A team of independent fact checkers and campaigners has debunked Labours claims that most renters live in homes bought with a buy-to-let mortgage. Deputy leader Angela Rayner made the assertion last week, but charity Full Fact says the claim is technically incorrect, as it ho
A letting agency-owning landlord has been fined more than £17,000 for renting out one small room in an HMO to a family of five. Ruhul Shamsuddin and his company Lordsons Estates were found guilty of 23 housing offences relating to a
The Bank of England has warned that landlords with mortgages are under increasing strain from higher interest payments and other structural factors, all of which are likely to put pressure on their incomes�. The commentary is within the banks latest https:
Landlords arrears are growing at a faster rate than homeowners, according to new research that suggests fewer investors are being shielded from economic headwinds. https://www.octanecapital.co.uk/" Octane Capital found that buy-to-let arrears of more tha
Five tenants have shared a whopping �29,000 Rent Repayment Order after their landlord failed to licence its HMO. East London-based https://www.facebook.com/weletroomsuk/" We Let Rooms Ltd did not defend itself at a First Tier Property T
Corporate student housing giant expands as private HMO landlords exit, amid growing demand for purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA).
Landlord leader Ben Beadle has given Shelter a run for its money during a parliamentary committee evidence session on the Renters (Reform) Bill. Beadle, who is chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, wondered out loud during the meeting whether campaig
Changes in tax rules for buy-to-let landlords have definitely made the business of letting property more challenging, particularly with those who have taken on big mortgages to buy their rental properties. The removal of mortgage interest relief (Section 24 of the Finance Act) a
An Essex landlord has learned the hard way that unpicking rent-to-rent or guaranteed rent agreements can be a lot more difficult than many might believe. In a case handled by the Resolution Department Lead Suzy Hershman (main picture) and her team at
London letting agent fined £8,000 for misleading tenants and using intimidation tactics; company dissolved.
Jerseys private landlords have urged lawmakers to rethink radical plans to shake up the sector which they fear will exacerbate the housing crisis. The Jersey Landlords Association (https://www.jla.je/" JLA ) has
Landlords should give renters some of their equity gains when they sell up to stop the giant tenant rip-off, according to https://www.bigissue.com/ The Big Issue boss John Bird (main picture). Bird b
One hundred percent of letting agencies in Scotland say they have seen more landlords exiting the market since the countrys government brought in and then recently-extended a rent rise cap and evictions ban. Agents canvassed by trade organisation Propertymark also reported an
A consultation has opened into proposals not to charge landlords who are preparing a property to let or waiting to find a tenant the empty homes a council tax premium. The government wants to strengthen the existing long-term empty homes premium by applying this to properties th
UK house prices fell by 3.1pc on an annualised basis in the first quarter (Q1) of 2023 and an increase in interest rates have a dampening effect on the market. Inflationary pressures With inflation currently running at 8.7pc (CPI), this is well above the Bank of Engl
Statutory licensing scheme plans for visitor accommodation in Wales have got the thumbs down from many holiday home owners, short-lets landlords and residents. The proposals, which will see all holiday homes, https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/tag/airbnb-landlords/" target=
Leasehold properties are becoming harder to sell due to escalating ground rents and limited lease terms, despite recent reform efforts.
Loopholes in the Renters Reform Bill around alternative possession grounds leave it open to abuse by unscrupulous landlords, claims a Labour activist and lawyer. A landlord will simply need to demonstrate an intention to use the property to live in or sell before they can
NRLA’s Ben Beadle warns new energy rebate laws may unfairly target landlords, risking conflict with tenants amid cost-of-living crisis.
Labours leader Keir Starmer has hinted that buy-to-let landlords and second home owners may be prevented from buying properties meant for first-time buyers. His comments came during todays address to the Labour conference in Blackpool, during which h
A report in The Guardian newspaper says that the Surge in no-fault evictions prompts calls to renew UK-wide ban,� on section 21 evictions that is, as was the case during the Covid pandemic. Tenants were protected from being removed during lockdown - how
Business rates revaluations are scheduled at certain times, but if these occur during period of high inflation the new fix could put businesses and commercial landlords at risk. Though business tenants are liable to pay business rates, landlords should be concerned because they
Labour's Lisa Nandy criticises landlords, pledges reforms to shift balance towards social housing and empower renters.
A Uttoxeter-based landlord, Gunes Ata, aged 47, has been successfully prosecuted by Sheffield City Council for repeatedly failing to provide his leaseholder tenants with the detailed information they are entitled to when presented with their service charges. Mr Ata, who owns She
Kwasi Kwarteng failed to deliver the hoped-for repeal of Section 24 in his mini-Budget but confirmed a permanent cut in stamp duty. The chancellor raised the threshold before stamp duty is paid to �250,000 and for first-time buyers, to �425,000 - cuts universally panned by mor
Fire doors and fire door safety are key elements in the Government's drive to improve fire safety post-Grenfell.
Landlords have been offered a glimmer of hope by the new Prime Minister whos hinted that shes not adverse to considering the repeal of Section 24. https://www.nrla.org.uk/" target="_blank" NRLA boss Ben Beadle n
Expert tips from landlord Richard Jackson on how to spot problematic tenants before signing, helping landlords avoid future rental issues.
The Supreme Court has ruled that Rent Repayment Orders cannot be made against a superior landlord. The landmark ruling has implications for rent-to-rent arrangements and means tenants cannot go after superior landlords property owners or leaseholders - when seeking redress.
A landlord will need to carry out repair or maintenance work on a buy-to-let property 72 times during their ownership, costing them more than £34,000, it has been revealed. Research by lettings and estate agent Benham and Reeves found that while pests are
The UKs competition watchdog is to launch an investigation into consumer rights for those rent their homes and the activities of landlords and letting agents. This announcement, which has been made by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), reveals that it intends to she
A cross-party group of MPs and peers has suggested that landlords who dont upgrade their properties should be liable for mortgage penalties. The All-Party Group on a Green New Deal believes there should be a 1% mortgage interest rate premium levied on all buy-to-let propertie
The government has announced support for thousands more households including tenants living in HMOs - to help pay their energy bills. Households without a direct relationship to an electricity supplier are covered by thehttps://www.gov.uk/get-help-energy-bills/getti
As part of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) levelling up� fund the money is to be used by the council to work proactively and engage with landlords�, in particular with those landlords who rent out houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) and own con
Property expert Kate Faulkner (main pic) says new rules to introduce professional qualifications for social housing managers are a slap in the face for the PRS� after years of lobbying for similar standards. The government has a
Scottish rent cap removal and Gwynedd's Article 4 Direction spark landlord concerns over housing supply and market stability.
A paltry nine cases were mediated in the governments pilot Rental Mediation Service - nowhere near the 3,000 cases it expected, it has been revealed. The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Minister of Justice had hoped that the pilot, which offered te
Landlords and letting agents need more information and financial help if the Boiler Upgrade Scheme is to succeed, according to Propertymark. In its evidence to the Lords Built Environment Committee inquiry into the scheme, the group says 48% of Propertymar
New leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act 2022 came into force on 28 June 2022, with new financial protections for leaseholders in buildings above 11 metres or five storeys, those with historical safety defects. The new Building Safety Act 2022 was introduced follow
Facebook is facing mounting calls to more effectively police its Marketplace classified listings platform after numerous investigations by national media outlets. The most recent was last night (23rd February)https://www.itv.com/news/channel/2023-02-23/prolific-scammer-
A landlord pair who assaulted one of their tenants while trying to illegally evict her from their unlicensed HMO have been handed a rent repayment order totalling more than �22,300. Guangyu Chen and Xing Guo argued that their poor English and understanding of the PRS was an exc
Evictions expert Paul Shamplina has revealed that hes stepping back from his long-running role in TV series Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type- " data-rt-type="" data-rt-align=""><div><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/
Yorks Residential Landlords Association (York RLA) wants to clarify why it decided not to proceed with further legal action over the city councils proposals to bring in an Additional Licencing scheme for HMOs. Both local media and LandlordZONE recently reported that it had
Council leaders, unions and renters groups have urged Housing Secretary Michael Gove to bring in an immediate rent freeze in a bid to prevent widespread homelessness. In an open letter, the 34 groups and individuals including London Renters Union, mayor of London Sadiq Kh
A disgruntled landlord has convinced a judge to have his rent repayment order case re-heard after arguing that council systems hindered his ability to apply for an HMO licence during the pandemic. Paul Fashade was told to pay three tenants a total of �11,
The government should raise the stamp duty surcharge on BTL purchases to favour those buying their own home, according to a new report from Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF). The social change group believes the surcharge should at least double to effectively disincentivise specu
Citizens Advice has urged the government to extend Awaabs law to the PRS to help the estimated 1.6 million children living in damp, mouldy or excessively cold privately rented homes. Awaab Ishtak died aged just two years old after living in a mouldy and
A new survey has downplayed the scale of landlords ready to quit the sector due to heavy-handed government regulations and upcoming legislation. Leaders Romans Groups poll of 271 landlords found that only 7% plan to sell up in the next year while 12% aim to reduce their portf
Nottingham councillors have voted through a contentious additional HMO licensing scheme. The current scheme, covering central areas of the city, will soon come to an end and the council plans to introduce a new citywide scheme in January 2024. It says this would pre
Peers have slammed the governments Boiler Upgrade Scheme for attracting a disappointingly low� take-up of grants. Launched in https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/latest-official-boiler-upgrade-scheme-launches-today-but-is-it-enough/" target="_blank" <stron
A BBC investigation has uncovered a new property rental scam that uses Facebook Marketplace and then fake accommodation booking sites to lure in unsuspecting tenants. Called an advance rent payment scam, a technique that has been around for many years, this version of it is more
The Government has now committed to delivering Awaabs Law in a new amendment to the Social Housing Regulation Bill. But does the Government intend to place the same onus on private landlords, and is this law totally fair? I cant help feeling perplexed as
