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
A lobbying group for renters’ rights is hoping to persuade MPs to make the Government’s renting reform legislation regulated landlords even harder.
Investors, business owners, landlords and pension savers were braced for a painful attack on their assets, gains and savings
The Scottish Government has announced a new inflation-linked rent cap in its Housing Bill in a bid to balance supporting tenants with protecting landlords’ property rights.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has slammed the Stamp Duty rise for landlords, warning that tenants will suffer as a result of the Budget announcement.
Landlords should be encouraged to renovate and repurpose their empty properties to help resolve the housing crisis, according to one landlord.
A landlord has failed in a bizarre attempt to withhold her tenant’s deposit by billing hundreds of pounds for writing letters and taking photographs.
The government’s decision to freeze housing benefit rates next year, leaving private tenants facing financial hardship, has been labelled “nonsensical”.
After a huge amount of speculation in the press we can finally report what the new Labour Government has decided to do (and not to do) on the tax front
Landlords will face an additional average charge of more than £7,000 from tomorrow when buying a property thanks to an uplift in Stamp Duty charges.
Landlords in Northumbria have been urged to check their properties regularly for cannabis farms following two deaths as the result of a dangerous drug lab.
The average house price of a home in Britain fell 0.5%in March -a drop of £1,575 - putting the average property price at £296,699.
Tax changes have stemmed the flow of overseas house hunters seeking a buy-to-let property or second home in the last five years.
Denial of receipt of notices is a recurring theme on the landlord-tenant landscape. This landmark case clarifies matters.
Landlords packed the National Landlord Investment Show in London, sounding the alarm over the game-changing Renters Rights Bill. With no-fault evictions on the chopping block, experts warn that the bill could cripple landlords with skyrocketing legal costs and a loss of control over their properties
Trickle vents can be one of the best ways to combat damp and mould, according to one architect who explains why houses are getting damper, ahead of Awaab’s Law.
A Labour MP has reiterated calls in the House of Commons this week for a short-lets registration scheme.
More communication and speedier repairs would improve the relationship between tenants and landlords rather than more regulation, a new industry survey has revealed.
UK rental stock stagnant at 5.5M since 2016; small landlords exit, while larger, mortgage-free investors dominate, shifting market dynamics.
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has predicted “confusion and chaos” unless the Government gives landlords sufficient time to adjust to new reforms.
Temporary restrictions on rent increases in the Scottish private rented sector have led to a more than eightfold increase in renters challenging rent hikes.
Landlords in Northern Ireland face large fines if they don’t comply with electrical safety rules introduced this week.
Tom Entwistle reflects on the Spring Statement which he says was not so much an emergency budget, more an update on the state of the economy with a few tweaks.
Financial experts have greeted resurgent buy-to-let market data with caution, suggesting that larger wealthier landlords are simply taking a bigger share of the sector.
The average price of a rental property in England rose for the third month in a row to £1,213 in March, it has been revealed.
Investors can snap up prime central London properties at historic discounts equivalent to those seen in the early 1990s, according to new research by Savills.
Half of private renters either don’t have contents insurance or don’t know what it is, leaving them financially vulnerable to theft, damage, or loss.
Only 2.5% of private rented properties listed in England were affordable for people on housing benefit between April and October last year according to Crisis, down from 12% in 2021 to 22.
A billionaire landlord has been ordered to repay tenants £263,555 for operating two East London buildings as unlicensed HMOs.
House price growth remained steady last month, but is expected to soften in the coming months as the stamp duty holiday comes to an end.
More than a third of landlords plan to offload some of their rental properties in the next 12 months, according to a new survey.
Letting agents have urged Scottish lawmakers not to repeat the mistake of restricting rents that has ultimately increased costs for tenants.
Almost £13million a week was raised in property taxes for the Scottish Government, new analysis has revealed.
Student rents could surge following the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Bill, say landlords, who have warned that it also discriminates against foreign students.
Landlords could face a hike in Capital Gains Tax (CGT) if the economy dips before the Autumn Budget, the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) has warned.
