Landlords sometimes face a dilemma when they want to sell a rental property, or even a portfolio of their rental properties. Sometimes landlords have no choice but to sell as they are being forced to sell for financial reasons.Residential properties, unlike their commercial counterparts, always s
Assignment is when an existing and ongoing tenancy is transferred from one tenant to another. The person who transfers the tenancy is the assignor� and the person who the tenancy is transferred to is the assignee�.The outgoing tenant transfers his rights and obligations under the tenanc
Latest Research Suggests Basement Flats Are Safe As HousesBasement flats in West London have been found to be as secure from intruders as other types of apartments, according to research carried by Basement Flats, a newly-launched London publication.The magazine, which features news and informati
Section 26 Notice - My Commercial (Business Tenancy) Lease Agreement is coming to an end soon and my tenant has served on me a Section 26 Notice. What is this and what should I do?Commercial (Business) Tenancies in England & Wales are regulated by the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 (Part 2).T
Uninhabitable Premises. My tenanted property is flooded. What are my legal obligations in this situation? Am I obliged to re-house my tenant? Must my tenant continue to pay rent?Landlords are under a general obligation to supply property in tenant able condition for the tenant to i
Question: Tenant Blacklists. I've had a very bad experience with a tenant and would like to put him on a black list so that other landlords don't have the same experience that I've had. How do I go about this?Answer: We often get asked this question.Although there have been several attempts by di
Sub-letting leasehold - I want to rent out my leasehold flat but the managing agent says the freeholder wont allow it. I know that other flats in the block are rented out, so what can I do? Landlords usually prohibit sub-letting to safeguard the interest.Landlords usually prohibit sub-letting
What are the implications of renting to a 17 year old or someone who is under the age of 18? We have an application from a 17-year old that is keen to rent but Im not sure this would be legal?</h2> Many landlords and housing providers would be concerned and therefore refuse to let to
Question - Rent Review - my landlord is asking for far more rent than I expected on review. Am I obliged to pay this?Answer - Commercial leases are contractual - the parties agree to and are bound by its clauses and that includes rent review provisions.The rent review process is a way of periodic
Re-selling Energy - As a landlord am I able to make a profit by re-selling electricity or gas?</h2>Resale of Gas and ElectricityThe maximum amount that Residential Landlords or resellers� are permitted to charge for gas or electricity is the amount they
Providing a Reference - I have been asked to provide a reference for one of my tenants who is moving on. What is my legal position in this and am I putting myself at risk if I say he was a bad tenant?</h2> Referencing (seeking verification of a tenants past performance) is an increasi
Polystyrene Ceiling Tiles - is it legal to have these tiles in the kitchen of a rental property?</h2> There are currently no regulations specifically banning the use of polystyrene ceiling tiles in existing rented property.However, it is unlikely that local authority fire officers and en
Misrepresentation - We recently rented out our rural cottage to a couple. As they wanted to use their computers I said it was possible to get high-speed broad-band. I thought this would be possible but it seems it is not at this time. The couple are now claiming that I misled them and that
I'm receiving mail for previous tenants and some of them are from debt collectors. Will this get my property black listed and cause problems for my current tenants and myself in the future?</h2> It's fairly common to have mail arriving for months and even years after residents have left,
Long Term AST - My prospective tenant has asked for a tenancy term of 6 years. Can I use the usual Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement for this?</h2> The Assured Shorthold Tenancy is the default tenancy for residential lettings and since October 2010 this applies to rents up to �100,000
Question: How long should accounts be kept to satisfy the authorities, things like accounting files, invoices and tax records, as a property landlord?Answer: You must keep your records for 6 years after the tax year to which they apply, whether or not you complete a tax return.It's a good idea, a
Expiry of Section 21 Notice - I have served a Section 21 (s21) Notice on my tenant but don't wish to start proceedings immediately. Can I wait without the notice expiring?Once a Section 21 notice has been served correctly it continues indefinitely, until such time as the tenancy is ended, either
Covenant and Covenant Strength - What is a legal covenant and what is the significance of the terms in relation to rental property and lettings ?</h2>The term covenant can have several meanings and has biblical origins but it is of particulalry significance
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced that the government will reverse almost all the tax measures announced in its recent growth plan. While it will still go ahead with cutting stamp duty, a planned 1p cut to the basic rate of income tax will now be shelved indefinitely� wh
The Renters Reform Bill will be introduced during the current parliamentary session, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has told MPs. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type- " data-rt-type="" data-rt-align=""><div><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.c
This case highlights the dangers of responding to emails (phishing schemes) and social media appeals promising tax rebates and otherwise ways of receiving large pay outs in return for information. Four men were arrested in a coordinated operation across England by over 50 office
The new Chancellor and former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has been tasked with sorting out the Kwamiikaze mini budget introduced by his predecessor, who holds the dubious gong of having the 2nd shortest tenure in the job ever. Hunt, who has made two weak
Demand for shared rooms is at an all-time high, while supply has hit a nine-year low, according to flat share site SpareRoom. The shocking figures have also led to average monthly room rents reaching record highs and increasing across every UK region in Q3 2022; Scotland is up 2
AirBnb owners are switching to long term lettings following changes to Scotlands short-term lets laws, according to a leading property firm. In a reverse of the recent trend thats seen scores of landlords ditch tenancies for holiday lets, DJ Alexander says it has been appr
Council tax re‑banding HMOs sparks fury—MP warns Truss-era reclassification in 50+ towns deals tenants a blow.
The Prime Minister has scotched rumours yesterday that she intends to U-turn on the previous Conservative governments commitment to get rid of Section 21 no-fault evictions. During a packed Prime Ministers Questions in the Commons this morning, she confirmed in a ter
Lloyds bank has entered into a �180million financial partnership with specialist buy-to-let lender, LendInvest PLC. The lenders partnership with the leading high street retail bank will be a boost to the innovative lenders business, helping the AIM listed company grow its buy-to-let
Fergus and Judith Wilson say their reputation isn't justified, and argue that they are good landlords.
Private tenants already been warned that rents will rise by £15 a month to pay for new scheme.
Pet campaigners have written to Angela Rayner in a last-ditch attempt to reinstate landlords’ ability to require pet damage insurance in the Renters’
Essex borough of Basildon reveals huge crackdown on landlords who run unlicensed HMOs.
Direction of travel: all the regulatory changes to the private rented sector (PRS) say, it’s go bigger or get out
Labour’s first year: Renters' rights up, reforms underway, pace lags promises.
A major investigation into rogue landlords within he private rented sector has made some shocking claims.
Landlord and tenant dispute specialist explores some of the key issues that the looming Renters' Rights Bill will throw up.
Landlords have claimed that HM Treasury plans to charge National Insurance (NI) on rents is a raid on millions of people’s pension
COHO founder Vann Vogstad says HMO landlords will shoulder a particularly large share of any NI levy on rental income.
London’s Westminster Council has revealed plans to renew its additional HMO licensing scheme covering many of the borough’s streets.
Landlords face paying national insurance on their rental income if plans leaked by HM Treasury this morning make it into the Autumn budget.
There will be an “unavoidable double hit” to property taxation next year when the business rates review combines with rising inflation
Spelthorne council to the south of Heathrow Airport has changed it mind on HMO 'threat' following complaints.
A landlord in London is the first in the UK to have their properties taken over ‘long-term’ by a council.
The Government has been warned that its refusal to give student landlords an exemption from plans to scrap fixed-term tenancies will see the universit
Report shows reforms will have little impact on sector if tenants are largely unaware of their new rights.
A new partnership enables landlords' tenants to move into their home more easily, it has been announced.
MSP Maggie Chapman wants an immediate introduction of rent caps to prevent 'brutal' rent rises by 'rogue landlords'.
Lodgers Limits - Is there any limit to the number of rooms I can rent out to lodgers, and are there any other implications?
John D Wood says landlords must adapt ahead of changes within the Renters' Rights Bill.
Birmingham's council says that while 40,000 landlords have licensed their properties since July 2023, too many have not.
Enforcement officers in Harlow are scouring the borough for unlicensed HMOs and unsafe properties.
Landlord couple ordered to pay their tenants back the cash after failing to get an HMO licence for a property in
Landlords in Grimsby have failed to convince council bosses to ditch a proposed selective licensing scheme in the town.
