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Hardship test “bombshell” for landlords

Hardship test “bombshell” for landlords

News

Labour’s housing minister Matthew Pennycook is said to be planning a “hardship test”

New minister says transfer from housing benefit to Universal Credit 'smooth' but expert disagrees

New minister says transfer from housing benefit to Universal Credit 'smooth' but expert disagrees

News

Claims by the new Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) minister of state Stephen Timms that the transfer of remaining housing benefit claimants to Universal Credit is being done ‘as smoothly as possible’ have been questioned by a leading expert.

Landlord fined £10,000 over failure to do £169 safety check

Landlord fined £10,000 over failure to do £169 safety check

News

Booking in a five-yearly Electrical Safety Installation Certificate (ESIC) check for your rented property often seems like one of the plethora of minor tasks on the ‘to do’ list.

Higher BTL repossessions making rental shortage worse says Law Society

Higher BTL repossessions making rental shortage worse says Law Society

News

An increase in buy-to-let repossessions is exacerbating the rental supply shortage and leaving evicted families without legal aid needed to fight their case.

'We're seeing mostly older landlords selling up' says agency boss

'We're seeing mostly older landlords selling up' says agency boss

News

An exodus of older landlords is paving the way for build-to-rent investors and younger landlords looking to capitalise on higher yield properties, according to a big estate agency boss.

Landlord property repossessions continue upward trajectory

Landlord property repossessions continue upward trajectory

News

At least 710 buy-to-let mortgaged properties were repossessed in the second quarter of the year, 13% up on the previous quarter and 51% up year-on-year.

OpenRent and Rightmove's 'war of words' ends with new deal

OpenRent and Rightmove's 'war of words' ends with new deal

News

Online lettings firm OpenRent and Rightmove have signed a new property listings deal after several weeks of corporate brinkmanship over fees.

COURTS: Time to evict a tenant jumps 15% to 25 weeks

COURTS: Time to evict a tenant jumps 15% to 25 weeks

News

The average time from claim to landlord repossession has jumped to 25.4 weeks, up from 22.1 weeks in the same period in 2023, according to the latest government figures.

'Supply of rented property thinning out, and Labour's not helping'

'Supply of rented property thinning out, and Labour's not helping'

News

Gloomy letting agents have reported a fall-off in private rentals coming onto the market around the country.

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High-profile landlord warns Energy Secretary over EPC upgrade plan

High-profile landlord warns Energy Secretary over EPC upgrade plan

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News
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Nottingham benefits landlord Mick Roberts has warned that the government’s push to get rental properties up to an EPC C by 2030 could backfire.

Labour struggling with house building – quantity as well as quality

Labour struggling with house building – quantity as well as quality

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News
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Angela Rayner’s promise to build 1.5 million new homes this Parliament is looking increasingly optimistic

BTL via Ltd company now most popular route

BTL via Ltd company now most popular route

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News
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Seven out of 10 landlords planning to buy a new rental property during the next 12 months will use a limited company structure, it has been claimed.

Landlord to repay tenants £21,000 after failing to license HMO

Landlord to repay tenants £21,000 after failing to license HMO

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News
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Four tenants have won £21,076 from their landlord who failed to explain why she hadn’t licensed her damp and cold HMO.

Rocketing leasehold charges trapping landlords with unsaleable flats

Rocketing leasehold charges trapping landlords with unsaleable flats

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News
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Many landlords are struggling to sell leasehold flats because management charges have reached astronomical levels with many now forking out £2,000 or more a year.

Housing minister reveals plans to digitise property buying and selling

Housing minister reveals plans to digitise property buying and selling

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News
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Landlords buying or selling homes will soon enjoy a smoother and quicker property transaction process after the Government announced that it is to digitise the system.

Salvation Army joins growing calls for Labour to unfreeze LHA

Salvation Army joins growing calls for Labour to unfreeze LHA

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News
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The Salvation Army has joined calls for the UK government to help prevent homelessness in Scotland by scrapping the planned freeze on Local Housing Allowance (LHA).

Labour to force landlords to achieve EPC band C minimum

Labour to force landlords to achieve EPC band C minimum

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News
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The government has confirmed its plan to force all private landlords to get their rental properties up to an EPC C – from the current EPC E – by 2030.

Renters’ Rights could scupper students’ uni plans

Renters’ Rights could scupper students’ uni plans

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Students from the UK and overseas could miss out on a university education unless the Government makes urgent changes to its Renters’ Rights Bill.

Sold 23 properties in 16 days – act before prices fall

Sold 23 properties in 16 days – act before prices fall

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Landlords, sell now before prices drop. Shauna sold 23 properties in 16 days with Landlord Sales Agency. Act fast for the best price.

Landlords still want to buy despite stamp duty hike, survey reveals

Landlords still want to buy despite stamp duty hike, survey reveals

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News
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Hikes in stamp duty rates have failed to dampened landlords’ appetite to buy more properties, a new survey has revealed.

The areas where landlords face the most challenges with deposits are revealed

The areas where landlords face the most challenges with deposits are revealed

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News
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The areas where landlords face the most challenges with deposits have been revealed, with Oxford leading the way.

Landsec rebalancing to residential signifies a growing trend…

Landsec rebalancing to residential signifies a growing trend…

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News
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Land Securities (Landsec), last week reaffirmed its intention to reduce exposure away from office developments towards higher-yielding residential assets

Landlord couple told to pay £8,748 back to five tenants

Landlord couple told to pay £8,748 back to five tenants

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News
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A landlord couple who blamed Lambeth Council’s maladministration of its online application system for their unlicensed HMO have been told to pay £8,748 back to five tenants.

Concerns raised in House of Commons about new EPC rules for landlords

Concerns raised in House of Commons about new EPC rules for landlords

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News
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Concerns have been raised in the House of Commons about the impact of new EPC regulations on landlords.

Risk to rental sector in Wales as taxes raised, Propertymark warns

Risk to rental sector in Wales as taxes raised, Propertymark warns

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News
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Letting agents have warned that stifling rental home supply in Wales through higher taxes or by landlords passing on costs to tenants could jeopardise the PRS.

Scottish First Minister warned against promoting hydrogen boilers

Scottish First Minister warned against promoting hydrogen boilers

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News
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Housing and industry groups have warned Scottish First Minister John Swinney against promoting hydrogen boilers to heat homes.

North Hants Council creates tenants’ charter to boost standard of homes

North Hants Council creates tenants’ charter to boost standard of homes

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News
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North Herts Council has created a tenants’ charter to set out the rights and responsibilities of tenants, landlords and the council, in a bid to keep private rented homes up to scratch.

Rents grow at slowest level for three and a half years

Rents grow at slowest level for three and a half years

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News
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Rents are growing at their slowest level for more than three years, but a limited supply of new rental homes will help keep prices high, it has been revealed.

Sex offender landlord banned from letting property

Sex offender landlord banned from letting property

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News
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A landlord has been banned from letting property in Edinburgh after he failed to report that he was a registered sex offender.

International Women’s Day: Elevating women in property

International Women’s Day: Elevating women in property

Opinion
News
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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.

Tenant activists insist "landlords need us”

Tenant activists insist "landlords need us”

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News
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Acorn has taken aim at private landlords again, this time questioning whether their existence is even necessary.

Ban on new leasehold flats moves closer

Ban on new leasehold flats moves closer

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News
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Government vows to finish the job of ending ‘feudal’ leasehold system in England and Wales

Rents rise and void periods shorten, reveals Goodlord

Rents rise and void periods shorten, reveals Goodlord

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News
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Average rents in England jump 4% in a year to February while voids dropped from 24 to 20 days

Younger people targeted in tenant fraud

Younger people targeted in tenant fraud

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News
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Almost three quarters of rental fraud involves young people, official data has revealed.

Book Review: Carl Bayley’s book, Shelter your Family from the Taxman: How to Save Inheritance Tax

Book Review: Carl Bayley’s book, Shelter your Family from the Taxman: How to Save Inheritance Tax

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News
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Carl Bayley is the author of more than twenty ‘Plain English’ TaxCafe published tax guides designed for the layperson and the non-specialist

Expert sounds alarm over rent arrears court decision

Expert sounds alarm over rent arrears court decision

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News
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Court ruling lets tenants challenge rent arrears from Universal Credit, risking landlords avoiding tenants on benefits, expert warns.

Big East of England town rushes in anti-HMO rules

Big East of England town rushes in anti-HMO rules

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News
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Fenland Council has introduced an immediate Article 4 Direction before its consultation in a bid to clamp down on burgeoning HMOs in Wisbech.

Northern council heralds landlord fines of £1.38 million... so far!

Northern council heralds landlord fines of £1.38 million... so far!

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News
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Landlords in County Durham have had to fork out fines totalling £1.38 million in the three years since selective licensing was introduced.

Dozens of new amendments proposed for Renters' Right Bill

Dozens of new amendments proposed for Renters' Right Bill

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News
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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 must boost rental homes supply or risk economy'

'Chancellor must boost rental homes supply or risk economy'

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News
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been warned that unless more rental properties are built her recent promise to ‘attract the best talent to the UK’ and boost economic growth will fall flat.

Build-to-rent giant celebrates as landlords exit student sector

Build-to-rent giant celebrates as landlords exit student sector

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News
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Private HMO landlords leaving the sector have created a shortage of student housing, according to Unite Students, which boasts that it can help fill the gap with purpose-built student accommodation.

Labour rejects new calls for rent controls

Labour rejects new calls for rent controls

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News
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The government has repeated its rejection of “heavy handed” rent controls despite pressure from peers in the House of Lords.

Northern city to clamp down on 'too many' HMOs

Northern city to clamp down on 'too many' HMOs

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News
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Preston Council has proposed new powers to reject HMO applications amid fears that the city is already being over-run by shared homes.