A landlord in Dartford has batted off a huge rent repayment order (RRO) claim made by her tenants after a judge dismissed the case during a virtual Property Tribunal hearing. Manjit Sanghera, who co-manages the family detached property on the outskirts of the Kentish town with h
Campaigning group the London Renters Union is targeting landlords in London by urging councils to come down much harder on failing properties. It has launched an action plan in Brent, detailing how the local authority should hold landlords accountable for more than 10,000 privat
Buy-to-let landlords will influence https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/sponsored/what-do-the-falling-house-prices-mean-for-landlords/" house prices if a large number choose to sell up, according to rating agency Moodys. The firm is predicting that prices will f
The average annual https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/battle-over-holiday-lets-hots-up-as-campaigning-mp-holds-meeting/" holiday let income exceeded buy-to-let income for the first time in 2020-21, reaching �15,600 compared with �13,400, according to HMRC.
Short-term let landlords in https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/edinburgh-chief-admits-burdensome-licencing-plan-will-hugely-reduce-holiday-lets/" Edinburgh have won their legal case against the councils licensing scheme. In the biggest crowdfunded case in
Almost two-thirds of surveyors have witnessed rising numbers of buy-to-let landlords looking to sell their properties. The https://www.rics.org/" Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) reports that a similar number have seen a drop in the level of inter
A new Parliamentary petition has been set up urging the government to ditch plans to remove assured shorthold tenancies. The LandlordZONE reader, who has a portfolio of properties in Yorkshire and Lancashire, was prompted to take action as he fears it could be the final nail in
Confusion surrounds the governments plans to introduce https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/blog-will-the-looming-pets-in-lets-rules-prove-pervasive/" pets in lets measures, with conflicting messages coming from the DLUHC. It has confirmed that the new
With increasing costs, inflation hovering around the 10 per cent mark and mortgage rates approaching 6 per cent theres lots of talk about increasing rents. Many landlords are unable to absorb these extra costs without going into losses, so for them theres little choice, th
This year our economy, regulations and taxes were the final straw that led landlords rushing to sell off their portfolios to beat the market drops, mortgage versus rent gaps a
May has brought more bad news for some landlords with the Nationwide Building Society reporting a 3.4% drop in house prices in the year to May 23 and interest rates that are expected to rise to 5.5.% later this year.
Estate agents have called for landlords who advertise sex for rent to be banned from the PRS for life. In its response to the governments https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/exchange-of-sexual-relations-for-accommodation-sex-for-rent#:~:text=The%20consultatio
Redbridge Council in North London has given the go-ahead for a new borough-wide additional HMO licensing scheme. The scheme extends licensing to all HMOs with three or more tenants forming two or more households after the authoritys consultation disco
The Halifax revealed today that house prices have fallen on an annual basis for the first time since December 2012, by 1%. This means the average house value has declined by �132 which may not sound a lot but represents a seismic change after years of ultra-low interest rates p
Property educators are being urged to collaborate, learn, and shape the future of property education at The Property Investors Bureau Property Educators Summit. The invitation-only industry event aims to improve standards, foster collaboration, and add value to their business by
Following our storyhttps://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/breaking-evictions-grind-to-a-halt-as-bailiffs-reduce-workload-over-health-and-safety/" https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/breaking-evictions-grind-to-a-halt-as-bailiffs-reduce-workload-over-health-and-safe
Persistent home working is affecting office occupancy rates and is leading commercial tenants to fail to renew their office leases. Ghost city streets have emerged post pandemic as occupancy rates hit a new low. In the UK it has been reported that these office space rates could
Last year saw worrying housing shortages in a number of university cities in the UK. In Leeds we were turning away larger than usual numbers of students at the back end of the summer as there were simply no rooms available. Even before the proposed changes under thehttp
Landlords have been under a lot of pressure recently, with interest rates going up, house prices dropping, and changes in government, anxiety levels have been at an all-time high. But despite the current state of affairs, we still have options to help us get through this patch without panic
Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, Michael Gove, has reaffirmed his department's commitment to reforming the private rented sector (PRS). It will follow closely the recommendations in the Governments pol
Scots entrepreneurs Graeme and Leanne Carling were one of the most successful landlords of the late noughties, taking advantage of the weakness in the property market following the global financial crash to build a bricks-and-mortar empire worth �200 million. This made their co
Serco offers landlords guaranteed rent, free maintenance, and no void periods in five-year leases to house asylum seekers.
Landlords might have found themselves an ally in the newest minister at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Lucy Frazer - the latest MP to join returning boss https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/tag/michael-gove/" target="_blank" Mic
A group of companies involved in substantial property investment scams has been wound up by the High Court and an official received appointed to liquidate the four firms involved. These are Sentor Solutions Commercial Ltd , Fabcourt Deve
The RICS global Commercial Real Estate Market Monitor (Q3 2022) is indicating that the sector is in the early stages of a downturn. Thats according to around 81% of the surveys respondents in Q3 2022. It marks a significant increase from the previous quarter sample when just 11% of th
A concerned landlord has shared his frustration at the way councils manage problem tenants facing eviction by telling them to stay put while they are found alternative accommodation, informing the tenants that they will be making themselves 'intentionally homeless' if they move out. <p i
Continued demand for detached properties and a post-Covid resurgence in rent for flats has pushed annual increases in London above inflation. Average rents have accelerated by 4% to �1,499 during Q3 more than double the previous quarters rise and up 11% (�160) highe
Guide to commercial tenancy rent-free periods and full repairing leases, explaining tenant obligations on lease expiry or termination.
Landlords and letting agents should by now be conversant with the 2014 regulations on blinds and curtains and the measures necessary to prevent accidents with children. It is particularly important to ensure that blinds and curtains supplied in rental properties meet these regulations, otherwise,
Changes to the law on Section 21 and in particular how landlords deal with reported repair issues is now of crucial importance if section 21 claims for possession are to be successful. Careful pre-planning is now essential at the time of setting-up Assured Shorthold Tenancies (AST).The Section 21
Understand how to assess tenant covenant strength and why it’s key to commercial property investment decisions.
I have always found the holding deposit (an initial retainer paid to the landlord or agent to reserve a tenancy) is a very useful device to commit the tenant to your letting. But is it legal to withhold the advance deposit you take from a prospective tenant if they back out?In my experience a pro
What do I need to do when I protect my tenant/s deposit? If you take a deposit from your tenant/s you MUST protect the deposit and serve your tenants with the correct documentation within 30 days or face having to pay a fine and the prospect that you cannot use the s21 evict
A clear explanation of ITZA and rent review zoning — why old ITZA measurements may not always apply in new rent reviews.
Learn how a Calderbank offer can help landlords settle disputes and avoid costly rent review referrals.
According to research from the NLA, 4 in 10 landlords are either seriously considering forming a limited company or looking into the option in the coming months.Can you - and more importantly should you - set up a company to pay less tax? Heres my complete guide on becoming incorporated.<stron
What heating system should you use in your rental property? Is there a heating system that could solve landlords condensation claims problems?Its one of the most important questions to ask when letting a property for the first time. Whatever system you choose carries implications for the ef
The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) and the National Landlords Association (NLA) have called on the classified online listings service Gumtree to issue clear guidance over possible scams involving bogus letting scams.The warning has been issued to Gumtree by the NLA and the RLA after f
At rent review, the phrase 'going to arbitration' is often bandied about during negotiations as a means for one party to get its own way. Whether or not the parties can agree the rent without involving the dispute resolution procedure, it is common for a represented or experienced party to inv
From the 1st of October 2015 it became a statutory requirement that landlords issue all new tenants after that date with the latest edition of a Government publication The How to Rent Guide�, along with a current Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and a current Gas Safety
From 1st February 2016 all new tenants in England must be given Right-to-Rent (Immigration) Checks to determine their "right-to-rent" or "right-to-reside" in the country, BEFORE they can be given a tenancy. Landlords or letting agents must do the checks - letting agents where the
This is a Guide to Tax Deductible Letting Expenses for Landlords under the new tax rules following the Summer Budget 2015. These may be subject to change and you are advised to consult a tax specialist before making any decisions.From April 2016 landlords will no longer be able to automatically d
An Edinburgh landlord set-up hidden cameras in the bedroom and bathroom of his flat, to film people in bed and in the shower.The cameras were discovered by a young couple, friends of the landlord who allowed them to use the accommodation. The couple found a box on the living room table with a cam
Amongst the ways to agree or ascertain the (open) market rent at rent review or on renewal of a lease, (per s.34-s35 Landlord and Tenant Act 1954), is the use of comparable evidence.At rent review, the market rent for the premises is not what rent the actual tenant would agree or could afford, bu
There are two instances of section 20 notices in property in England:(1) is the notice served in relation to early shorthold tenancies under the Housing Act 1988, and the other,(2) refers to section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, as amended by the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act (CLR
Who pays for maintenance and repairs in a residential letting, landlord or tenant?Is it, for example, a tenants responsibility once they occupy my building to look after most of the regular house maintenance items? If the fridge stops working does the tenant or the landlord need to repair it?Y
With commercial property, rent reviews are generally to the open market rent, but sometimes the rent would be adjusted to the Retail Price Index (RPI). RPI is generally considered more favourable to landlords than CPI or other methodologies.There is no link between open market rent and inflatio
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
