A landlord has been banned from letting property in Edinburgh after he failed to report that he was a registered sex offender.
Discover how women are transforming the property sector on International Women's Day. Read Victoria Valentine's inspiring story from a landlord to estate agency owner, and learn about the impact of female leadership and all-women teams in the traditionally male-dominated property industry.
Acorn has taken aim at private landlords again, this time questioning whether their existence is even necessary.
Government vows to finish the job of ending ‘feudal’ leasehold system in England and Wales
Average rents in England jump 4% in a year to February while voids dropped from 24 to 20 days
Almost three quarters of rental fraud involves young people, official data has revealed.
Carl Bayley is the author of more than twenty ‘Plain English’ TaxCafe published tax guides designed for the layperson and the non-specialist
Court ruling lets tenants challenge rent arrears from Universal Credit, risking landlords avoiding tenants on benefits, expert warns.
Fenland Council has introduced an immediate Article 4 Direction before its consultation in a bid to clamp down on burgeoning HMOs in Wisbech.
Landlords in County Durham have had to fork out fines totalling £1.38 million in the three years since selective licensing was introduced.
Peers have tabled amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill which, if approved, would shape the legislation into a version of the previous Renters’ Reform Bill.
Chancellor urged to boost rental supply or risk losing young talent to housing scarcity.
Build-to-rent developers eye opportunities as private landlords leave student housing market.
The government has repeated its rejection of “heavy handed” rent controls despite pressure from peers in the House of Lords.
Preston Council has proposed new powers to reject HMO applications amid fears that the city is already being over-run by shared homes.
Landlords in Scotland who are members of the country’s landlord association are to get discounted carpets when refitting their rented properties,
Landlords and letting agents have slammed the extra BTL tax rise in the Scottish budget which they believe could backfire on the government.
Moving landlord and tenant disputes from overburdened county courts to tribunals would help clear the backlog and make evictions faster, according to a senior housing lawyer.
Multi-millionaire property tycoon Andrew Panayi (pictured, above) has hit back at councillors who dubbed him a notorious rogue landlord�. Islington Council refused planning permission for a two-bedroom flat in Londons Caledonian Road, submitted by Panayi who infamously,
A property investment guru couple who disappeared leaving disappointed participants in their investment schemes puzzled as to their whereabouts have popped up as spiritual leaders in Australia. Marta and Lloyd Smith - now known as Riya Loveguard and Aeron Lazar - ran Home
The Government is to phase out gas by 2035 as part of its green ten-point plan announced this week, meaning millions of boilers across the private rented sector are on borrowed time. CEO of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE), Kevin Wellman, under
Thousands of leaseholders are stuck in their flats because they cannot sell due to unsafe cladding installed on their high rise blocks. Sales are stalled because potential buyers cant obtain a mortgage until the defective cladding is replaced and the building declared safe by a specialis
Landlords owe a duty of care to their tenants to make sure, as far as is reasonably possible, to be sure a property is safe, both at the commencement and during the course of a tenancy. This Court of Appeal case in 26 February 2019 relates to a council tenancy, though its implic
Landlords are being warned to beware of scammers renting out parking spaces outside their properties following a expose on national radio. Landlord Simon Gallagher had to install bollards after someone began advertising his tenants driveway to commuters for �8 a day. <p i
Welsh landlords renewing their licence with Rent Smart Wales after 23rd November now need to organise regular mandatory property inspections. The new condition - introduced by Rent Smart Wales for any new landlords signing up from 1st July and any rene
A woman hoping to convert her 32-bedroom hotel into an HMO after being hit hard by Covid could spark a trend for more owners moving into the private rented sector. Andreani Ahooie, whos run the https://www.longviewhotel.com/" target="_blank" Longv
Hundreds of landlords face trying to find new tenants for their student HMOs after the University of Warwick ditched its property management scheme. Under its Head Lease Scheme, landlords signed-over their houses to the university for years at a time for guaranteed rent, which
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
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
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 - 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
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 - 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 - 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
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
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.
<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
The Possession Procedure - 1988 Housing ActThe possession procedure under Section 8 of the Housing Acts 1988 & 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
