The Government has given buy-to-let landlords two compelling reason to sell-up, and fast: first is the overhaul of the rental rules coming next year, with indefinite tenancies and the end of section 21 evictions, and second comes the eroding of capital gains tax, tax free allowances. <p
New government funding to explore how technology can help dispute resolution could reduce the backlog of court cases, including possession hearings. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has been awarded �119,691 from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial St
Investigations have thrown new light on a series of solar energy investments which failed to switch the lights on for Thurrock Council. Conservative led Thurrock Council has saddled itself with an almost �500 million debt when it tried to bridge a funding gap by taking on risky
In this episode of the property cast, Eddie and Paul are joined by Nigel Lewis - award-winning property journalist and Editor in Chief at LandlordZONE, the most visited landlord news website in the UK. Nigel Lewis is a property writer and editor with a 27-year track record working for nation
In this episode of The Property Cast, we discuss the myriad of issues surrounding damp, mould and condensation a common problem for landlords and letting agents alike. To explore this topic, Sean Hooker, Head of Redress at the Property Redress Scheme, steps into Eddies sh
In this episode of The Property Cast, Eddie and Paul are joined by Maxine Fothergill, President of the leading membership body for property agents, ARLA Propertymark. The trio discuss the topical issue of rental reform and ROPA, delving into the detail of what lies ahead for age
Portsmouth is to go ahead with its contested additional licensing scheme but has promised to reward good landlords by charging them a lower licence fee and doing fewer inspections. Landlords had urged their council not to go ahead with plans to extend licensing to about 4,000 th
The long awaited renting reforms first muted in 2019 will be implemented next year, promises Housing Secretary, Michael Gove MP. Admitting that the Government should have moved more quickly� on these reforms to protect tenants following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, Mr Gove
A landlord battling to evict his nightmare tenants using a Section 8 order is exasperated that county court bailiffs encouraged them to stay put. The Cumbrian-based landlord had been granted a possession order, but his tenants - on bail for alleged drug offences and owing �3,00
The Government has averted a looming crisis in the HMO sector that would have seen many tenants charged individually for council tax, rather than paying a share of the propertys annual bill. As LandlordZONEhttps://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/exclusive-official-counci
London Renters Union will picket successful estate agents across the capital next week who it blames for pushing up rents to unaffordable levels. Protests are planned in Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Crystal Palace on 3rd December by activists who have taken partic
The Welsh government has given a strong indication that landlords and property owners operating Airbnb holiday homes within its borders are to face a compulsory licensing scheme similar to the Rent Smart Wales scheme for the traditional private rental sector. This follows a parl
Landlords long-standing criticisms of health and safety regulation that tenants are often the cause of problems such as mould or water leaks look set to be addressed in new government guidance. Councils inspecting rented properties will be formally instructed to exami
Housing Secretary Michael Gove has ordered council bosses to prove they are assessing and improving damp and mould problems in the PRS. Following the death of toddler Awaab Ishak as a direct result of mould in his family home, Gove says theres an urgent need to ensure a decen
The tragedy of the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in a Rochdale social housing flat rests heavily on the minds of landlords across the country: could this happen in one of my own properties they might well ask? The answer is probably, yes it easily could. In a winter with ris
A Japanese knotweed infestation caused homeowner Charron Ishmael to take her neighbour, retired NHS consultant Dr Sheila Clark, to court over a dispute about the plant. Charron Ishmael was selling her property but because of the presence of the invasive plant in her neighbour
HMO landlords have again been warned that they must pass on the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) rebate to tenants as the first payments are made, this time by business secretary Grant Shapps (pictured). https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/latest-official-plans-to-for
Merton Council, which includes the famous Wimbledon lawn tennis centre, is embarking on a big push to license all rented properties and HMOs in the borough as well as limiting the growth of small HMOs. It wants landlords to take part in its new consultation on plans for <strong
Landlords often buy flats which are either Leasehold or Shared Freehold. What are these tenures and what should landlords look out for in these different forms of ownership?Leasehold is one of three forms of tenure (property/land ownership) almost exclusively peculiar to the United Kingdom, thoug
Landlord's Access to Property: Many landlords will have experienced a tenant denying them access to a property - whether for an inspection, viewings or legal duties. Its easy to understand the view of Its my property, I can enter when I want, but unfortunately th
New Rules for Section 21 :Landlords and Agents need to be aware of the changes affecting Section 21 rules and Notices and other changes for the letting of residential properties in England (and in many cases Wales) introduced during 2015 . This article explains the new rules
Many landlords have long suspected that the DCLG approved national calculation methodologies and software programs were seriously flawed when they produced EPC ratings for buildings following energy assessments.So news that new software is being introduced which is claimed to be more accurate is
Serving Notices: Landlords and agents often get confused as to how they should serve Notices on their tenants.Ordinarily it wouldnt matter what method is used, but if you end up in court with a possession or money claim, or some such court action, then what and how you se
Tenant are Consumers: The UK Consumer Protection law applies to letting agents and landlords alike when they advertise a property to let or create a new tenancy. It also applies to most private landlords when they deal with letting agents, unless they operate as a company.
Obtaining Possession Using Section 21 Notices Updated October 2016This article explains how to gain possession of your residential rental property in the most efficient way possible. You may just want your property back for your own use, or to sell, or you may be having prob
Winter Condensation: Its that time of year again, a time when tenants are most likely to complain about the mould appearing in those corners of the property where the walls and ceilings are really cold, and hot air with moisture always rises to the top. If its black mo
Tax Relief: Starting from 6th April 2017, those landlords with mortgages will have tax relief on their buy-to-let mortgage costs gradually reduce over a 4-year period.Many landlords dont have a mortgage (up to 50% it is said), so this change does not affect them, but many
Landlords should pay more tax to balance inequalities within the tax system, according to the Resolution Foundation. The think-tanks new report points out that while the top tax rate for employees stands at 53.4% including employer NICs, only 28% is paid on property gains. </
Are you confident your buildings will meet the coming changes to energy performance rules? Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) legislation has been in statute since 2008. Since then there has been a progression of increasingly stringent regulations to cajole property owners to
Landlords buying properties via personal buy-to-let mortgages are facing greater stress testing of their affordability as economic jitters unsettle lenders, it has been revealed. Financial expert Louisa Sedgwick (main picture) from broker ht
Despite previously saying it would consider rent controls, Labours shadow housing minister Lisa Nandy has now confirmed that the party now opposes them, it has been reported. Speaking at the Chartered Institute of Housings conference today, Nandy told delegates that the po
Illegal evictions and harassment are set to become more expensive for landlords who get caught, as councils will be able to fine them up to �30,000 as an alternative to prosecution under the Renters Reform Bill. Lawyer Sam Kharabanda Groom (main picture) at https://cor
Leading figures from the private rented sector including dozens of landlords gathered last week to raise over �15,000 for a food bank charity. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type- " data-rt-type="" data-rt-align=""><div><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63bef2f3c329eff8e
Councils could struggle to enforce new eviction laws under the Renters Reform Bill, according to the Local Government Association. It has warned that authorities will need more staff and funding because every council in England already has a shortage of environmental health offi
Landlords who rent properties to vets are being encouraged to join a new group so they can discuss problems, exchange information and learn about what it means to be a professional landlord. The Veterinary Landlords Association (VLA) which has yet to es
A petition has been launched calling on the Government to establish a national register of rogue tenants to help landlords and agents spot troublemakers before they move into properties. The petition has been launched by property lawyer Nyree Applegarth (m
Labour MP Chris Bryant has pleaded with the government to rethink its housing policies or face a perfect storm of a housing crisis� in his Rhondda constituency. He told the Commons that the frozen housing benefit cap was now completely out of kilter with reality� for m
It used to be the case that you could let your residential rental property and forget it, leaving your tenants to enjoy the accommodation in peace, without any disturbances. However, these days, with regular changes in the law, risks of none compliance and your insurance require
Rising interest rates are piling the pressure on landlords and leaving some as mortgage prisoners, according to one mortgage expert. With most fixed rates now well over 6%, the interest costs can have tripled since some landlords last mortgage was taken, causing a perfe
More landlords looking for a quick and painless exit from the PRS are considering concessionary mortgages, it has been claimed. These little-known mortgage deals allow a sitting tenant to buy the property at a discounted price, based on a valuation. The seller must b
Landlord Actions Paul Shamplina (main picture) has explained to Radio 4 listeners how an almost broken court system and higher interest rates are driving a rush in Section 21 evictions before rent reform laws kick in. Speaking on the https://www.bbc.co
A landlord has failed to convince a court that stress and financial difficulties excused her from paying a rent repayment order. Instead, Jaya Sanahs four tenants will share �16,191 after ahttps://www.landlordzone.co.uk/tag/first-tier-property-tribunal-2...
Landlords are to wait many more months to find out the details of Government proposals to raise the minimum Energy Performance Certificate for rented properties. Energy minister Andrew Bowie (main picture) has admitted during a Lords debate that progress h
Lloyds has grown its rental portfolio to 1,000 properties and has another 700 in the pipeline as it bids to become one of the UKs biggest landlords, albeit far off its original objectives. The bank has some way to go if the publicly-owned institution is to meet its target of
A landlord in Norfolk has payed fines totalling �40,000 after he was found to have housed tenants in a way that put tenants at risk. Issues were reported at the Watton property (pictured) to Breckland Council last year, which prompted an inspection by officers who found a block
An Upper Tribunal has slashed a landlords Rent Repayment Order by �16,000 after taking pity during an appeal hearing on her precarious financial position�. A First Tier Property Tribunal https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6239f607e90e07799cd3de67/LO
The Bank of England has this lunchtime raised its base rate by 0.5% as the venerable institution fights to bring down inflation, which yesterday was revealed to be sticking stubbornly at 8.7%, way above the bank's target of 2%. Commentators and mortgage holders alike had hoped t
Welsh Minister for Climate Change Julie James has backed the NRLAs call for a review of property taxation in the PRS. Speaking at thehttps://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/breaking-landlords-tell-housing-minister-face-to-face-that-sector-needs-support/" <strong i
The Treasury has confirmed that it will not introduce tax relief on mortgage interest payments for either homeowners or landlords despite the ongoing mortgage cost crisis. As we https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/mortgages-landlord-tells-bbc-how-payments-have-tripled-o
JLL's latest report highlights the rapid growth of institutional Build-to-Rent (BTR) in the UK, with over 82,000 homes completed and rising demand.
Suzy Hershman (main picture), Resolution Department Lead at HFIS, examines a shocking case her team dealt with recently and highlights what landlords can learn from it . The case</h4>A landlord with a four-bedroom property i
Multi-millionaire landlord Judith Wilson (main picture, inset) has been hit with a �166,000 court bill after losing a legal battle against Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council. Wilson, wife of the controversial Fergus, who was once dubbed Britains
