When it comes to owning a buy-to� let property, the decision as to whether to use an agent or not is a big one. It is estimated that more than half of landlords self-manage their rental properties, believing it to be the best way to maintain control over who lives there and how
Commercial investments produce an average yield of 10.7% while residential properties offer just 3.7%, new research has claimed. Scotland is home to the highest commercial yield at 20.4%, along with the South West (13.7%), while Scotland is also where investors can find the high
While the cost of renting continues to increase across the UK, the Government continues to grapple with the issue of making renting more accessible and secure, especially for
NRLA calls for urgent government support to address rent arrears and court backlogs, proposing interest-free loans and grants to sustain tenancies.
Especially at a time like this, in the middle of a pandemic, when good commercial tenants are hard to find, landlords dread the time when a lease comes to an end, or their tenant goes into administration. When a commercial landlord loses a tenant, not only do they lose regular r
The government is pouring �13m into a homelessness reduction initiative to fund long-term accommodation for prison leavers in the private rented sector. More than 140 councils across England will share out the cash to pay for landlord incentives and loans for rent deposits, spe
We know that households across the UK will need to adopt a low carbon alternative to traditional heating solutions such as oil, gas, coal or wood burning in the future. Air source or geothermal ground source heat pumps are being touted as just such an alternative to help the UK
During these difficult times many tenants have found themselves in the position of wanting to divest themselves of surplus property, to reduce rental commitments by ending a lease agreement before it full term has expired. Perhaps the only way of doing this from the tenants p
Landlords who own leasehold properties in low and medium-rise apartment blocks affected by the cladding scandal will no longer have to supply an EWS1 form when selling or remortgaging their properties, the government has announced. Thousands of landlords who have been unable to
Spiralling fraud and overpayments in the benefits system now stand at the highest rate ever recorded, admits the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), as it identifies housing payments as an area of concern. Housing benefit fraud is particularly rife after the pandemic resulted
The private rented sector wont meet new energy efficiency targets unless the government stumps up more cash for any replacement to the Green Homes Grant, it has been claimed. Latest https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-housing-survey-2019-to-2020-private-
Bury Council in Manchester has adopted new measures to fine landlords up to �30,000 if their properties dont meet the recently-introduced electrical safety standards. Although the standards came into force in June 2020, they had not been adopted and implemented by the counci
A commercial landlord whose building was damaged by two fires has been handed an 18-month suspended prison sentence, it has been reported. Wayne Braund, 52, owner of the former Strachan and Henshaw building in Foundry Lane, Bristol (pictured), admitted six fire safety breaches i
Guide to landlord responsibilities for fire-door safety—learn what checks and maintenance are required to keep your property compliant.
Property investor Rod Turner didnt find the thought of having tenants and being a landlord very appealing, but the turning point came in 2014 when he realised the London market wasnt proving positive for developments and that he needed to hold onto properties long term. As
The Court of Appeal has ruled that landlords are able to evict a tenant whose Assured Shorthold Tenancy commenced before 1st October 2015 even if the prescribed paperwork such an EPC or gas safety certificate have not been served. Most solicitors and landlords h
Tragic tenant death underscores landlords' duty to comply with fire safety laws, including smoke alarms, escape routes, and fire-resistant furnishings
Despite new research showing that one in four people plan to invest in property to generate retirement income, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's scrapping of the 'lifetime pension fund limit' could dampen demand for BTL property, says Cornerstone Tax. The impact of inflation on savings a
Shelter has slammed the Chancellor for failing to raise Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates in his spring Budget. The homeless charity says Jeremy Hunt could have put an end to spiralling homelessness, but instead, he has stuck his head in the sand. Yet again we
Sunday Times economics editor David Smith has expressed sympathy for private landlords who he believes feel bruised by increasing regulation in the sector. He says higher mortgage rates might be the straw that breaks the camels back for many, with some alrea
First time buyers remain better off owning than renting an equivalent home, Lloyds Bank says, but the gap is narrowing. Its latest Owning vs Renting Review reveals that owning a first home now costs �971 a month, four percent less than renting at �1,013.
The government failed to offer long-term support for energy efficiency improvements or increase the Local Housing Allowance in a Budget which instead focused on getting the country back to work. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended support for energy bills at current levels of �2,50
In this in-depth private rented sector legislation special, Eddie and Paul are joined by David Smith, head of property litigation at JMW Solicitors. The discussion kicks off with the recent landmark Rakusen v Jepsen rent repayment order case, where David represented the NRLA and which, he e
Youve made the decision to sell, and beat the market drop and increased costs. But where do you turn? Estate Agents can get you a high price, but theyll take far too long. Auctions can sell super-fast, but you might be compromising on price. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-t
Generation Rent is calling on the government to extend Awaabs Law to the PRS after its survey found 1,106 private rented homes in England with dangerous levels of damp and mould. A Freedom of Information request by the campaign group found that the 65 councils which reported
Eddie Hooker, Chief Executive of insurance company the HFIS Group, has called for action to combat the murky end of the rent-to-rent market. Talking during an video interview with LandlordZONE , Hooker said action was needed to increase transparency w
The burgeoning build-to-rent (BTR) sector has been warned not to rest on its laurels as new research reveals slipping customer service standards. Consultancy hereSAYs BTR Mystery Shopping Benchmark Report found that although the developments still prese
Eleven tenants have been found crammed in a squalid and illegal HMO during a dawn raid on a three-bedroom house in Wembley. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type- " data-rt-type="" data-rt-align=""><div><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63bef2f3c329eff8e3a4af45/64cb9a422825
A leading independent think tank and a leading London mayor have called for councils across the UK to be given powers to implement selective licencing schemes of any size without sign-off by the Secretary of State. Following legislative changes during the early noughties, the se
Regular Inspections: Conduct routine inspections of the property to identify any maintenance issues or potential problems. Check for leaks, cracks, signs of wear and tear, malfunctioning equipment, and safety hazards. Address these issues promptly to prevent further damage. With
Three-quarters of landlords will be forced to raise rents in the face of the new Renters (Reform) Bill , which as drafted will restrict their ability to refuse pets. A poll by buy-to-let broker Mortgages for Business found that 60% will raise re
A group of leading figures representing animal charities, pet owners and property managers have warned that much work will be needed in the coming months to make the Renters (Reform) Bill acceptable to landlords and tenants. The group, although welcoming the bill, tells <strong
The government has repudiated claims by one of its own MPs and a leading expert that the PRS is under pressure from reforms and rising levels of immigration. Home Office data shows that net immigration hit a record high of 606,000 last year. Based on the average household size o
A leading lawyer warns that by abolishing section 21 the government will be helping nuisance tenants at the expense of the weak and vulnerable. Under the Renters (Reform) Bill, landlords will be able to evict for behaviours capable of causing a nuisance or annoyance as opp
Removing Section 21 might not provide the hoped-for feelings of security and encourage tenants to complain when rental homes are in short supply, warns a housing charity. The TDS charitable foundations poll of 2,000 private renters found that a lack of affordable accommodatio
The UKs co-living sector has trebled since 2019 as the formerly London-centric concept catches on around the country. Popular with recent graduates and young professionals, co-living - which technically is often classsed as HMO - is a form of purpose-built rental housing gene
Reinstating mortgage interest relief for landlords would solve the nations ongoing rental property supply crisis and raise �400 million for the nations coffers, it has been revealed. Analysis by Capital Economics on behalf of the National Residential Landlords Association
Lease disputes are time consuming, costly and most can be avoided when leases are well drafted in the first place. This article addresses a case where the landlord failed to ensure that the lease was properly drafted. The lease gives a tenant the right to use the property for it
A legal charity still hopes to challenge the government over its Right to Rent policy despite failing to convince European judges that it increases racial discrimination in the rental market. Under the scheme, landlords have to check the immigration status of prospective tenants
Scores of housing groups and legal centres have called for ministers to abandon plans to remove licensing requirements for HMOs used as asylum accommodation. In anhttps://www.jcwi.org.uk/safe-homes-for-all" target="_blank" open letter t
The number of landlords selling up has hit record levels, leading property buying firm National Residential has reported. The company says this has been prompted to a significant degree by the long-standing uncertainty within the private rented sector created by the Government
Despite the fall in inflation, The Guardian is reporting https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/may/24/uk-inflation-falls-cost-of-living-crisis" the financial markets are betting on an interest rate rises to 4.75% in June and 5.4% by the end of the year , the Office fo
A Conservative MP has called for tenants to be offered affordable homes in tourist hot spots if they can prove theyre local. During a Commons debate on short-term holiday lets, East Devon MP Simon Jupp (pictured) suggested that councils could be allowed
The NRLA says Government measures to abolish Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) will decimate the student housing sector if they go ahead unchanged. Featured within the Renters (Reform) Bill, this will see ASTs replaced with more flexible open-ended periodic tenancies
Commercial property is an important part of the UK economy, but the retail and office sectors as still suffering and rising interest rates present a real threat. A recent https://bpf.org.uk/media/6294/cl16688-01-bpf-economic-footprint-may23-v5-hi-res-single-pages.pdf" t
Electric vehicle charging expert Matthew Gibbons (main picture) explores the pros and cons of installing the different equipment at rental properties. Rented properties with EV charge points are a rare thing, so installing one makes a home more desi
In the Spring Budget, the Chancellor announced a raft of measures that the Government intends to help level up the UK. Specifically, they're pledging to prioritise employment, education and enterprise
Better transport links to the capital have boosted the number of Londoner commuters happy to spend time on the tube or bus. Renters are living further away from the office than they did seven years ago because this doesnt necessarily equate to longer journey times due to impr
A debt charity is calling on the government to introduce stronger protections for tenants who fall behind on their rent. StepChanges survey found that private renters struggled to afford their homes more than any other housing tenure, with one in six (1.2 million people) rely
More than one in three tenants in the UK spend at least half their salary on rent, according to new data from flat-share site SpareRoom. Its poll of 11,000 private renters reveals that 81% spend more than 30% of their take-home pay on rent, leaving them rent burdened, mean
Rent inflation continued to climb last month up by 0.1% to 4.7%, the Governments latest data for England shows. The Official for National Statistics (ONS) reports the annual increase, which compares the 12 months to the end of April 2023 to the previous months rent data.</
