The large herbaceous perennial with its bamboo-like appearance became infamous in Britain for its threat to buildings. Its rapid growth, its size and most importantly the damage it can do, made it the villain of the horticultural world, and it became feared by property owners and mortgag
Four years after it was launched, the number on the Rogue Landlord database has only crept up to 61 out of the thousands claimed to be operating within the private rental sector, the latest government figures show. Asked by opposition MP Gill Furniss to provide an update, Housin
Flat owners (leaseholders) only own their leasehold property for a fixed period of time and during that period they pay ground rent and service charges to the freeholder (landlord). Theres always a long-lease agreement, a detailed legal tenancy agremeent between the leasehold
Luton Council has finally got its act together and revealed blanket HMO licensing for the town after a number of false starts over the last few years. HMOs of any size will now need a licence under its additional scheme which launches on 1st April, while all privately rented pro
The Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 provides a right for leaseholders to acquire the freehold landlords management functions by transfer to a company set up by them the Right To Manage (RTM) company. The thinking behind the right was to empower leaseholders. The
Appeal Court judges have found in favour of the landlord in the landmark case of Northwood Solihull v Fearn & Ors, preventing a potentially huge logistical headache for landlords and letting agents. The judges ruled that any authorised employee of a landlord or letting agent
In an apparent re-run of Harold Wilsons 1970s investment income tax surcharge, Labour plan to re-introduce such an additional layer of tax to what is termed unearned income�. The Wilson Labour government applied an investment income surcharge of 15% and kept the top rate
According to a recent report by estate agents Hamptons, over the last four years the number of landlords operating their buy to let business through a limited company has doubled. There were 47,400 new buy-to-let companies incorporated in 2021 right across the UK, the figures be
Landlords and letting agents will soon be able to carry out quicker https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/updated-advice-for-landlords-on-right-to-rent-checks-due-in-new-year/" right to rent checks on British and Irish citizens. From 6th April, Identification Do
An energy expert has sought to reassure landlords that they may not need to spend huge sums retrofitting their properties to raise EPC ratings at least not in the short term. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type- " data-rt-type="" data-rt-align=""><div><img src="https://upload
Just as residential landlords are contemplating the costs of bringing older properties up to the proposed new standard - very likely EPC band C� required by December 2025 - so too are commercial landlords.<br> See: https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/compulsory-epc
Compulsory EPC band C by 2025 causing confusion There have been recent confusing reports put out that from 2025, all newly rented properties in England & Wales will be required to have an EPC rating of band C or above. This is somewhat misleading and jum
LandlordZONE sits down with one of Londons most prolific but little-known landlords who has spent 30 years amassing a huge portfolio in the East End and West End areas of the capital. For reasons of privacy, and a desire to remain behind the scenes, he doesnt want to
So, we ended 2021 after twenty-one months since the first Covid lockdown with the new variant, Omicron, spreading fast, and with Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland putting in stricter measures and speculation that England may follow with an announcement early in the New Year.
An example of the difficulty of prediction is the conclusion to a detailed study recently published on the private rented sector by the London School of Economics (a study commissioned by the NRLA) Individually and cumulatively, the recent tax changes
A lettings agency boss and landlord has been slapped with a �40,700 Rent Repayment Officer despite claiming that his failure to licence an HMO was an honest mistake. A First Tier Property Tribunal handed five former tenants the maximum award for the period from September 2019 t
Scotland’s Housing Bill proposes rent controls, winter eviction bans, pet rights & tougher eviction penalties in private sector overhaul.
Bristol has approved plans to extend landlord licensing in Brislington West, Bedminster and Horfield wards in a bid to raise PRS standards. The scheme includes additional licensing - HMOs with three or more unrelated people sharing facilities and selective licensing - privat
Concerns among Blackpool landlords over the future of the city's selective licensing have been swept aside after councillors approved the hugely enlarged scheme, which must now go to Michael Gove for the final green light.
Barking and Dagenham Council is the latest borough to launch a bid to renew and expand its licencing schemes.
Arguments between politicians, landlords, charities and both tenant and trade unions in Scotland about what to do when the country’s ongoing rent cap scheme ends on 31st March deadline have ramped up in the past few days.
Campaigners have accused leading landlord MPs of trying to ‘gut’ the Renters (Reform) Bill as it goes through parliament.
The NRLA is questioning whether rent-to-rent’s days are numbered after the government announced it was investigating the sector in a bid to understand its impact on tenants and landlords.
The Government has revealed changes to planning regulations that will clamp down on short-lets in tourism hotspots such as the Lake District and seaside towns.
Housing secretary Michael Gove has announced restrictions on Airbnb style short-term lettings. He also wants to relax rules on permitted development rights for commercial to residential conversions, and he says he will abolish section 21 in this Parliament.
Landlords (and their agents) have a serious responsibility to undertake actions to protect tenants, visitors and passers-by, by preventing Legionella bacteria from causing a health hazard.
A consortium of London housing associations has warned the government that new affordable home-building is grinding to a halt.
Landlords wanting to back the eco movement may want to pause for thought after the Green Party today vowed to bring in an immediate rent freeze and no-fault eviction ban to tackle the housing crisis. During an election campaign visit to Suffolk, party co-leaders Carla Denyer and
A rogue landlord has been jailed for 10 months after he failed to comply with conditions set by a court concerning his rat-infested property. Martin Ambler admitted four counts of breaching a criminal behaviour order in May 2022 but sentencing was deferred so that he could instr
There is a lot of talk at the moment about how rents are up by 11% across the UK and although I know its tough on renters, landlord costs have, in many cases, doubled. This includes mortgage premium payments following interest rates rises from 0.5% to 4% in just 12 months, an
The government should introduce three-year tenancies to protect tenants from uncertainty and rising rents, according to a liberal conservative think tank report. The Bright Blue group has teamed up with Shelter to publish, <strong id
Landlords have heavily criticised the Scottish governments decision to implement its evictions freeze and rent cap without a proper consultation. The measures, which were widely criticised earlier this year for being rushed through, are now being fought by a coalition of orga
A BTL mortgage provider has pledged to invest £50 million in a fund to help landlords enhance their property's energy efficiency.
Evictions expert Paul Shamplina warns landlords and letting agents of increased responsibilities under the Renters Reform Act.
Airbnb landlord Talha Abbasi faces £102,000 court bill after judge classifies long-term let as assured shorthold tenancy, granting tenant protections.
Labour MP Diane Abbott has told TV viewers that bad landlords are those who use Section 21 to evict their tenants, whatever the reason. Despite there being genuine reasons for using the notice, such as non-paying tenants or anti-social behaviour, the London MP appeared on <a hre
New research reveals that deposits of five weeks rent dont provide landlords with enough protection in more than 10% of cases. Alternative deposit firm Reposit studied 20,000 tenancy agreements dating back to 2016 and found that landlords needed to r
This year London is on track to see the highest level of fines levied against rogue landlords and letting agents, it has been revealed as more and more councils begin operating licencing schemes. Geospatial compliance platform Kamma says it expects to see a 50% increase in enfor
New rules on holiday lets in England and Wales have taken effect which could force many owners to pay council tax instead of business rates. Self-catering properties in England must now be available for letting commercially for short periods of 140 nights
A landlord has warned others to make more regular checks on their rental properties after falling foul of Scotlands ongoing https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/vote-rent-rises-in-scotland-to-be-capped-at-3-until-october-msps-agree/" target="_blank" eviction b
Record high rental demand sends average UK rent to £993 pcm (ex‑London) and £1,184 pcm including London, HomeLet reveals. Sources
Landlords are being asked for their views on plans to forcibly rent out persistently vacant commercial properties to new tenants in a bid to rejuvenate high streets. High Street Rental Auctions - a new power for local authorities in England - is part
The landlord of a retirement flat faces jail if he contravenes a court order not to visit the property or engage in abusive, insulting and intimidating behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress�. During a hearing at Sheffield Crown Court, Judge Sadiq told land
Northern Ireland has unveiled a radical new type of private rented housing that aims to provide more high quality, affordable homes in the region. Intermediate rent is not social housing but will offer rents set at a level below the open private rented market, while renters will
UK Finance links LHA freeze to rising landlord mortgage arrears, urging policy review to prevent further financial strain on landlords.
Renters at risk under plans to let landlords evict tenants with two weeks notice,� says one headline. Yes, it kind of implies that tenants will be summarily evicted, I thought so when I first read it. As the recent press reports would have us believe, but this is not going
The activities of a huge HMO renting scam gang has been uncovered following a four-year investigation, with the five key individuals and three companies involved fined a total of �434,000. Following an investigation by West Northamptonshire Councils Private Sector Housing Te
Private renters who complained to their landlord, letting agent or local council in the last three years were two and a half times (159%) more likely to be handed an eviction notice than those who kept quiet. New research from Shelter compiled by YouGov using online survey r
A landlord and her letting agency have together been fined more than �45,000 for illegally running an HMO. Barking and Dagenham Councils private sector housing team first discovered that professional landlord Husna Patel had not applied for, or been gr
Property firms using their own inventory services are undermining the sectors integrity, according to the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks. It wants the government to include measures in the Renters Reform Bill to guarantee more transparency
The Government has made several changes to how income and profits are taxed in recent years and some of these will take effect from the new tax year on 6th April, with higher earners and those letting via a limited company most affected. Heres the six changes
More than a quarter of people in some local communities dont have a passport, raising questions about their ability to pass Right to Rent checks. Research by digital identity firm, https://www.idcrypt.global/" target="_blank" ID Crypt Global, reveals that 1
