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Property expert David Lawrenson looks back on the 2010s...

Property expert David Lawrenson looks back on the 2010s...

Opinion

Private Rented Sector Consultant a private rented sector consultant at letting focus and tenants renting guide David Lawrenson

Birmingham introduces city-wide HMO restrictions

Birmingham introduces city-wide HMO restrictions

News

Article 4 direction : Birmingham CityCouncil is introducing a city-wide direction for houses in multipleoccupation (HMOs) from 8 June 2020. An Article 4planning direction means that planning approval will be required forthe conversion of a famil

Capital gains 'Letting Relief'� rule change from April...

Capital gains 'Letting Relief'� rule change from April...

News

Capital Gains Tax: Owners of second homes and buy-to-lets that they have previously lived in should be aware that as from April 2020 the tax relief period allowed against capital against tax (CGT) will be reduced. As it is a present,when you se

Terminating a Letting Agent's Contract

Terminating a Letting Agent's Contract

Information

Letting Agent Contracts: One common question asked by landlords is, "how do I terminate my relationship with my letting agent?"For one reason or another, landlords sometimes wish to end their relationship with their letting agent and want to know how to go about it.Requests

Labour plans would challenge buy-to-let investors and second-home owners...

Labour plans would challenge buy-to-let investors and second-home owners...

News

General Election: Part of Laboursbid to be elected on 12th December is a raft of taxraising measures aimed at buy-to-let landlords and second homeowners. Jeremy CorbynsLabour party manifesto launch last week outlined a n

Controlling moisture and condensation in homes

Controlling moisture and condensation in homes

Information

Condensation andmould : This time of year,as the temperature drops, both new homes and old homes aresusceptible to the formation of condensation and unsightly mould: newhomes because they are effectively a sealed box, and old homesbecause they often lack ef

Winter Proof Your Rental Properties

Winter Proof Your Rental Properties

Information

The colder weather is here again, its that time of year coming; you feel that cold chill in the air, the snow and ice will soon arrive, and you know its time to get out that winter coat, scarf and gloves.You also know that cold wet weather on the way will test your rental properties and tenant

Portfolio landlords now average 13 properties

Portfolio landlords now average 13 properties

News

Portfolio Landlords: Buy to let lender Paragons recent research shows that professionaland larger-scale landlords are still investing and are increasing the size oftheir portfolios through more targeted investments. With an average portfolio

Tenants can sue landlords for cold or damp homes under new laws

Tenants can sue landlords for cold or damp homes under new laws

News

New rules that came into force in March allow https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/landlords-sue-cold-damp-homes-law-tenants-renting-housing-a8776671.html" tenants to sue landlords for issues like cold and damp. A broken heating system or poor ventilation that

Don't fall foul of the authorised guarantee agreement...

Don't fall foul of the authorised guarantee agreement...

Information

Commercial Property : A recent High Court decision in Co-Operative Group Food Ltdv. A&amp;A Shah Properties Ltd (2019) relates to an authorised guaranteeagreement (AGA) dispute, in this case an agreement involving a guarantor of theoutgoing tenant. <p id

Section 21 to be banned in the UK

Section 21 to be banned in the UK

Opinion

The Government has announced its intention to scrap Section 21 notices for eviction in an effort to offer tenants more long-term security.

New service charges rules in commercial property

New service charges rules in commercial property

News

Commercial: A new set of mandatory rules introduced from 1stApril 2019 and though the document itself is titled a first edition, itsupersedes 3 previous editions published as codes of practice. The RICS (Royal Institution of Ch

Security & Locks - Buy to Let Renovation & HMO Projects

Security & Locks - Buy to Let Renovation & HMO Projects

Information

Security: Renovating a buy-to-let property can be a great way for landlords to increase the rental income

My tenant left without telling me...

My tenant left without telling me...

Information

Abandonment: When times get hard the instances of tenants leaving without notice are known to increase. Doing a runner�, skipping� moonlight flitting� walking away� or gone away� and in the words of the immortal song;

What happens if someone other than the tenant pays the deposit?

What happens if someone other than the tenant pays the deposit?

Information

Tenancy Deposits: According to TDS (Tenancy Deposit Scheme) less than 1% (0.85%) of tenancies they handle have resulted in a deposit dispute in the year to March 2018, nevertheless its important to get it right when dealing with tenants' deposits.Cleaning was the most com

The Condensation Conundrum

The Condensation Conundrum

News

Viewpoint by Tom Entwistle As winter approaches outside temperatures drop and the perennial landlords problem of winter condensation and black mould rear their ugly heads again.The question is, how do you know if this is caused by the building or the tenant, or is it a co

Tax on income from lodgers and short stay tenants

Tax on income from lodgers and short stay tenants

Information

Landlords' Tax: Internet sites, such as AirBnB, have increased the number of landlords letting to lodgers and to guests on short stays. There are specific tax benefits to this type of letting business which are expanded upon below.Furnished holiday letting</st

Section 21 Notices - for older tenancies in England

Section 21 Notices - for older tenancies in England

Information

Section 21: Most tenancies will never require the service of a Section 21, Housing Act 1988, (eviction) notice. However, on those occasions when it does become necessary, and you just never know, landlords (and agents) will thank their lucky starts they complied with the rul

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COMMENT: HMRC Spot Checks on Landlords – be prepared for a “Fishing Expedition”

COMMENT: HMRC Spot Checks on Landlords – be prepared for a “Fishing Expedition”

News
News
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HMRC spot checks – “fishing expeditions” – what they mean for you and how to be prepared

Big pet charity warns Ministers off rental property pet deposits

Big pet charity warns Ministers off rental property pet deposits

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News
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Battersea Cats and Dogs Home has warned Labour not to allow landlords to demand that tenants take out pet deposits.

BLOG: 'Small landlords are under siege and it won't end well'

BLOG: 'Small landlords are under siege and it won't end well'

News
News
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The UK’s private rental sector is undergoing one of the most dramatic shifts in decades and not for the better says leading broker.

Big NW council brings in unusual 'immediate' HMO restrictions

Big NW council brings in unusual 'immediate' HMO restrictions

News
News
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Halton council, which includes two big towns outside Liverpool, wants to heavily restrict HMO conversions.

Two thirds of landlords 'unprepared' for renting reform tsunami

Two thirds of landlords 'unprepared' for renting reform tsunami

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News
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Only one in six landlords (16%) are fully prepared for the Renters’ Rights Bill says new poll.

Labour's NI taxation plan for landlords to cost £722 per property

Labour's NI taxation plan for landlords to cost £722 per property

News
News
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The true extent of extra cost faced by landlords by the Chancellor's NI plans are revealed.

'Ensuring tenants can pay their rent isn't controversial'

'Ensuring tenants can pay their rent isn't controversial'

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News
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Fergus and Judith Wilson say their reputation isn't justified, and argue that they are good landlords.

Council faces backlash over selective licensing scheme renewal

Council faces backlash over selective licensing scheme renewal

News
News
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Private tenants already been warned that rents will rise by £15 a month to pay for new scheme.

Angela Rayner urged by nearly 50 organisations to U-turn on pet damage insurance

Angela Rayner urged by nearly 50 organisations to U-turn on pet damage insurance

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News
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Pet campaigners have written to Angela Rayner in a last-ditch attempt to reinstate landlords’ ability to require pet damage insurance in the Renters’

Reform Bill: Landlord database to be enforced with court orders

Reform Bill: Landlord database to be enforced with court orders

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News
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A new ombudsman known as the landlord redress scheme - and property portal would be compulsory for all private sector landlords.

First look: Renters’ Rights Bill promises sweeping changes

First look: Renters’ Rights Bill promises sweeping changes

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News
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First look at the Renters (Reform) Bill: groundbreaking tenant protections, streamlined landlord redress & flexible ‘pets-in-lets’ rules.

Purplebricks sold to rival for �1 after senior team throw in the towel

Purplebricks sold to rival for �1 after senior team throw in the towel

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News
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Purplebricks, which at one stage was used by thousands of landlords to manage their properties, has announced that its assets and business are to be sold to rival Strike for �1, pending approval by its shareholders. Any funds remaining in the firm some �5.5 million are

Gove's plan to ease HMO rules for asylum accommodation

Gove's plan to ease HMO rules for asylum accommodation

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News
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Michael Gove approves relaxed HMO rules for asylum seeker housing, exempting safety standards and licensing; critics warn of potential exploitation.

BLOG: 'Reform bill will solve the problem of pet damage for landlords'

BLOG: 'Reform bill will solve the problem of pet damage for landlords'

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News
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The long-awaited Renters (Reform) Bill will finally be introduced in parliament after Prime Minister's Questions today. Setting out plans for 12 key reforms to the private rental sector, the 11th pledge - to give tenants the right in law to request a pet, which should not be unr

Agents who lack licencing law know-how 'putting landlords at risk'

Agents who lack licencing law know-how 'putting landlords at risk'

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News
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Agents lacking landlord licensing know‑how put landlords at risk — vital compliance gaps exposed.

Opinion: does Michael Gove know something we don't?

Opinion: does Michael Gove know something we don't?

Opinion
News
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Information

It would seem that successive Tory governments have waged an ongoing and progressively more vicious war on buy-to-let landlords, but this latest layer of legislation goes much further. Yes, this latest iteration, and one thats https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/1768/s

EXTRA red tape, scams and repairs drive more landlords to use agencies

EXTRA red tape, scams and repairs drive more landlords to use agencies

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News
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Almost two thirds (63%) of private landlords who manage their own properties are tired of sorting out repairs and dealing with red tape and considering using a letting agency or property manager instead.&nbsp; A Uswitch poll of 2,000 landlords found that the most common reason t

Labour targets landlords with new housing reforms

Labour targets landlords with new housing reforms

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News
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Labour pledges stricter Decent Homes Standard 2 for private landlords, raising property quality and accountability ahead of next general election.

Starmer 'set to U-turn on rent controls' as London Mayor pleads for more powers

Starmer 'set to U-turn on rent controls' as London Mayor pleads for more powers

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News
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Keir Starmer is set to rebuff previous calls by London mayor Sadiq Khan to bring in a rent freeze, it has been reported. Khan has been banging his rent freeze drum for months now as the cost-of-living crisis has hit many tenants personal finances, telling the BBC in Oct

'Disaster' renting reform bill to enter parliament tomorrow after PMQs

'Disaster' renting reform bill to enter parliament tomorrow after PMQs

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News
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The much-delayed Renters Reform Bill is rumoured to be getting its first reading tomorrow after Prime Ministers Questions, although the 'full meat' of the proposals will come later. Rumoured to be renamed the Rented Homes Bill or Renters (Reform) Bill, landlords are waitin

BREAKING: Renters (Reform) Bill to get first airing after PMQs today

BREAKING: Renters (Reform) Bill to get first airing after PMQs today

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News
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The Government is to finally introduce its long-delayed renting reforms into parliament later today following Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs) in the Commons. The Bill, which is to be called the Renters (Reform) Bill, will get its first reading just aft

Third of tenants turning to credit to fund tenancy deposits - claim

Third of tenants turning to credit to fund tenancy deposits - claim

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News
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A tenancy deposit affordacility crisis is looming as new data reveals that nearly a third of renters are borrowing money to pay for them, new research shows. The poll of 1,000 tenants reveals how they are using credit cards, personal loans, overdrafts and family loans to scrape

Tech firm gets public cash to help portfolio landlords improve energy efficiency

Tech firm gets public cash to help portfolio landlords improve energy efficiency

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News
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Proptech company Propflo is working with BTL mortgage lenders to help portfolio landlords make their properties more energy efficient. It has been given a grant by Innovate UK to encourage lenders to explore initiatives such as encouraging retrofitting in their products, creatin

NEW: Government promises crack-down on dodgy rent-to-rent operators

NEW: Government promises crack-down on dodgy rent-to-rent operators

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News
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The government has vowed to crack down on dodgy rent-to-rent landlords who flout housing laws. Housing Minister Baroness Scott of Bybrook (pictured) says it is aware of concerns that some rent-to-rent arrangements have sometimes been used to make it more difficult to identify la

Average rent now 25% higher than before Covid says leading agency

Average rent now 25% higher than before Covid says leading agency

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News
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Rents on newly-let homes have increased by 25% across the UK since the start of Covid, costing the average tenant an extra �2,962 each year. Hamptons reports that rents rose 11% year-on-year, with April marking the second strongest month for rental growth on record.&nbsp; <p

Signs of a turnaround in the UK construction industry...

Signs of a turnaround in the UK construction industry...

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News
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Construction activity is continuing to grow in the UK. Thats according to the April S&amp;P Global / CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers Index� (PMI), as reported by PCBToday, a Construction, Planning and Building Control portal. Construction companies in the UK the

Renting reforms will be a damp squib and we 'need a proper reset', say experts

Renting reforms will be a damp squib and we 'need a proper reset', say experts

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News
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Leading property sector figure Kate Faulkner (pictured) has called for a reset of the private rented sector, away from ineffective rules and regulations. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type- " data-rt-type="" data-rt-align=""><div><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63bef2f

NEW: Number of landlords planning to sell up hits RECORD high, new poll finds

NEW: Number of landlords planning to sell up hits RECORD high, new poll finds

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News
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The number of landlords planning to sell their rented properties has reached its highest level ever, according to new research. BVA-BDRC, commissioned by the NRLA, found that during the first three months of this year a third of 700 private landlords in England and Wales that it

Major portal launches national 'rent passport' initiative for tenants and agents

Major portal launches national 'rent passport' initiative for tenants and agents

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News
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One of the UKs big property portals has launched an initiative to enable renters to become rent ready as they hunt for homes. OnTheMarket.com, which is a competitor with Rightmove and Zoopla, has now fully integrated Canopys RentPassport service into its platform.</p

Hit or miss: how will the Renters’ Rights Bill land?

Hit or miss: how will the Renters’ Rights Bill land?

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News
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Will the long-awaited Renters Reform Bill land—or fall flat? Explore landlord reactions and what the new measures could mean.

Plea to support landlords with rental reforms as record numbers plan exodus

Plea to support landlords with rental reforms as record numbers plan exodus

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News
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The https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/hold-up-for-renters-reform-bill-blamed-on-procedural-issues/" Renters Reform Bill will increase pressure on landlords and may force even more to quit the market, warns the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (https://w

Interest rate rise set to hit mortgage payments and rental market

Interest rate rise set to hit mortgage payments and rental market

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News
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The Bank of England has hiked https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/revealed-why-higher-interest-rates-are-making-it-trickier-for-btl-investors/" interest rates by 0.25 percentage points, pushing the base rate to 4.5% and raising fears that this could exacerbate rental pric

Gove shelves plans to scrap leaseholds after Number 10 row

Gove shelves plans to scrap leaseholds after Number 10 row

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News
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Housing Secretary Michael Gove has dropped plans to abolish leaseholds in England and Wales after Downing Street officials argued there was not enough time to enact such major reforms. Despite describing it as an outdated feudal system� and pledging to get rid of h

Manchester rolls out next wave of selective licensing schemes

Manchester rolls out next wave of selective licensing schemes

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Five more https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/latest-big-city-to-go-live-with-controversial-selective-licensing-plan/" selective licensing schemes have opened in https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/new-devolution-deal-gives-manchester-more-rogue-landlord-powers/"