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
Exploring the future of rental deposits, including lifetime deposit schemes and tenant-managed custodial options, to enhance affordability and flexibility.
Repairs and Maintenance: Residential landlords (private and social landlords) are being advised by
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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=
Tenant & 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
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
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
Storms & 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
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
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
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
Just 44% of landlords agree with Southampton Council’s plans to introduce additional licensing.
Bolton Council has agreed tough new rules to control HMO conversions – two years after first coming up with the idea.
This Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act has important implications for private landlords when letting their properties
Lawyer David Smith looks at several clauses within the Act which appear to mandate local authorities to bring all errant landlords to book.
New EPC rules in Scotland will worsen the housing crisis and force people to spend longer in emergency homeless accommodation
Big landlords believe tenants are willing to pay more for green features amid a growing recognition that sustainability sells.
Shocking behaviour by a landlord has prompted withering comments from a judge and a huge fine.
The next stage of the Renters’ Rights Bill has been scheduled for 1st July, raising the prospect that it could become law before parliamentary summer recess.
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
What is a Section 25 Notice? My business lease is coming to an end and my landlord has served on me a Section 25 Notice.Commercial (Business) Tenancies in England & Wales are regulated by the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 (Part 2).This means that when the fixed term ends (end of lease) the b
Section 48 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 states that landlords of residential tenancies in England and Wales must furnish their tenants with an address in England & Wales at which notices can be served. Failure to do so will mean that any claim for rent, rent arrears or service charges
Should landlord insist on renewing fixed term tenancies or allow them to lapse into periodic tenancies?In essence a tenancy is the right to possess and occupy land belonging to another. A tenancy gives the occupier a legal interest in the land for a defined period of time.A relationship of landlo
A section 213 notice is a prescribed form notice which must be served on your tenant, or another person, if they provided a deposit for a rental.If you have taken a deposit for an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) in England & Wales (the rules in Scotland & Northern Ireland are similar but
This is a handy check list for use to help you ensure you are serving a valid section 21 notice. Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 (as amended 1996 & 2004) provides a means of re-gaining possession of a residential property in England & Wales. Other UK jurisdictions are similar but there
How can a tenant end a residential tenancy and stay within the law - usually with a Tenant's Notice to Quit?In practice most residential tenancies in England and Wales end (over 90 per cent of them) with tenants giving their landlord notice. These guidelines are based on English law and are not a
Farm and Land Tenancies Approximately one-third of all agricultural land in England and Wales is covered by agricultural tenancies. Tenancies allow people to farm without being landowners. As agricultural land is expensive, and the acreage now needed to make a viable operati
Landlords sometimes face a dilemma when they want to sell a rental property, or even a portfolio of their rental properties. Sometimes landlords have no choice but to sell as they are being forced to sell for financial reasons.Residential properties, unlike their commercial counterparts, always s
Assignment is when an existing and ongoing tenancy is transferred from one tenant to another. The person who transfers the tenancy is the assignor� and the person who the tenancy is transferred to is the assignee�.The outgoing tenant transfers his rights and obligations under the tenanc
Latest Research Suggests Basement Flats Are Safe As HousesBasement flats in West London have been found to be as secure from intruders as other types of apartments, according to research carried by Basement Flats, a newly-launched London publication.The magazine, which features news and informati
Section 26 Notice - My Commercial (Business Tenancy) Lease Agreement is coming to an end soon and my tenant has served on me a Section 26 Notice. What is this and what should I do?Commercial (Business) Tenancies in England & Wales are regulated by the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 (Part 2).T
Uninhabitable Premises. My tenanted property is flooded. What are my legal obligations in this situation? Am I obliged to re-house my tenant? Must my tenant continue to pay rent?Landlords are under a general obligation to supply property in tenant able condition for the tenant to i
Question: Tenant Blacklists. I've had a very bad experience with a tenant and would like to put him on a black list so that other landlords don't have the same experience that I've had. How do I go about this?Answer: We often get asked this question.Although there have been several attempts by di
Sub-letting leasehold - I want to rent out my leasehold flat but the managing agent says the freeholder wont allow it. I know that other flats in the block are rented out, so what can I do? Landlords usually prohibit sub-letting to safeguard the interest.Landlords usually prohibit sub-letting
What are the implications of renting to a 17 year old or someone who is under the age of 18? We have an application from a 17-year old that is keen to rent but Im not sure this would be legal?</h2> Many landlords and housing providers would be concerned and therefore refuse to let to
Question - Rent Review - my landlord is asking for far more rent than I expected on review. Am I obliged to pay this?Answer - Commercial leases are contractual - the parties agree to and are bound by its clauses and that includes rent review provisions.The rent review process is a way of periodic
Re-selling Energy - As a landlord am I able to make a profit by re-selling electricity or gas?</h2>Resale of Gas and ElectricityThe maximum amount that Residential Landlords or resellers� are permitted to charge for gas or electricity is the amount they
Providing a Reference - I have been asked to provide a reference for one of my tenants who is moving on. What is my legal position in this and am I putting myself at risk if I say he was a bad tenant?</h2> Referencing (seeking verification of a tenants past performance) is an increasi
Polystyrene Ceiling Tiles - is it legal to have these tiles in the kitchen of a rental property?</h2> There are currently no regulations specifically banning the use of polystyrene ceiling tiles in existing rented property.However, it is unlikely that local authority fire officers and en
