permission.
A worrying 39% of landlords would rather sell than invest in required EPC upgrades, according to the latest poll.
Section 25 and 26 notices for commercial tenancies under the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 may seem like tedious bureaucracy, but here's why they matter.
Rental yields across England and Wales edged up for the second quarter in a row, driven by sustained tenant demand.
Landlords are being encouraged to consider hosting a billboard as a way of creating a regular income stream.
The Scottish Government has passed the Housing (Scotland) Bill, paving the way for councils to cap rent increases.
Former children’s presenters Dick & Dom have launched a mini-series to coach renters through DIY fixes.
A ‘helpful’ clause around notice periods in the Renters’ Rights Bill could cause landlords confusion.
Landlords have been encouraged to join the Property Alert Service to ensure they don’t fall prey to fraudsters.
Waltham Forest Council failed to properly use its powers to tackle a landlord who punched his tenant.
The 1.5 million new homes target can’t be achieved without BTR playing a key part, says a property expert.
An HMO landlord has failed to quash a £17,000 fine for failing to license and repair his property.
Affordability for some UK tenants is stretched to the limit, but is rent control the answer?
London rents fall as supply rises and demand cools ahead of the Renters’ Rights Bill. Landlords urged to reassess rent strategies and prepare for new
Propertymark has urged the Welsh Government to take urgent action to encourage investment in the PRS.
Scotland’s housing crisis will worsen unless the Government gives private landlords more time to upgrade their properties.
Peterborough is set to introduce an additional licensing scheme despite opposition from landlords.
Older tenants are increasingly choosing alternative deposit products, in line with growth in 55+ households in the PRS.
Voluntary tax disclosures from landlords who have underpaid netted HMRC an extra £107 million last year.
What should landlords and tenants do when mail arrives addressed to previous tenants?
A new poll has revealed a decline in deposit protection compliance and significant inconsistencies in landlord behaviour.
Student housing won’t be covered by rent controls in the Housing (Scotland) Bill after a parliamentary vote.
Private landlords have borrowed millions more to improve their properties this year, according to new data.
Salford has approved a selective licensing scheme for parts of Broughton, Kersal, and Broughton Park.
A growing number of landlords are showing more interest in two-year fixes and tracker options when remortgaging.
A new AI tool combines financial modelling and local market intelligence to give BTL landlords a smarter way to invest.
Broxtowe Council has become the first local authority in England to formally serve a High Street Rental Auction notice.
Landlords in Croydon have been encouraged to use an early-intervention service before asking tenants to move out.
Thurrock landlords have failed to persuade the council that a scheme is unnecessary and too expensive.
Falling house prices, slower rent growth, and rising costs are driving landlords to sell. Now could be the best time to exit before the market weakens
Awaab’s law is coming - the full force of the law regarding condensation and mould will affect private landlords
A benefits expert has urged landlords not to succumb to tenants’ demands to pay them off after building up rent arrears.
Holiday-let landlords will have to register their properties and collect a £1.30 per-person, per-night fee from guests.
mydeposits and Fiixit have teamed up to help landlords streamline property repairs and build better relationships with tenants.
The Bank of England has voted to hold the base rate at 4% as inflationary pressures persist.
The Scottish Greens have called on the country's government to match protections coming into place in England.
House share availability has dropped by almost -60% in some parts of England, sparking fears of an HMO landlord exodus.
The Renters’ Rights Bill will be back in the House of Lords on 14th October for its final stages before becoming law.
Landlord Janice Pope was ordered to pay nearly £3,500 after ignoring the threat of legal action.
Two letting agents have been expelled from The Property Ombudsman after failing to transfer rental payments received from tenants.
Polystyrene Ceiling Tiles - is it legal to have these tiles in the kitchen of a rental property?
Scores of private landlords in Basildon could have to pay a licence fee if the council goes ahead with a selective licensing scheme.
Nearly 60% of BTL landlords have no intention of selling any properties in the next 12 months.
The Renters’ Rights Bill isn’t likely to return to Parliament until after the party conferences in mid-October.
A man who took revenge on his former landlord by setting fire to his garage has been handed a five-year sentence.
Newly agreed rents in Great Britain fell -0.4% to £1,387 per month in the year to August.
Landlords face fresh 8% blow as property selling rates rise ahead of the Autumn Budget
Tenants have been ejected from Lord Alli's house - which was then re-let at a higher rent.
The long-standing argument that buy-to-let landlords steal homes from first-time buyers runs on
Rental reforms are fuelling relocation-style, short-term renting, causing landlords sudden void periods and unexpected costs.
Property Redress is proud to sponsor Rumble with the Agents in Newcastle – a thrilling charity boxing night for the property industry!
Mick Roberts has accused Nottingham Council of double standards after it dropped a licensing condition.
A landlord continued to rent out her unlicensed and unsafe HMO where one tenant was electrocuted, a tribunal has heard.
The vast majority of property investors now buy properties at digital auctions not in-room events.
Sefton Council is on a mission to make it more difficult for landlords to convert houses into HMOs across the borough.
Rebel Labour MP Zarah Sultana has called for fellow parliamentarians to be banned from being landlords.
Landlord instructions saw the steepest fall since April 2020 last month, forcing tenants to chase fewer rentals with rising rents.
Recent tax hikes on landlords have been good for the housing market by persuading more BTL investors to sell up.
Grainger PLC is the UK’s biggest listed residential landlord - it has just converted into a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)
Landlords have been urged not to fall foul of looming rent rise legislation by updating their records and processes.
Scots Conservative Thomas Heald bangs the drum for the private rented sector and rejects rent controls as solution to high rents.
Landlords face rising taxes, regulations, and costs - prompting many to sell up. Is government policy pushing small landlords out of the
We explore what happens next to the Renters’ Rights’ Bill following Monday's debate in parliament.
A heavily contested selective licensing scheme is to go ahead in Scunthorpe after landlords lost their High Court battle to stop it.
Tariq Mahmood Khan faces the ultimate sanction after being convicted for failing to comply with a prohibition order - again.
More than one million extra renters might get a pet when the Renters’ Rights Bill takes effect, according to new research.
PRS REIT enters £631.6M sale, highlighting growing institutional interest and potential shifts in the UK rental market.
Renters' Rights Bill is to get Royal Assent very soon unmolested by any major amendments, last night's Parliamenatry debate revealed.
Thurrock landlords will be hit by a pricey new HMO licensing scheme as number of new schemes this year hits record
New housing secretary's critical views of landlords revealed by previous speeches and voting record in parliament.
Southampton's former Lord Mayor has made controversial comments about some of city's landlords.
With the impending implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act, Section 21 evictions are now on borrowed time
Landlords have a new housing secretary after Steve Reed was confirmed in the role following the resignation of Angela Rayner.
Sticky back plastic tiles have been singled out as the biggest scourge faced by landlords at the end of a tenancy.
Three quarter of property investors have not welcomed the Government's planning reforms, saying they won't get Britain building.
Landlords in Scotland are encouraged by the new Housing Secretary’s willingness to collaborate but remain concerned abou rent controls.
Housing secretary has resigned from her three roles, admitting her actions didn't meet the highest standards given her senior position in Government.
Seven in ten landlords are now open to tenants personalising their homes, while a third of tenants get involved in decoration plans.
As energy bills rise, landlords and homeowners can save £175 yearly with simple heating checks and minor adjustments before winter.
Councils are to get new powers to take over empty and derelict homes in a bid to tackle the housing crisis.
Landlords need more certainty around paying for improvements to meet planned new energy efficiency standards, the NRLA warns.
Medway Council has given the go-ahead to new selective and additional licensing schemes which go live next January.
UK surveying faces a demographic crisis as 46% plan to exit in a decade, prompting firms to recruit and train new talent pools.
After 5 months it’s neither an exodus nor business as usual for buy-to-let landlords. We’ve had the proponents and the detractors. Who’s right so far?
Great Yarmouth Council has radically altered its selective licensing scheme conditions after a challenge by landlords.
The Welsh government has been urged to consider phasing out Land Transaction Tax (LTT) and offer landlords low-interest loans for retrofit.
Landlords are being advised to strengthen checks after reports that rental properties are being used as short-term brothels.
Four months in, the Renters’ Rights Act has brought fewer market shocks than expected: rents are steady, investment continues, and issues are minor.
Bradford and Breckland councils are the latest authorities to voice concerns over HMO spread.
Landlords have largely complied with EPC rules, but many appear to have done only enough work to bring properties up to the legal threshold.
Wallasey and Birkenhead in Merseyside were the most competitive rental markets during July and August, reports Rightmove.
Lib Dems propose 150k annual social homes, rent-to-equity schemes, and urgent safety reforms to fix unregulated temporary housing.
What do you need to know about the latest version of the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System?
More than three-quarters of self-managing portfolio landlords regularly delay non-urgent maintenance work, a new survey finds.
Landlords in Orkney have been offered loans of up to £25,000 to renovate their empty properties to help the housing shortage.
Agents group believes the government should step in when councils fail to meet a minimum number of proactive inspections and enforcement actions.
A landlord has lost an appeal against a decision refusing to evict a tenant who owed £8,554 in rent arrears.
Older renters are more stretched than younger renters, with the over-70s spending 46% of their income on rent, according to new data.
A Bristol landlord has been ordered to pay a total of £58,271 after he failed to carry out improvements to his unlicensed HMO.
About 562 properties are being lost from the market every day in the third quarter of 2026, the highest rate since 2016.
Landlords have earned £22 for every £1 invested in the 30 years since the UK’s first buy-to-let mortgage launched.
Only about 10p of every £1 increase in Local Housing Allowance appears to have fed through into higher rents, according to a think-tank.
Do landlords have the whole story when they discuss the merits of their letting agents?
A landlord has been told to pay tenants more than £28,000 after he tried to prevent them providing information about his unlicensed HMO.
A potential tax on holiday lets could cost landlords an average of £5,000, wiping out annual profits, says a lettings firm boss.
Industry leaders have renewed calls for more effective regulation of the UK lettings market.
Claims that landlords are fleeing England’s PRS aren’t supported by the latest evidence, according to new analysis.
The Bank of England has left interest rates unchanged for the sixth consecutive time despite price rises accelerating.
Landlords must brace for the December rollout of mandatory state registration, reshaping the compliance landscape under sweeping Renters' Rights refor
Landlords have been given a new checklist of housing standards to help them identify defects that could lead to fines.
Some tenants are delaying their first month’s rent payment until weeks after they have moved in, warns a letting agent.
Landlords who own some of the most expensive rental properties could be exempt from signing up to the new national PRS database.
Telford and Wrekin Council has put its planned additional licensing scheme on hold after landlords launched a legal challenge.
New data reveals half of tenant maintenance reports arrive out of hours, with essential services seeing heavy spikes.
Some commentators have argued that the takeover of OpenRent by private equity group CVC reflects a step change in the landscape for letting agents in
Landlords wanting to convert homes into small HMOs in North Tyneside could soon need to apply for planning permission.
Durden & Hunt expands its South Essex footprint with the acquisition of established local agency Diggins & Co.
Tribunals are generally giving landlords most of what they asked for in rent increase cases since the Renters’ Rights Act.
Houses are dominating rental demand across England, accounting for almost two-thirds of properties attracting high levels of tenant interest.
UK house prices fell 0.4% annually to £298,468, driven by a standoff between stubborn sellers and cautious buyers.
Higher mortgage rates locking renters in for longer and continued low investment by landlords is set to drive rents up 4-5% by the end of the year.
The director of a letting agency who used his business to run 19 cannabis factories has been jailed for more than eight years.
The government should tread carefully when deciding what data can be shared from the new PRS Landlord Ombudsman, a property expert has warned.
Rising swap rates are driving up buy-to-let mortgage rates by 25-40 bps, leaving thousands of landlords facing major refinancing hurdles.
Repairing with occupied tenants is a nightmare for landlords and tenants; can landlords demand that tenants leave for the duration of repair work?
A landlord has challenged Thurrock Council over selective licensing rules which he says could
Complex and outdated: as fiscal pressures mount, is the UK private rented sector heading for major property tax reform?
Over 1 in 3 pensioner households could be renting by 2044, creating a major demographic shift for landlords and the PRS.
In the Renters’ Rights Act era, live-in landlords must avoid ambiguous DIY contracts to prevent lodger disputes in court.
The Renters’ Rights Act means landlords operating as a company face different rules than landlord owners
Nottingham landlord Mick Roberts has hit out at the “stone age” court system after a possession order blunder.
Tenants’ groups, MPs, and housing activists held a demonstration in Parliament Square calling for rent controls and new council houses.
HMRC’s Valuation Office is to take responsibility for determining challenges to rent increases in England to help free up tribunals.
Landlords in the West Midlands will need to start registering themselves and their properties on the new PRS database from 15 December.
Direct payments should be triggered by life events rather than arrears to prevent unnecessary evictions, suggests a leading landlord.
This year is on course to become the biggest on record for new additional and selective licensing scheme launches.
Millennials and Gen Z will represent 62% of landlords within a decade, according to new research.
What surprises will the budget deliver for landlords, especially for those who are retirees?
Landlord Action founder Paul Shamplina will share practical advice on being a professional landlord at a free event later this month.
Landlords will have to sign up to a mandatory short-lets registration scheme in England from next March.
Green Party deputy leader Mothin Ali has been revealed as a landlord – despite his party voting to abolish private landlords last year.
The Renters' Rights Act turns letting into an evidence game: strict proof, £40k fines, and tight rules favour pros over amateur landlords.
Rising costs and the Renters' Rights Act drive a massive landlord exit, slashing rental supply and leaving tenants to pay the price.
Landlords dodge bidding bans by inflating asking rents to force downward bidding wars - a tactic risking £40k fines if caught.
Comprehensive Documentary information is vital if your £10,000 cap claim is to be successful
The PRS isn’t equipped to be the primary safety net for the most vulnerable, says Portsmouth landlord leader Martin Silman.
With new valuation rates still undecided, leaseholders need to weigh potential future savings against today’s certainty, says Vanessa Griffiths.
Reform UK has promised to look into making homes built on brownfield sites free of stamp duty, CGT and tax on rental income for 10 years.
Surprising new figures show that about £750 million could be sitting in the tenancy deposit system as dormant or otherwise unclaimed.
A new report from Paragon Bank reveals that experienced HMO landlords are continuing to invest in these types of rentals
Shadow Housing Secretary Katie Lam has laid into MHCLG for making life harder for landlords.
A landlord has been told to repay £17,244 after a metal staircase collapsed beneath one tenant in her unlicensed flat.
HMO expert Vann Vogstad says landlords need effective tools to police behaviour in order to raise standards in the HMO sector.
Croydon Council has postponed its additional and selective landlord licensing schemes just before they were due to launch.
Political control does not neatly predict whether a council has an Article 4 Direction or refuses more HMO applications, according to research.
Rising Conservative star Katie Lam has been appointed as the party’s new Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary.
Landlords’ expenses have risen by more than twice as much as their rental income during the past five years, according to HMRC figures.
Leasing Scheme Wales, which allows landlords to rent out properties via their local authority, is to shut down in March.
Private bailiffs in England and Wales will need to be accredited under new laws announced by the government.
The Renters' Rights Act means extra load on an already creaking service. Will the planned changes alleviate the problems landlords are facing?
The NRLA has called for a deferred annual investment allowance that would encourage landlords to provide long-term stable housing.
Section 21 ends: Paul Shamplina and Paul Sowerbutts reveal the rush, mistakes and challenges landlords now face under the new regime.
Build-to-rent landlord Legal & General could face a whopping multi-million-pound rent repayment order.
HMRC will start signing up landlords who it believes should already be using Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax from next week.
Renters in the capital have reported that some landlords are encouraging ‘inverse bidding wars’ to get round new rental rules.
Landlord and property developer Rob Stewart is on a mission to prompt a rethink of how to solve the housing crisis.
Landlords blame tax – not regulations - as the biggest barrier to investment, according to the latest poll.
A letting agent has been accused of failing to return the deposits of more than 100 tenants, according to a BBC investigation.
Future-proof your rental with energy upgrades, flexible spaces, parking, outdoor areas and HMO potential to attract tenants.
Rent caps can reduce rental supply, discourage maintenance and leave some families in homes that don’t meet their needs, finds new research.
Landlords and agents are still getting new pet rules wrong, with campaigners warning of unlawful tenancy clauses and costly mistakes.
Tenants’ groups have called on the government to include rent data and details about evictions in the new PRS Database.
A landlord firm that let a historic building fall into disrepair has been told to pay more than £8,000.
Explore Asia’s prime property hotspots—from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo—for strategic, international investment opportunities.
BTL mortgage options broaden as lender confidence returns—more competitive deals appearing for landlords.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the case of a landlord who tried to evict a tenant in arrears after getting the date wrong on a Section 13 notice. Tenant Victoria Whiteland had lived in her cottage in Llanbydder, Carmarthenshire, since May 1991 but although the rent was due ev
Estate agents have told politicians that Government-backed interest-free loans or grants to cover the cost of looming EPC upgrades are the only way many landlords will be able to fund the work. The comments have been made by industry association Propertymark
Haringey Council has been hauled up for not completing fire and electrical checks at thousands of its properties, despite handing a private landlord �2,500 for the same failing. The https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/london-borough-of-haringey/regulatory-notice
The government should restore tax relief for mortgage interest and extend the deadline for proposed EPC energy improvements if it is to avert a looming rental property crisis. Buy-to-let sales platform Vesta Property has already seen a surge in properties for sale as many privat
Property and construction industry software and data company Zutec aims to improve the quality of buildings data so that people can make better decisions and work more productively. The company provides a full suite of digital solutions, including construction management software for archit
A Luton landlord has been fined for the unusual offence of failing to provide documents relating to safety issues at his property. Sarfraz Yousaf , of New Bedford Road, the director of Poplar Homes Ltd (pictured), was prosecuted by Luton Council after it re
An experienced landlord who left a family with a baby without water or adequate heating in their rented property over Christmas and New Year has been fined. Anthony Wardrop , 79, of The Parade, Hartlepool, had denied a charge of failing to comply with an Im
Nottingham has revealed it will charge non-accredited, less compliant HMO landlords an eye-watering £1,993 fee to join its proposed additional licensing scheme a £273 increase on the current schemes fee. Accredited landlords will pay �1,118 - up from �990 - in a city
A landlord in London has learned the hard way not to complain about bad tenants on social media after one of her TikTok videos went viral and was featured within The Sun's website. The woman, who doesnt give her name on the social media site but uses the handle https
One in three landlords could be forced to sell up after failing their lenders affordability test to re-mortgage, it has been claimed. The stark warning comes from buy-to-let specialist https://www.mortgagesforbusiness.co.uk/" Mortgages for Busines
Landlords in Northern Ireland fear new legislation to give private renters greater protection could herald further sweeping changes that force more to quit the sector. Sections 1-6 of the Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 take effect on <strong
A canny landlord who stood up to council inspectors has successfully challenged a licence condition to install a new fire door at his student HMO. Roger Braithwaite, a career and expert environmental health officer, was told by Coventry Council that he could only have a licence
Readers concerned by the looming Renters Reform Bill should make their way to the National Landlord Investment Show on 14th March were Paul Shamplina will be leading a debate on its radical measures. Panellists on the stage with him will i
Landlords should consider charging tenants with pets more rent to cover possible extra costs as well as conducting more frequent routine property visits, according to leading letting agency Johns & Co. The London firm advises that potential expenses could include an addition
The Government puts its faith in EPC ratings to measure property energy usage in order to drive up energy efficiency in properties towards its energy targets, but can owners have the same faith? Are EPCs as they stand robust enough? Do they give valid and reliable ratings when t
Mortgage prisoners - many of them landlords - should be offered free financial advice and interest-free equity loans from the government to prevent them from losing their properties, a new study suggests. About 195,000 households are still trapped in expensive variable-rate mort
Superior landlords could find themselves hit by Rent Repayment Orders if the government decides to amend the upcoming Renters Reform Bill. Property lawyer at https://www.jmw.co.uk/" JMW , David Smith (main picture), says that despite the
We've all seen the news, with changes in regulations and tax and interest rate rises, landlords have been flocking to sell their property portfolios. But with so many properties, all full with tenants, some of them with problems, low rents or even rent skipping, how can you get out fast?
40 HMO operators convene at COHO's ManorMinds to discuss rising energy costs, exploring tech solutions and tenant education to manage bills.
Landlords financial contribution to upgrading properties in Wales should be linked to average market rents in any given area, suggests the NRLA . Under its proposals, landlords would need to contribute a minimum of �5,000, while those renting properties
Expert tips from landlord Richard Jackson on how to spot problematic tenants before signing, helping landlords avoid future rental issues.
The Supreme Court has ruled that Rent Repayment Orders cannot be made against a superior landlord. The landmark ruling has implications for rent-to-rent arrangements and means tenants cannot go after superior landlords property owners or leaseholders - when seeking redress.
A landlord will need to carry out repair or maintenance work on a buy-to-let property 72 times during their ownership, costing them more than £34,000, it has been revealed. Research by lettings and estate agent Benham and Reeves found that while pests are