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Durham’s new licensing scheme for 29,000 homes: What you need

Durham’s new licensing scheme for 29,000 homes: What you need

News

Durham County Council's selective licensing scheme covers 29,000 homes, requiring landlords to apply by 31 July for a £350–£500 licence fee.

Test Case: Council advising tenants to stay put after valid s21 notice served

Test Case: Council advising tenants to stay put after valid s21 notice served

News

This is a Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman case involving an unnamed landlord (LandlordX or MrX) and Brentwood Borough Council. The case revolves around a common situation where the landlord required possession of the property after serving a valid section 21 notice un

'Let’s not forget property remains the best performing investment'

'Let’s not forget property remains the best performing investment'

Opinion

I've been in the property investment business for almost 30 years and during this period opportunities have come and gone but I've yet to discover an asset class that perf

OPINION: The EPC ratings system is 'not fit for purpose'

OPINION: The EPC ratings system is 'not fit for purpose'

Opinion

Ever since I started to market one of my commercial buildings around 10 years ago now, I began to doubt the efficacy of the EPC rating system. The guy that came along to do the inspection told me himself he had just completed a 6 week course, or whatever it was, to train to be a

BREAKING: Government toughens up smoke and C0 alarm regulations

BREAKING: Government toughens up smoke and C0 alarm regulations

News

Social and private landlords are to face tougher new rules which make it mandatory to fit smoke alarms in all rented accommodation regardless of tenure, and widen the conditions under which they must be fitted. Revisions to the smoke and carbon monoxide detector regulations also

ANALYSIS: Does buy-to-let still beat the stock market?

ANALYSIS: Does buy-to-let still beat the stock market?

News

If you had �50k to invest right now, where would you put it, buy-to-let property or stocks and shares? Certainly leaving it in a traditional savings account, with interest rates as they are at rock bottom, thats out of the question. And with the threat of rising inflation ea

EXCLUSIVE: Costliest and most common landlord insurance claims

EXCLUSIVE: Costliest and most common landlord insurance claims

News

Research carried out by LandlordZONEs insurance partner, Hamilton Fraser Total Landlord Insurance, revealed that the vast majority of landlords, https://hamiltonfraser.co.uk/knowledge/good-landlord-quiz-results/?utm_source=landlordzone&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=lz_november

Opinion: Should landlords dive into heat pumps?

Opinion: Should landlords dive into heat pumps?

Opinion

The move to provide home heating and hot water by this method is part of a Government strategy aimed at making deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonizing the UK's power sector by 2035. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the scheme was designed to bring low-carbon hea

UPDATED: Bailiff evictions to be suspended over Xmas and New Year for a month

UPDATED: Bailiff evictions to be suspended over Xmas and New Year for a month

News

Tenants facing eviction in England are to be protected from losing their homes during the Christmas and New Year period, HM Courts and Tribunal has confirmed. Between 13th December and 10th January no evictions should be s

Tax changes for Airbnb landlords 'in the pipeline' to stop gaming of the rates system

Tax changes for Airbnb landlords 'in the pipeline' to stop gaming of the rates system

News

Some holiday lets owners are gaming the system to claim business rate relief, comments made by the Housing Minister Lord Greenhalgh suggest, who has promised action to clamp down on the practice. In a Lords debate on second homes, peers voiced concerns that second homeo

Asylum seeker HMO operator fined �60,000 for running house without licence

Asylum seeker HMO operator fined �60,000 for running house without licence

News

A company that houses asylum seekers has been fined more than �60,000 for HMO offences in Newport. Clearsprings Ready Homes, which has the contract for operating accommodation for asylum seekers in Wales, was found guilty of letting an HMO in Redland Street (pictured), in the B

Bill to make EPC rules mandatory early 'unlikely to become law' after stabbing

Bill to make EPC rules mandatory early 'unlikely to become law' after stabbing

News

The Minimum Energy Performance of Buildings Bill, which aimed to advance the governments energy efficiency commitments, is in doubt following the tragic death of David Amess MP. He was the presentation bills main sponsor in the Commons, launching it at the same time as Lor

Should holiday-let owners be paying council tax?

Should holiday-let owners be paying council tax?

News

However, Carol Lewis writing for the Sunday Times newspaper thinks that holiday let owners should be paying council tax. Given that levelling up is the government's buzzword du jour, it is time to level the playing field and bring holiday-home owners in line wi

Landlords left struggling to claw back deposits owed after property firm ceases trading

Landlords left struggling to claw back deposits owed after property firm ceases trading

News

Landlords and letting agents hit by the collapse of Ash Residential Property Management Limited (ARPM) have been left struggling to claw back deposits and fees after it ceased trading last month with debts of almost �1.5m. At least 8,000 properties and their landlords are affec

HMRC warns holiday let owners about their tax obligations

HMRC warns holiday let owners about their tax obligations

News

HMRC warns that owners must accurately declare these earnings on their self assessment tax returns or face criminal charges if in default. A boom in bookings The Covid pandemic has stored up excess demand for stay at home Britains under the foreign holiday restrictio

LATEST: Scots landlords face new EPC rules but up to �15,000 to pay for upgrades

LATEST: Scots landlords face new EPC rules but up to �15,000 to pay for upgrades

News

Scottish landlords have until 2028 to meet energy efficiency standards but can access interest-free loans of up to �15,000 to help them spread the cost. The Scottish government has published its Heat In Building Strategy setting out that, by 2030, greenhouse gas emissions from

Sir Philip Green and his wife bought-up high-end London property as their retail empire was collapsing

Sir Philip Green and his wife bought-up high-end London property as their retail empire was collapsing

News

The so called Pandora Papers is a financial services leak of nearly 12 million documents that reveal an international treasure trove of hidden wealth, tax avoidance and money laundering, by some of the world's richest individuals. The secret files were unearthed by a Washington

Nationwide launches platform to help landlords manage their properties and finances

Nationwide launches platform to help landlords manage their properties and finances

News

High Street lender the Nationwide has launched a platform that will be first of its kind created for landlords by a major financial institution. Called The Landlord Works, it has been developed by a team headed up by Paul Wooton (main picture) who, after leaving its mortgage bro

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Idea of rent caps 'scares the life out of landlords' warns Shamplina

Idea of rent caps 'scares the life out of landlords' warns Shamplina

Podcast
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Podcast
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Paul Shamplina warns that introducing rent caps could drive landlords out of the market, potentially worsening housing supply issues.

Decison imminent on new EPC target for landlords

Decison imminent on new EPC target for landlords

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News
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Private landlords are about to get a new deadline for making energy efficiency improvements to their properties.

Will Labour improve a dysfunctional housing market, or destroy it?

Will Labour improve a dysfunctional housing market, or destroy it?

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News
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Tom Entwistle considers the current state of the UK housing market and how it could be affected by Labour’s policies

Midlands council reveals start date for £1,000 a property HMO licences

Midlands council reveals start date for £1,000 a property HMO licences

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News
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More HMO landlords in the West Midlands borough of Sandwell face paying £1,000 for a licence after the council gave the go-ahead to an extended additional scheme to go live on October 1st 2024.

Plan revealed by Yorkshire city to 'get tough' on landlords

Plan revealed by Yorkshire city to 'get tough' on landlords

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News
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Sheffield Council is about to get tougher on private landlords as part of a new 10-year plan to improve the city’s housing.

Labour has just one job to do - stabilise the rental market, says agency

Labour has just one job to do - stabilise the rental market, says agency

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News
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Good landlords have little to fear from a Labour government if it can stabilise the economy to support the property market and make renting easier and less volatile, according to one letting agent.

'Levelling up' dropped by Angela Rayner from housing department name

'Levelling up' dropped by Angela Rayner from housing department name

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News
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Angela Rayner has revealed that the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities that it is to drop ‘levelling up’ from its name and concentrate on ‘basics not gimmicks’.

Kemi Badenoch named shadow housing secretary by Sunak

Kemi Badenoch named shadow housing secretary by Sunak

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News
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Wannabe Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has been appointed by Rishi Sunak as his shadow housing secretary.

Cut your losses says landlord: Why this month’s mortgage rates are causing landlords to sell

Cut your losses says landlord: Why this month’s mortgage rates are causing landlords to sell

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If you were looking for a sign on whether or not to downsize or expand your property portfolio, this weeks’ news provided mixed messages on how landlords might be affected by Buy-to-let (BTL) mortgage rates.

Can't rent out your property? We'll pay you if you help the homeless, says council

Can't rent out your property? We'll pay you if you help the homeless, says council

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News
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A large local authority in Cumbria is calling on landlords who own empty properties they can't rent out during the Coronavirus crisis to open them up to the council's guaranteed rent scheme, and help homeless people. </h3>Private landlords in C

Renting in 2030 – Deposits

Renting in 2030 – Deposits

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Exploring the future of rental deposits, including lifetime deposit schemes and tenant-managed custodial options, to enhance affordability and flexibility.

Only “serious and urgent repairs” should be attempted, says new government guidance

Only “serious and urgent repairs” should be attempted, says new government guidance

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Repairs and Maintenance: Residential landlords (private and social landlords) are being advised by

Short lets industry launches property website for NHS staff

Short lets industry launches property website for NHS staff

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News
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Short-termlet landlords and property agents are being encouraged to offer NHS staff afree place to stay during the pandemic. A new industry initiative - https://www.nhshomes.co.uk" target="_blank" nhshomes.co.uk - is hooking up medical

Want to return to live in your rented-out property?

Want to return to live in your rented-out property?

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Re-possession: During the presenthealth crisis, with everyone on virtual lock-down, new lettings areon hold, but when normality resumes, as it surely will, people willwant to let out their own homes on a temporary basis. Whether

BREAKING: Direct Line confirms doors closed to all new rent guarantee policy claims

BREAKING: Direct Line confirms doors closed to all new rent guarantee policy claims

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News
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One of the UK's largest insurance companies says there is no legal framework available to it that would enable the insurance giant to pay claims now that evictions have been suspended for three months by the government. One of the UKs lar

How can you support your tenant's mental wellbeing, as well as your own?

How can you support your tenant's mental wellbeing, as well as your own?

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Today (Wednesday 18 March) is https://mhfaengland.org/my-whole-self/" Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) shttps://mhfaengland.org/my-whole-self/" MyWhole Self Day , which is all about encouraging employees andcolleagues to embrace and share their identitie

Enforcement – a thankless task

Enforcement – a thankless task

Opinion
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The other week, I had the opportunity to shadow the Harrow Council Housing Enforcement Officers, who feature with me on for Channel 5's Nightmare Tenants Slum

Exclusive: landlords warned over new WhatsApp business usage rules

Exclusive: landlords warned over new WhatsApp business usage rules

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News
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Landlords who use WhatsApp to communicate with tenants are exposing themselves to legal action from the global communications giant, which is owned by Facebook and in the UK is the most popular way to text friends and family. The free-to-use service has quietly ushered in new te

RENT TO RENT: '�Why landlords should read my horror story, so they don't get ripped off like me'

RENT TO RENT: '�Why landlords should read my horror story, so they don't get ripped off like me'

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News
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Read our interview with a London landlord who is significantly out of pocket after signing up to a three-year guaranteed rent scheme recommended to her by a reputable letting agent. A landlord is urging othersto be wary of letting their pro

LATEST: Landlords do not have to return deposits for ongoing tenancies signed BEFORE June 1st last year

LATEST: Landlords do not have to return deposits for ongoing tenancies signed BEFORE June 1st last year

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News
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The tenant fees ban and its five-week cap on deposits does not come in fully for all tenancies until later this year, landlords should note. Government authorised tenancy deposit protectionprovider https://www.mydeposits.co.uk" id=

Break Clauses in Residential & Commercial Leases

Break Clauses in Residential & Commercial Leases

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Tenant &amp; Landlord Breaks: A break clause is common in both private residential tenancy agreements and commercial leases, therefore it is highly advisable that both landlords and tenants are familiar with the nature of break clauses in their lease and understand their rig

Exclusive: Rob Moore of Progressive Property reveals views on property academy regulation

Exclusive: Rob Moore of Progressive Property reveals views on property academy regulation

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News
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Following our recent article on property investment academies and the questionable activities of some operators, we asked the leading player in the market what should happen next. Last monthLandlordZONE shone a light into the famously Wild W

LandlordZONE investigates: the unregulated world of rent-free 'in exchange for' tenancies

LandlordZONE investigates: the unregulated world of rent-free 'in exchange for' tenancies

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Thousands of people in the UK live rent free in return for providing services and sometimes, just companionship. But the sector is unregulated and such tenancies are a huge risk for both tenant and landlord alike. An investigation by Landlo

Flooding '� both a landlord's and a tenant's nightmare...

Flooding '� both a landlord's and a tenant's nightmare...

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News
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Storms &amp; Floods : Given the severityof the bad weather and floods in some areas of the country recently,the past weeks have been an extremely anxious time for some tenantsand landlords. Unfortunately itappears that these worries are not goi

Possession Claims Online

Possession Claims Online

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Section 21 : Not every landlordor agent would consider handling a possession claim themselves, butthe good news is, it can be done the system is designed for LIGs litigants in person. Everyone has theright to speak for themselves in co

Renewing a Business Lease

Renewing a Business Lease

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Commercial Property :A commercial lease is based on contract law and a contractual agreement between landlord and tenant. The rules laid down are those as agreed in the lease agreement and are largely unencumbered by statutory rules, unlike the case with a residential tenanc

Short-Term letting, not without its problems'�

Short-Term letting, not without its problems'�

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Holiday Lets : With the changes tothe tax rules many buy-to-let landlords are thinking of creative waysto overcome the loss of income. Their inability to claim tax reliefon their mortgage interest and the removal of their wear and tearallowance has made a

Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (Part II)

Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (Part II)

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The Landlord &amp; Tenant Act 1954 Part II deals with the leasing of Commercial (Business) Premises in England &amp; Wales.Commercial (Business Tenancies) Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, Part II The Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (the Act) is an important piece of legislation in

Would you like to be on Channel 5's Nightmare Tenants Slum Landlords programme?

Would you like to be on Channel 5's Nightmare Tenants Slum Landlords programme?

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News
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Its producers are looking for landlords who need help with a nightmare tenant or letting agent and are happy to feature in the show. Are you one of the millions of landlords who tune in to watch Channel 5s regular Nightmare Tenants Slum L

LATEST: Abolishing Section 21 notices will take at least until late 2021 to become law

LATEST: Abolishing Section 21 notices will take at least until late 2021 to become law

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News
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LandlordZONE understands that the huge task of sifting through 1,000's responses to the governments consultation on evictions reform, and the likely long process of getting the law through Parliament, will take at least 18 months. Landlo

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

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

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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

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News
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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...

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News
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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

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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