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Reform bill will make PRS 'more hostile' to landlords, warn letting agents

Reform bill will make PRS 'more hostile' to landlords, warn letting agents

News

The UK's leading property trade association has warned MPs that the Renters Reform Bill contains measures likely to make the PRS increasingly hostile to landlords.

London landlord to repay tenants £10,000 in rent

London landlord to repay tenants £10,000 in rent

News

A London landlord has been ordered to repay his tenants nearly £10,000 in rent following a Property Tribunal hearing.

Legal Case: AGAs and GAGAs - commercial tenancy guarantees

Legal Case: AGAs and GAGAs - commercial tenancy guarantees

Information

Commercial tenants, with the landlord's consent, not to be unreasonably withheld, can assign their lease (transfer it) to a third party (a new tenant).

Liverpool to spend £2 million on new 'rogue landlord' taskforce

Liverpool to spend £2 million on new 'rogue landlord' taskforce

News

Liverpool City Council has launched a new taskforce to go after criminal landlords who exploit vulnerable tenants.

Leasehold WILL eventually be abolished for flats says minister

Leasehold WILL eventually be abolished for flats says minister

News

The government has signalled that it will bring in more leasehold reforms for flat owners following the introduction of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill.

Agency boss says mortgage interest tax relief for landlords 'must be reinstated'

Agency boss says mortgage interest tax relief for landlords 'must be reinstated'

News

Leaders Romans Group (LRG) has called for a landlords’ reform bill to protect landlords and safeguard the housing sector.

Huge HMO prevention scheme launched by big Midlands city

Huge HMO prevention scheme launched by big Midlands city

News

Coventry has gone ahead with a huge new scheme to prevent properties being converted into HMOs without full planning permission.

Does a missing landlord address invalidate a Section 8 notice?

Does a missing landlord address invalidate a Section 8 notice?

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This was a question answered during a recent appeal case covered here by Tom Entwistle In the Prempeh v Lakhany (Oct 2020) appeal the tenant claimed that a Section 8 notice was invalid because it did not contain the la

Shamplina among 20 winners at landlord awards

Shamplina among 20 winners at landlord awards

News

Paul Shamplina has won Seminar Speaker of the Year at the National LIS Awards 2023, the third time in a row the Landlord Action founder has received the honour.

Letting agent caught blatantly refusing to return tenant's deposit

Letting agent caught blatantly refusing to return tenant's deposit

News

A letting agent has been found to have blatantly broken the law by refusing to hand back a holding deposit.

Landlords warned they must ensure property ads are accurate

Landlords warned they must ensure property ads are accurate

News

Landlords have been warned that they will have to work much harder with their letting agent to ensure property adverts for their homes to rent include all the ‘material information’.

Up to 50% of southern England landlords looking to sell up

Up to 50% of southern England landlords looking to sell up

News

One in five landlords hit by rising costs are considering selling up, with a stark divide between those with properties in the north and south of the country.

Minister claims rent controls 'are working' for tenants and landlords

Minister claims rent controls 'are working' for tenants and landlords

News

Scotland’s housing minister has defended the country’s policy of rent and eviction controls despite new figures showing rents continuing to rise.

Landlord couple to face jail following HMO tenant's fire death

Landlord couple to face jail following HMO tenant's fire death

News

A landlord couple could face jail after admitting a string of offences which led to the death of one of their tenants in a fire.

Social housing ombudsman to deal with private landlords too, says Minister

Social housing ombudsman to deal with private landlords too, says Minister

News

Disputes between landlords and their tenants will soon be handled by the social housing ombudsman, it has been confirmed by Government minister Jacob Young.

Tenant abandonment - what is it?

Tenant abandonment - what is it?

Information

What is Abandonment? Abandonment is when a tenant leaves the property (usually without notifying the landlord or agent) before the tenancy has ended.

Double council tax aims to get owners letting properties

Double council tax aims to get owners letting properties

News

Argyll and Bute councillors have approved a plan to charge a double council tax on second homes.

London council bids to continue clampdown on small HMOs

London council bids to continue clampdown on small HMOs

News

Haringey Council has urged landlords to share their views on plans for a new additional licensing scheme in the borough.

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Unwanted residents that don’t pay any rent… 

Unwanted residents that don’t pay any rent… 

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Rats and other vermin can cause endless damage to your property, give you legal nightmares and trash your reputation as a responsible landlord

EXCLUSIVE: Fergus Wilson says he's a fair landlord, not 'Britain's worst'

EXCLUSIVE: Fergus Wilson says he's a fair landlord, not 'Britain's worst'

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News
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Landlord Fergus Wilson has rejected his label as the ‘most hated landlord’ in Britain and insists his policy of vetting tenants has always been fair.

EXPERT: Why landlords and agents must now check every tenant's identity

EXPERT: Why landlords and agents must now check every tenant's identity

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News
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Landlords and letting agents now face substantial fines if they don't check prospective tenants' identities before they move in.

Shock survey of letting agents reveals smaller landlords quitting in droves

Shock survey of letting agents reveals smaller landlords quitting in droves

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Letting agents have warned that the Renters’ Rights Bill could gut the private rental sector of one- and two-property landlords.

Landlords advertising HMO rooms 'far in advance of start date'

Landlords advertising HMO rooms 'far in advance of start date'

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HMO landlords are increasingly advertising rooms to rent way in advance of tenants moving out, new research shows.

Demand spikes for freehold houses from first time buyers - Landlords cash in before the crash

Demand spikes for freehold houses from first time buyers - Landlords cash in before the crash

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Landlords are cashing out fast as demand from first-time buyers spikes. Freehold homes are hot—now’s the time to sell.

'Law gives too much protection to rogue tenants', says landlord of trashed property

'Law gives too much protection to rogue tenants', says landlord of trashed property

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News
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A fed-up landlord has slammed the legal system for unfairly favouring poorly-behaved tenants after a brutal eviction.

Big seaside town goes live with more HMO planning restrictions

Big seaside town goes live with more HMO planning restrictions

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News
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Landlords in Eastbourne now need to get planning permission for HMO conversions in parts of the town centre after councillors approved new rules.

Landlord faces £60,000 repair bill after cannabis farms discovery

Landlord faces £60,000 repair bill after cannabis farms discovery

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News
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Controversial landlord Fergus Wilson faces a £60,000 repair bill after three of his rental properties were turned into cannabis factories.

Renting to a 17 year old

Renting to a 17 year old

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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

Rent Review

Rent Review

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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

Re-selling Energy

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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

Providing a Reference

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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

Misrepresentation

Misrepresentation

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Misrepresentation - We recently rented out our rural cottage to a couple. As they wanted to use their computers I said it was possible to get high-speed broad-band. I thought this would be possible but it seems it is not at this time. The couple are now claiming that I misled them and that

Mail for Previous Tenants

Mail for Previous Tenants

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I'm receiving mail for previous tenants and some of them are from debt collectors. Will this get my property black listed and cause problems for my current tenants and myself in the future?</h2> It's fairly common to have mail arriving for months and even years after residents have left,

Long Term AST

Long Term AST

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Long Term AST - My prospective tenant has asked for a tenancy term of 6 years. Can I use the usual Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement for this?</h2> The Assured Shorthold Tenancy is the default tenancy for residential lettings and since October 2010 this applies to rents up to �100,000

How long should accounts be kept

How long should accounts be kept

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Question: How long should accounts be kept to satisfy the authorities, things like accounting files, invoices and tax records, as a property landlord?Answer: You must keep your records for 6 years after the tax year to which they apply, whether or not you complete a tax return.It's a good idea, a

Expiry of Section 21 Notice

Expiry of Section 21 Notice

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Expiry of Section 21 Notice - I have served a Section 21 (s21) Notice on my tenant but don't wish to start proceedings immediately. Can I wait without the notice expiring?Once a Section 21 notice has been served correctly it continues indefinitely, until such time as the tenancy is ended, either

Covenant and Covenant Strength

Covenant and Covenant Strength

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Covenant and Covenant Strength - What is a legal covenant and what is the significance of the terms in relation to rental property and lettings ?</h2>The term covenant can have several meanings and has biblical origins but it is of particulalry significance

10 year lease

10 year lease

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2 years ago I purchased a company with a 10 year lease from my ex boss, on a 10 year lease, the lease was set up by a solicitor. After 2 years the business is struggling and is not viable. I feel that my solicitor ill advised me as there was no break clause mentioned. Where do I stand on t

Uncollected Goods

Uncollected Goods

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Good Left in the Premises or Uncollected GoodsFrequently, tenants leave goods after their tenancy has concluded or when they have abandon the premises during a tenancy. Uncollected goods and possessions left or abandoned in premises by tenants can pose a real problem for landlords.

Standing Order

Standing Order

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<h1 Standing Order</h1>What are Bankers' Standing Orders?</h3><ul <li Standing Orders allow landlords to automate the process of collecting rents</li> <li They safeguard tenants in that the landlord cannot change the payment amount, as is the case with direct debit

Section 8 Procedure

Section 8 Procedure

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The Possession Procedure - 1988 Housing ActThe possession procedure under Section 8 of the Housing Acts 1988 &amp; 1996 is known as the Section 8 Route and is available to landlords where the tenant is in breach of one or more terms of

Renting Business Premises

Renting Business Premises

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Renting or Leasing Commercial Property Renting commercial property usually represents a major part of the operating costs involved in running any business. If you include surveyor's and solicitor's fees, rent, business rates, insurance,

License Agreement

License Agreement

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Types of Tenure: A tenancy gives the tenant a legal interest in the land and property - in effect, legal ownership for the period of the tenancy. Tenancies can take several forms: <ul <li Rent Act or Regulated Tenancies - pre </li> <li

Joint or Single Tenancies

Joint or Single Tenancies

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<h1 Joint or Single Shared Tenancies</h1>Shared House (Joint Tenants) or Individual Rooms (Single Tenants)? Where a landlord lets to multiple and usually unrelated tenants there are two main ways of doing this:(1) As a Joint Tenancyng

Common Law Tenancies

Common Law Tenancies

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These are tenancies that fall outside the scope of the Housing Acts (1988, 1996, 2004), including the Regulated Tenancies, Assured Tenancies (AT) and Assured Shorthold Tenancies ASTs.In the case of a common law residential tenancy , the tenant's rights and obligations are ma

Business Tenancies

Business Tenancies

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What are Business Tenancies ?A tenancy is an "estate in land", granted for a determined period of time (term of years or fixed term - 6 months,1 year, 21 years, 99 years etc) or a specific period (a periodic tenancy - yearly, monthly, weekly, even daily).In return for the "time lim

Gas Safety

Gas Safety

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Landlord's Duty to Ensure Installations are SafeAll Landlords have a common law duty to ensure that gas installations and appliances supplied with their properties are safe. Tenants also have certain legal obligations when it comes to gas safety - see below.I

Gas & Electrical Certificates

Gas & Electrical Certificates

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Landlords' Gas and Electrical Safety Certificates:As a landlord, or as a letting agent acting on the landlord's behalf, you have a legal obligation to ensure that your accommodation is completely safe for your tenants.Several statutory regulations and general common law requirement

Furnished or Unfurnished

Furnished or Unfurnished

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Letting and residential property fully furnished, part-furnished or unfurnished in England &amp; Wales no longer has any implications regarding security of tenure for the tenant or for taxation. However, Council Tax and the 10% Depreciation Allowance may be affected - you don't pay Council Tax du

Fire Certificate

Fire Certificate

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What was the Fire Certificate is no longer required as it was previously under the Fire Precautions Act 1971 for hotels, boarding houses, factories, offices, shops and railway premises. All these premises must comply with Fire Regulations, now covered by t

False Statements By Tenants

False Statements By Tenants

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Ending a residential tenancy on the ground of "false statement by the tenant "The Housing Act 1988 as amended by the Housing Act 1996 makes provision for the possession of residential properties let under Assured and Assured Shorthold Tenancies.However

Bed & Breakfast Business

Bed & Breakfast Business

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Running a Successful Bed &amp; Breakfast Guest HouseRunning a successful Bed &amp; Breakfast Business from the comfort of your own home has many advantages and rewards as far as being self employed is concerned:</