The government has finally updated the guidance it provides to property assessors on how to calculate EPCs for new homes and, in six months time, for existing homes too. This is the first time the methodologies of calculation have been updated for almost ten years for t
A professional landlord has scored a partial win against his council fines for charges relating to gas safety inspections. Mahendra Maharaj , who owns 78 properties in Liverpool, had been fined �9,000 by the city council a decision confirmed by a First
Boris Johnsons pledge to reform the housing market will see the government launching a dusted-off version of David Camerons right to buy scheme for social housing in order to turn the tables on private landlords, his housing secretary Michael Gove has suggested. During a s
The self-employed who took advantage of the multi-billion pound self-employed income support scheme (SEIS), claiming grants they were not entitled to, when they were either not trading at all, or their profits did not fall within the specified limits, are now being asked to pay the money ba
Experts discuss the implications of abolishing Section 21 evictions, including potential delays, increased court burdens, and impacts on tenant mobili
While in England the housing minister Eddie Hughes has just https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/breaking-minister-confirms-government-will-not-consider-rent-controls-in-england/" target="_blank" ruled out rent controls , in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Irish R
Weve all heard the expression, ignorance of the law is no excuse� and this applies without question in all areas of the law. But in some rare instances it seems the courts and tribunals are open to accepting a defence of what is termed reasonable excuse even when the regulatio
Nottingham benefits landlord Mick Roberts (main picture) has made another bid to sell 40 of his properties by offering to cut the sale price by a tenth if a landlord buyer keeps his existing tenants on. The regular LandlordZONE contributor has previously suggested https
Landlords have been warned to check a propertys potential status if their tenant wants to offer Ukrainian refugees a spare room. Updated guidance on the rules around the Homes for Ukraine scheme outlines that where a private tenant is paying rent for their accommodation, the
The Welsh government has announced a five-and-a-half-month delay to the introduction of its controversial Renting Homes Act which had been due to go live on 15th July this year. Now postponed until 1st December, housing minister Julie James says
Landlords are required to conform to the safety and environmental rules set-out in these regulations so its important you understand the law regarding the building regulations. The rules are in place to ensure that buildings meet a certain standard of safety to protect residents and memb
Landlords in Wales who rent out self-catering accommodation will no longer be able to dodge council tax under new and tighter rules announced by the Welsh government. In its bid to crack down on the impact many holiday lets and second homes are having on communities and the Wels
A staggering 71% of all landlords reported having at least one tenant in arrears due to the pandemic, according to the latest English Private Landlord Survey . Nearly a third (29%) were lucky not to have any, but landlords with one property most commonly ha
Landlords in England have since October 2015 been required to install carbon monoxide alarms in their residential rented accommodation where a solid fuel solid fuel heating appliance was fitted. This would include all open fireplaces that were available to be used, that is where
With rental growth in prime London offices set to outpace the rest of the country, the doom mongers predicting permanent working from home (WFH) and office flight have so far, it seems, been on the wrong tack. Quarter 1, 2022 has seen rent returns rise as UK commercial property
The government has today officially opened its Boiler Upgrade Scheme for applications including those from private landlords. Operated by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy , it offers applicants it offers gra
One of the UKs most notorious property investment fraudsters has been jailed for six years after a court heard how he swindled investors out of �592,000. 42-year-old father of three John Keats-Ormandy persuaded eight people to invest in his scheme by claiming he had a portfo
Brighton and Hoves Green Party is pushing for rent controls in the city where its now the most expensive place to rent outside the capital. The https://www.brightonhovegreens.org/" target="_blank" Green-controlled council, with Lab
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 Application Form You should always use a comprehensive Tenancy Application Form when taking on a new tenant. You need a completed application for each adult tenant in the property.The Tenancy application form is a very important starting point for any residential or comm
Landlords searching for buy-to-let mortgages could benefit from President Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs, which have sparked a drop in mortgage rates.
The number of build-to-rent (BTR) homes in the UK has jumped by 173% in the past five years as investment in the sector hit a record high in 2024.
Scottish Government insists rent controls protect landlords’ property rights
Almost half of landlords prefer to buy a doer-upper property, new research has revealed.
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 react to Renters’ Rights Bill with fears over impact on property investments.
An architect explains why houses are damper and says trickle vents are among the best ways to combat damp and mould ahead of Awaab’s Law
A Labour MP has reiterated calls in the House of Commons this week for a short-lets registration scheme.
LRG survey finds tenants prioritise faster repairs over new rental regulations.
UK rental stock stagnant at 5.5M since 2016; small landlords exit, while larger, mortgage-free investors dominate, shifting market dynamics.
Landlords must be given time to adjust to changes introduced by the Renters' Rights Bill.
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.
BTL data surge reveals wealthier, larger landlords expanding portfolios amid market recovery.
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 rented homes in England are affordable for tenants on housing benefit, reveals housing crisis report.
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.
