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
Rent Arrears: At this time of year, soon after the Christmas spending spree, inevitably rent payments begin to suffer. If you are having problems with rent arrears, this article should help.As in most areas of life,prevention is better than cure . To re
Tax Return 2016-2017: As a general rule, and as outlined in the previous articles in this series on tax returns, landlords can claim the expenses of running and maintaining their rental properties.If the rent you charge includes additional services like water, or council tax
Tax Return 2016-17: With some costs its very easy to decide: a repair to a drain, downspout or roof tile are all allowable expenses, but what about replacing a broken single glazed window with a new plastic frame and double glazing, what about decorating and installing a
Penetrating damp, just as its name implies, is where water leaks into a building from outside the structure, through the walls or roof. Less common is where an internal leak from a water or drain pipe leaks into the structure of the building.Common causes of penetrating damp are: <ul <l
Fire Regulations in Rentals: There are several regulations relating to fire safety within rental dwellings; some affect all dwellings whereas others apply mainly to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO).This looks complicated, but fire safety management in reality boils down t
Damp & Mould: You may have seen or heard of the 1970s TV series Rising Damp, which featured a landlord and his tenants (lodgers in this case) which rather implies that all rental properties are troubled with this kind of damp.Far from the case, but some are. In fact the
Renting Standards: Specialist residential property solicitor Amanda Sutcliffe of Bray & Bray looks at the importance of keeping a rental property in good condition.Research conducted by Endsleigh Insurance and TrustMark claimed that over 75% of landlords s
Sub-Letting Licenses: (SOLITAIRE) LIMITED Appellant and CHERRY LILIAN NORTON and other cases [2012]Landlords of leasehold buy-to-let flats are often asked to pay a fee (sub-letting licence or registration fee) to the freeholder when seeking permission to sub-let their flat,
Validity of Section 21 Notice: Amak Property Investments v Laura Sonny [2016]This case was an appeal by the tenant following a county court judgement relating to the validity of a s21 notice on the basis that the landlord had not complied with the deposit protection (MyDepo
Essential guide to rent reviews: why reading the lease is crucial for landlords and tenants to navigate rent adjustments effectively.
Tenant Agreement: The Law of Property Act 1925 talks about having a maximum of 4 tenants on an agreement. So what to do when you have 5, 6 or more tenants sharing a house?There is a common misunderstanding of the rules here. Landlords and agents sometimes think or have heard
The Government has launched a service that enables landlords to see the rents being charged by other landlords in their area.
The number of people renting homes by themselves has reduced significantly over the past three years as the cost-of-living crisis has hit many renters’ pockets, new research reveals.
Landlords who own leasehold apartments in tower blocks are being urged to complete an official questionnaire or face being excluded from the protections afforded by the Building Safety Act (BSA).
A community of landlords launched in the North of England six years ago has revealed that it is now going national after being given a new name.
Landlords taking tenants to court to repossess properties face a significant hike in the fees they are charged by the courts to process their cases, it has been revealed.
A rental property compliance service has pitched into the debate over whether the nation’s landlord licencing schemes are fair or, given the looming Renters (Reform) Bill proposals, needed.
There is a growing consensus that mortgage interest rates will soon be heading south as house sales show signs of gaining momentum.
A would-be student tenant has accused a landlord of making homophobic rules before agreeing to a house viewing.
Rebel Tory MPs who lobbied for amendments to the Renters (Reform) Bill have received £450,000 in donations and earnings linked to landlords since the last general election, according to an investigation by the i newspaper.
Overseas entities that bought UK property before 1st August 2022 must register with Companies House by 31st January or risk a fine and jail time. Thehttps://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3120" https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3120" target="_blank" id=""
A petition urging the reversal of the controversial Section 24 https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/autumn-statement-chancellor-reveals-tax-rises/" tax changes for landlords has received a written response from the government after reaching some 28,000 signatures. <p id
Buy-to-let investors are increasingly turning their sights on the north of England in the quest for better deals and yields. In 2015, just four of the 10 top local authorities for landlord purchases were in the north, but by last year, all ten were, according to data from <a hre
Letting agents are worried about landlords selling up, new legislation, rising costs and an upsurge of abuse across the sector. A https://www.propertymark.co.uk/" target="_blank" Properymark survey found that most feared landlords quitti
Three tenants have only been awarded 20% of a rent repayment order application after a tribunal went easy on their forgetful landlord. Lawrence Hoo admitted he had not renewed an additional HMO licence for the property in St Marks Grove, Easton, Bristol, but had applied as soon
Speaking at Davos, the Swiss ski resort where the World Economic Forum holds its annual meeting, Lloyds bank CEO Charlie Nunn said that the UK house price fall will be limited. His views are bolstered by recent numbers on the progress of the UK economy which managed a second
The Scottish governments flippant disregard for the private rental sector will only exacerbate the housing crisis, warns industry group Propertymark, which wants an urgent review of landlord taxation. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type- " data-rt-type="" data-rt-align="
London rents surged 20% in 2022; December's average weekly rent hit £551, with 18 renters competing per property, reports Foxtons.
When a tenant refuses the Gas Safe engineer access to a property to carry out gas safety checks the landlord is presented with a really difficult problem. Tenants denying access for things like safety checks, repairs and maintenance or regular inspections is not unheard off, in
Nottingham councillors have agreed to ask the government to approve the citys new selective licensing scheme. Proposals for its second scheme will cover a slightly smaller area in the city than the current scheme, but would include some new areas such as parts of Broxtowe and
A Haringey landlord has failed in his attempt to have a �2,500 fine thrown out by a First Tier Property Tribunal . The landlord, who the council won't name, was fined by Haringey private sector housing team for letting an unlicensed three-storey HMO in Hor
German landlords have plenty in common with their British counterparts but must also contend with even longer legal battles, according to one young couple whove had to evict problem tenants. Sascha and Angelika Rothe live in southern Germany where an eviction action can take
Landlords should challenge tenants about their bad habits which lead to condensation mould or risk resulting health problems and higher maintenance bills, it has been claimed. One large-scale portfolio landlord with properties nationwide - known as the Secret Landlord - says tha
Now is the time to buy rental properties. If youre a new landlord, an investor, or a landlord looking to expand their portfolio, these next two years may be crucial for you to earn the highest return on investment. It might seem contradictory following the downsizing of many
A new property platform aims to take the strain from HMO landlords dealing with multiple tenant enquiries and help them to prevent voids. Intense competition in the market means operators can spend up to three hours a day responding to prospective tenants, sifting through hundre
Landlord bashing isnt a new sport. Its been around since as long as anyone remembers and truthfully, no matter how sacred the PRS becomes, its always going to be a thing. Tenants defaulting on arrears will always look at an eviction notice with a level of intended cruel
After 13 or so years of Conservative rule the Conservative promise of a stable home owning democracy has failed to materialise. They have got themselves into a bind over housing. Potential home buyers find it impossible to afford a deposit as well as pay interest rates that are
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA ) wants to hear from landlords who have let property on a rent-to-rent basis so it can contribute to a high-profile case at the Supreme Court. It believes the outcome of the upcoming Rakusen v Jepsen appe
A letting agency boss in the West Midlands has been jailed for two years and four months after ripping off landlords and tenants who used his firm. Bhavander Singh Sanghera , of Jesson Road, Walsall ran EBS Properties Ltd trading as Martin & Co Wolverha
The government has confirmed it is still deliberating whether to bring in property agency qualifications and minimum standards in the sector, almost four years after the Regulation of Property Agents (RoPA) published its recommendations. RoPAs report outlined proposals back i
The Government has announced plans to tackle mould within the private and social housing sectors through updated guidance and iniatives. Announced late on Friday before a midnight deadline set by the Coroner during the inquest looking into the death of toddler Awaab Ishak, the i
The majority of letting agents expect to see more landlords leave the market in 2023, against a backdrop of rising arrears and falling https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/december-dip-makes-small-dent-in-rising-house-prices/" house prices . Goodlord reveals tha
New and replacement gas boilers should be banned by 2033, two years earlier than current plans, according to the governments net zero tsar. Conservative MP Chris Skidmore believes it should make the decision to decarbonise homes by next year to help the country meet its clima
The Scottish government has admitted it is considering long-term proposals for rent control after the https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/leading-letting-agent-slams-chaotic-rent-freeze-announcement-in-scotland/" Cost of Living Act has expired. Minister for Te
A rogue landlord who created false identities and fake letting agencies as part of an elaborate web of misinformation designed to exploit his tenants has been fined �12,000 and ordered to pay �25,000 costs. Thomas Flight, who owns flats on Portland Square in ht
