Winter Condensation: Its that time of year again, a time when tenants are most likely to complain about the mould appearing in those corners of the property where the walls and ceilings are really cold, and hot air with moisture always rises to the top. If its black mo
Tax Relief: Starting from 6th April 2017, those landlords with mortgages will have tax relief on their buy-to-let mortgage costs gradually reduce over a 4-year period.Many landlords dont have a mortgage (up to 50% it is said), so this change does not affect them, but many
Rent Arrears: At this time of year, soon after the Christmas spending spree, inevitably rent payments begin to suffer. If you are having problems with rent arrears, this article should help.As in most areas of life,prevention is better than cure . To re
Tax Return 2016-2017: As a general rule, and as outlined in the previous articles in this series on tax returns, landlords can claim the expenses of running and maintaining their rental properties.If the rent you charge includes additional services like water, or council tax
Tax Return 2016-17: With some costs its very easy to decide: a repair to a drain, downspout or roof tile are all allowable expenses, but what about replacing a broken single glazed window with a new plastic frame and double glazing, what about decorating and installing a
Penetrating damp, just as its name implies, is where water leaks into a building from outside the structure, through the walls or roof. Less common is where an internal leak from a water or drain pipe leaks into the structure of the building.Common causes of penetrating damp are: <ul <l
Fire Regulations in Rentals: There are several regulations relating to fire safety within rental dwellings; some affect all dwellings whereas others apply mainly to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO).This looks complicated, but fire safety management in reality boils down t
Damp & Mould: You may have seen or heard of the 1970s TV series Rising Damp, which featured a landlord and his tenants (lodgers in this case) which rather implies that all rental properties are troubled with this kind of damp.Far from the case, but some are. In fact the
Renting Standards: Specialist residential property solicitor Amanda Sutcliffe of Bray & Bray looks at the importance of keeping a rental property in good condition.Research conducted by Endsleigh Insurance and TrustMark claimed that over 75% of landlords s
Sub-Letting Licenses: (SOLITAIRE) LIMITED Appellant and CHERRY LILIAN NORTON and other cases [2012]Landlords of leasehold buy-to-let flats are often asked to pay a fee (sub-letting licence or registration fee) to the freeholder when seeking permission to sub-let their flat,
Validity of Section 21 Notice: Amak Property Investments v Laura Sonny [2016]This case was an appeal by the tenant following a county court judgement relating to the validity of a s21 notice on the basis that the landlord had not complied with the deposit protection (MyDepo
Essential guide to rent reviews: why reading the lease is crucial for landlords and tenants to navigate rent adjustments effectively.
Tenant Agreement: The Law of Property Act 1925 talks about having a maximum of 4 tenants on an agreement. So what to do when you have 5, 6 or more tenants sharing a house?There is a common misunderstanding of the rules here. Landlords and agents sometimes think or have heard
Advance Rent: Piggot v Slaven and Johnson v. OldThere are two important cases which clarify (though not necessarily decisively) the position on landlords accepting rent payments in advance. One concerns the accepting of the final two months rent in advance, a common devi
Following some confusion and debate about a deferral for the new standards following the MEES* deadline in April 2018, the new government has confirmed that changes to the EPC rules, preventing landlords from renting out homes below rating E, will definitely be introduced from April 2018.Accordin
Responsibility for Repairs: Who is responsible and who is obliged to pay for repairs to leasehold blocks and flats? What is the procedure if repairs are unnecessarily delayed or not carried out to the leaseholders satisfaction? What is the Section 20 procedure?T
Essential guide on how to conduct a rent review, covering key clauses and best practices to protect landlord and tenant interests.
Test Case Yeomans v Newell [2016]:When a landlord is in breach of the tenancy deposit rules he or she is prevented from serving a valid s21 notice for possession proceedings. Despite the fact that the tenancy deposit legislation has been in force since April 2007, landlords
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
Polystyrene Ceiling Tiles - is it legal to have these tiles in the kitchen of a rental property?</h2> There are currently no regulations specifically banning the use of polystyrene ceiling tiles in existing rented property.However, it is unlikely that local authority fire officers and en
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
Two landlord brothers have been fined £20,000 and put on the rogue landlord database after failing to license their overcrowded HMO.
Letting agents have been warned to heed legal changes that will impact their dealings with tenants and landlords.
Landlords struggling to get their properties back have been urged to consider enforcing their judgments through the High Court.
UK Finance has warned that mortgaged landlords’ properties won’t reach EPC C until between 2037 and 2043 – way off the expected 2030 target.
The Bank of England has cut interest rates to 4.25% from 4.5% in a boost to landlord borrowing.
Sefton Council has been rapped on the knuckles for wrongly advising a tenant he could stay put, despite knowing it could not prevent an eviction.
Landlords owe a duty of care to their tenants, in particular to protect them from injuries caused by any defects in the rental property
Letting agents have warned that introducing rent controls for purpose-built student accommodation in Scotland will have a “chilling” effect on investment.
A new coalition in the capital aims to accelerate the removal of unsafe cladding on residential buildings over 11 metres.
The government has rejected calls to introduce an additional pet damage deposit as part of the Renters’ Rights Bill.
Starmer’s migrant housing scheme and incoming legislation are pushing landlords to rethink their strategy. With market prices still high, smart landlords are selling underperforming properties now to reinvest later when prices drop. Landlord Sales Agency offers a fast, profitable way to sell and sta
Exempting build-to-rent developers from future rent controls in Scotland could result in a two-tier market and an unworkable system.
The government has been urged to clamp down on central London’s short let sector after new research found at least half were being rented out unlawfully.
A proposed 2030 deadline won’t give landlords time to get their properties to EPC C and could cause them to quit, according to Paragon Bank.
A landlord who failed to license his unsafe and overcrowded HMO has failed in his bid to have a £11,000 fine dismissed.
Energy costs are a major concern for landlords and tenants. Save on energy consumption and make your tenants’ homes more comfortable
A leading London council has revealed plans to clamp down on HMOs and the ‘fly tipping’ and rubbish their residents create, and has pointed the finger at both landlords and letting agents for not doing enough to stop the problem.
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook has hinted that extra powers to stop holiday lets and second homes may be needed - including planning permission.
Westminster City Council has launched a tenants’ charter aimed at helping private renters better understand their rights, improve living standards, and access support services.
A Portsmouth landlord has launched an online petition in a bid to stop councils using heavy-handed criteria when designing selective licensing schemes.
Private landlords are being offered attractive letting and leasing deals by the Royal Borough of Greenwich in a bid to tackle its housing crisis.
Landlords could get more choice about what type of energy efficient upgrades they fit in their properties under the government’s Warm Homes Plan.
HMRC has made the unusual step of warning landlords not to use widely-routed tax avoidance schemes which it says are being marketed to buy-to-let investors as a way to save Capital Gains Tax.
A whopping 69% of renters haven’t heard of the Renters’ Rights Bill and 75% don’t understand how it might impact them, a new survey has revealed.
The Renters' Rights Bill is set to to overhaul the eviction process, with bailiffs increasingly under pressure.
