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.
The Covid years’ extreme effect on the capital’s lettings market appears to be significantly easing – although demand remains abnormally high.
A basic tenet of property rights that landlords should be able to reclaim their property after an agreed period from a tenant is being undermined by Michael Gove’s push to end Section 21 evictions, a leading free market thinktank has claimed.
The government is considering relaxing heat pump rules in England which manufacturers believe could result in a boost in sales.
New safety regulations due to impact private landlords in Scotland have been labelled a logistical nightmare by one Edinburgh letting agent.
Estate agents might have been deemed more untrustworthy than lawyers and traffic wardens in public polls, but the Royal Agricultural University aims to demonstrate the profession’s value by launching the UK’s first university course in residential estate agency.
Government ministers, housing campaigners, landlords, letting agents and many of the other actors in the drama that is the private rented sector have been arguing hard about who is to blame for the high rents and lack of supply within the market.
Newport City Council is expected to back a 10% rise in HMO fees as part of changes to the authority’s additional licensing scheme.
Paragon Bank is showing some love for landlords on Valentine’s Day by offering its lowest rate on two-year fixes for new customers in more than 18 months.
Housing legal aid providers are on the brink of collapse, according to the Law Society of England and Wales, which has urged the government to invest in the service before it’s too late.
Landlords, letting agents and other players in the property game are being urged to support Paul Shamplina’s latest charity event which is due to take place on the night of Thursday June 27th.
Britain’s most unusual holiday rental investment has been uncovered following a planning appeal decision over two floating ‘pods’ at a Marina in Chichester Harbour.
A high-profile figure has claimed that ‘no-fault’ Section 21 evictions are a significant problem within London’s private rental sector and agrees with Shelter’s approach that they should be banned ‘as soon as possible’.
Tom Entwistle tries to shed light on the severity of the crisis and explores some potential solutions, here he gives his opinions on the plans put forward by Michael Gove, the banning of Section 21, and the crisis within the courts system.
Property lawyer David Smith has questioned the accuracy of Michael Gove’s comments about funding the court system and banning Section 21 before the General Election.
Letting agents have once again called on the Government to establish a network of dedicated housing courts to process evictions and help speed up the currently arduous, expensive and slow system.
Amongst the thorny issues in the relationship between landlord and tenant is the building insurance premium. Unlike residential property where the landlord has a vested interest in making sure the premium is competitive, because more than likely the premium would not be recoverable from the tenan
Theres recently been a spate of press reports and political wrangling about the existence of Zero-Hour Contracts. This has become something of a hot political issue as we approach a general election, and one surprising development is recent attempts to embroil landlords in the issue, as if the
Traditionally, with commercial (business) leases, a contractual provision within the lease specifies the use, or uses to which a property may be put and the uses which are prohibited.The formal classification of Uses� are set out in the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 as a
As most Assured Shorthold Tenancies (AST) are by definition, short, there is usually no need for landlords to get involved in processing a rent increase.However, some ASTs run for long periods after the fixed term has ended, i.e., when the tenancy becomes a statutory periodic tenancy, hence there
The ideal for any landlord is for the tenant to have a guarantor and provide a rent deposit. But which is better when the landlord has to choose?The starting point is the status of the tenant. With a tenant that is one person (an individual) the likelihood of that person being of independent fina
When you rent out a property two vital stages in the process are when you check-in your tenants at the start of the tenancy and check-out at the end.Preparation is the key to a trouble free let. When you prepare properly you are carrying out management processes so that nothing is left to chance
Elsewhere on LandlordZONE (at https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/information/what-is-a-section-25-notice" https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/information/what-is-a-section-25-notice and https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/information/what-is-a-section-26-notice-2 ) you can find out about sec
Contrary to popular belief, 'upward-only' rent review does not mean the rent must increase.An 'upward-only' review means that the rent payable after the review to open market rental is agreed or ascertained would not be less than the rent payable before the rent review, even if the open market re
There are dangers with using the Section 8 possession claims process under the Housing Act 1988 which are not always apparent to landlords and agents.There is always a temptation to use section 8 because the shorter notice period (usually 2 weeks) is much quicker to court than the alternative - s
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
Tougher checks on lending to buy-to-let https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/office-blocks-and-high-streets-provide-hope-for-canny-investors/" investors are on the cards after the Bank of England warned it would scrutinise risky areas more heavily due to rising interest ra
Scottish landlords exit amid stringent regulations and taxation; experts warn of worsening housing shortages and increased homelessness risk.
The Property Redress Scheme's (PRS) advisory panel has chosen experts from across the sector to join its new member panel. The UKs largest lettings redress scheme, covering more than 13,250 letting agency branches, launched the panels as new, open, and transparent forums to b
