A rental property compliance service has pitched into the debate over whether the nation’s landlord licencing schemes are fair or, given the looming Renters (Reform) Bill proposals, needed.
There is a growing consensus that mortgage interest rates will soon be heading south as house sales show signs of gaining momentum.
A would-be student tenant has accused a landlord of making homophobic rules before agreeing to a house viewing.
Rebel Tory MPs who lobbied for amendments to the Renters (Reform) Bill have received £450,000 in donations and earnings linked to landlords since the last general election, according to an investigation by the i newspaper.
Landlords in a big Midlands city have been warned that they must apply for a licence for their properties by April 9th or face an additional £200 hike in the £1,090 cost of each three-year licence.
Here Tom Entwistle digests some of this argument and makes a few comments of his own - join in the argument
The Government has been moved to reassure Tory MPs that its Renters (Reform) Bill will not damage the private rented sector following the leaking of a letter by housing minister Jacob Young.
The Prince of Wales is working with private landlords to help prevent and reduce homelessness in the UK, it has been revealed.
The Scottish coalition Government has finally revealed its plans for the private rented sector including permanent rent controls, new rights to keep pets, decorate rented homes and stronger protection against eviction.
A man has been dubbed “the world’s strictest landlord” for telling would-be tenants that they can’t have anyone staying the night have a drink.
A housing management company has been fined £30,000 after an escape route at its HMO was found to be padlocked shut and blocked by a large shipping container.
The government has launched a cross-party inquiry into how the experience of buying and selling homes could be improved in England.
A group of landlords in Birmingham are spearheading an innovative trial of new technology designed to help them comply with local licencing and other regulatory requirements.
Peers debating the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill were almost unanimous in their belief that it doesn’t go far enough to protect leaseholders.
Burnley Council is set to get tougher on landlords converting the town’s properties into HMOs.
Utilita Energy has stepped up to become LandlordZONEone’s official energy partner, and is on a mission to spend the next 12 months putting landlords on the energy efficiency front foot.
Are you aware of the risks that commonly used devices in homes, workplaces, on our dives and garages now pose?
The Government has announced its intention to scrap Section 21 notices for eviction in an effort to offer tenants more long-term security.
Commercial: A new set of mandatory rules introduced from 1stApril 2019 and though the document itself is titled a first edition, itsupersedes 3 previous editions published as codes of practice. The RICS (Royal Institution of Ch
Security: Renovating a buy-to-let property can be a great way for landlords to increase the rental income
Abandonment: When times get hard the instances of tenants leaving without notice are known to increase. Doing a runner�, skipping� moonlight flitting� walking away� or gone away� and in the words of the immortal song;
Tenancy Deposits: According to TDS (Tenancy Deposit Scheme) less than 1% (0.85%) of tenancies they handle have resulted in a deposit dispute in the year to March 2018, nevertheless its important to get it right when dealing with tenants' deposits.Cleaning was the most com
Viewpoint by Tom Entwistle As winter approaches outside temperatures drop and the perennial landlords problem of winter condensation and black mould rear their ugly heads again.The question is, how do you know if this is caused by the building or the tenant, or is it a co
Landlords' Tax: Internet sites, such as AirBnB, have increased the number of landlords letting to lodgers and to guests on short stays. There are specific tax benefits to this type of letting business which are expanded upon below.Furnished holiday letting</st
Section 21: Most tenancies will never require the service of a Section 21, Housing Act 1988, (eviction) notice. However, on those occasions when it does become necessary, and you just never know, landlords (and agents) will thank their lucky starts they complied with the rul
Asbestos:Asbestos regulations were last updated in 2012 , bringing the UK in line with EU regulations, which means the current regulations have been in place long enough for most
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
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,
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
<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
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
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
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
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
Letting and residential property fully furnished, part-furnished or unfurnished in England & 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
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
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
Running a Successful Bed & Breakfast Guest HouseRunning a successful Bed & Breakfast Business from the comfort of your own home has many advantages and rewards as far as being self employed is concerned:</
Taking in a LodgerIf you're considering taking a lodger there are some important things to think about first. Most of its common sense, but its a good idea plan carefully and get things right.[list type='3'] <ul <li Taking in Lodgers is a good way to earn extr
Obtaining Possession Using Section 8 NoticesThis article explains how to gain possession of your residential rental property using the Section 8 procedure.Section 8 is a breach of contract court procedure.There are 17 grounds for possession listed in the Housing Acts 1988 & 199
How do I Ensure Notice Dates are Correct?Landlords and letting agents, at various times during a tenancy, may need to serve legal notices on their tenants.It is vital that not only do you complete and serve the notice in such as way that it is valid, but that you can
Obtaining Possession - Section 21 Notices: This article explains how to gain possession of your residential rental property in the most efficient way. You may just want your property back for your own use, or to sell, or you may be having problems with the tenant, such as re
