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Government adds thousands of HMOs to energy bills support scheme

Government adds thousands of HMOs to energy bills support scheme

News

The government has announced support for thousands more households including tenants living in HMOs - to help pay their energy bills. Households without a direct relationship to an electricity supplier are covered by thehttps://www.gov.uk/get-help-energy-bills/getti

Council wins �1m funding for HMO improvements

Council wins �1m funding for HMO improvements

News

As part of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) levelling up� fund the money is to be used by the council to work proactively and engage with landlords�, in particular with those landlords who rent out houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) and own con

Bailiffs accused of confusing vulnerable tenants with 'lookalike' police outfits

Bailiffs accused of confusing vulnerable tenants with 'lookalike' police outfits

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Private bailiffs dressed in stab vests, wearing bodycams and driving white vans covered in fluorescent police-style trim have been accused of confusing vulnerable tenants, a housing charity warns. Safer Renting is worried it is becoming a growing problem after stepping in during

'Why won't Government regulate agents like it does social housing managers?'

'Why won't Government regulate agents like it does social housing managers?'

News

Property expert Kate Faulkner (main pic) says new rules to introduce professional qualifications for social housing managers are a slap in the face for the PRS� after years of lobbying for similar standards. The government has a

Rent cap in Scotland could cut supply and raise rents

Rent cap in Scotland could cut supply and raise rents

News

Scottish rent cap removal and Gwynedd's Article 4 Direction spark landlord concerns over housing supply and market stability.

Official �3 million evictions mediation service 'offered too late' to landlords

Official �3 million evictions mediation service 'offered too late' to landlords

News

A paltry nine cases were mediated in the governments pilot Rental Mediation Service - nowhere near the 3,000 cases it expected, it has been revealed. The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Minister of Justice had hoped that the pilot, which offered te

Half of landlords unaware of boiler upgrade scheme, expert warns parliament

Half of landlords unaware of boiler upgrade scheme, expert warns parliament

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Landlords and letting agents need more information and financial help if the Boiler Upgrade Scheme is to succeed, according to Propertymark. In its evidence to the Lords Built Environment Committee inquiry into the scheme, the group says 48% of Propertymar

Test Case: enforcing legal protections for leaseholders

Test Case: enforcing legal protections for leaseholders

News

New leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act 2022 came into force on 28 June 2022, with new financial protections for leaseholders in buildings above 11 metres or five storeys, those with historical safety defects. The new Building Safety Act 2022 was introduced follow

OPINION: It's time Facebook took action to stop rent scams on Marketplace

OPINION: It's time Facebook took action to stop rent scams on Marketplace

Opinion

Facebook is facing mounting calls to more effectively police its Marketplace classified listings platform after numerous investigations by national media outlets. The most recent was last night (23rd February)https://www.itv.com/news/channel/2023-02-23/prolific-scammer-

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OPINION: Landlords and agents had a chance to avoid licensing, and blew it

OPINION: Landlords and agents had a chance to avoid licensing, and blew it

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It is not unusual to hearletting agents and their landlord clients complaining that operating within theprivate rented sector is has become increasingly tangled with red tape.

WARNING: Money lost to 'investment scams' rises to £144 million

WARNING: Money lost to 'investment scams' rises to £144 million

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The public has been warned to be vigilant following a new report that shows the number of people relieved of their savings by ‘investment scams’ has increased by value for the first time since 2021, reaching £144 million.

'Blue-rinse' seaside resort seeks to restrict number of HMOs

'Blue-rinse' seaside resort seeks to restrict number of HMOs

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The borough council’s planning committee will vote on whether to introduce an Article 4 direction next week.

Council secures criminal conviction for landlord over unlicensed HMO

Council secures criminal conviction for landlord over unlicensed HMO

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A West Sussex landlord has been prevented from letting out HMOs after he admitted operating an unlicensed property.

Landlords WILL be allowed to raise rents to pay for EPC upgrades

Landlords WILL be allowed to raise rents to pay for EPC upgrades

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Despite Energy Secretary Ed Miliband’s insistence that rents hadn’t increased when standards were raised during previous initiatives, Justice Minister Sarah Sackman has now said there are grounds for “higher market rents”.

Landlord £10,000 out of pocket as DWP rules complicated payments

Landlord £10,000 out of pocket as DWP rules complicated payments

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A tenant has built up more than £10,000 in rent arrears after the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) refused to accept her landlord’s word that the rent had increased.

Number of planning permissions for HMOs declines across UK

Number of planning permissions for HMOs declines across UK

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Report from digital planning portal suggests public fight-back against HMOs and higher taxes for landlords are beginning to bite.

US activist urges British tenants to withhold rents and resist 'despotic landlords'

US activist urges British tenants to withhold rents and resist 'despotic landlords'

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Radical renting campaigners have written a new book that aims to inspire the end of UK landlords’ “despotic control” over tenants.

Famous seaside town plans enlarged £784 landlord licensing scheme

Famous seaside town plans enlarged £784 landlord licensing scheme

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The Norfolk seaside town of Great Yarmouth has revealed plans to introduce a five-year selective licensing scheme for rented properties in three key wards.

Number of new tenancies agreed increases, Propertymark reveals

Number of new tenancies agreed increases, Propertymark reveals

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The average number of new tenancies agreed per lettings agent branch climbed to around eight in the first month of this year, a new report has revealed

Rogue landlords face revised penalties of up to £30,000 per offence, Haringey Council warns

Rogue landlords face revised penalties of up to £30,000 per offence, Haringey Council warns

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Haringey Council has introduced tougher fines for errant landlords in a bid to raise housing standards across the London borough.

Shrinking pool of rental homes continues to drive up rents, reports RICS

Shrinking pool of rental homes continues to drive up rents, reports RICS

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A shrinking pool of rental properties continued to drive up rents last month, despite reduced demand from tenants

Rental homes that aren’t up to scratch are under increased threat

Rental homes that aren’t up to scratch are under increased threat

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Private landlords whose properties aren’t up to scratch face a significant increase in pressure and threat when the Decent Home Standard kicks in.

Tenants urged by housing minister to challenge unfair rents

Tenants urged by housing minister to challenge unfair rents

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Tenants are being urged by the housing minister to challenge unfair rent increases.

Parents as landlords strain family relationships

Parents as landlords strain family relationships

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The ‘parent landlord’ phenomenon has caused increasing numbers of adult children to put a strain on family life, a new survey finds.

Student landlords urged to review contract accuracy

Student landlords urged to review contract accuracy

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Student landlords have been warned their existing contracts won’t be entirely accurate once the Renters’ Rights Bill takes effect after the summer.

Small landlords could soon be replaced, warns top property lawyer

Small landlords could soon be replaced, warns top property lawyer

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Small landlords with one or two properties could end up being replaced by larger portfolio or corporate landlords as part of the Government’s push to improve standards, according to a top property lawyer.

NAEA warns of unintended consequences of rental auctions

NAEA warns of unintended consequences of rental auctions

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The agent’s professional body NAEA Propertymark has raised concerns about the running of the rental auctions scheme

One in four households pay four times more for heat

One in four households pay four times more for heat

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Energy study finds one in four households pay more by avoiding central heating.

Empty homes rather than holiday lets should be targeted by the Government

Empty homes rather than holiday lets should be targeted by the Government

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Empty homes should be targeted by the Government, rather than punishing the short-let sector, a holiday let firm has argued.

Less than 10% of rentals pet-friendly, says Zero Deposit

Less than 10% of rentals pet-friendly, says Zero Deposit

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Less than one in ten rental properties currently on the market are pet-friendly, new research has revealed.

Tenant disputes reach highest level in five years, new research from FCC Paragon suggests

Tenant disputes reach highest level in five years, new research from FCC Paragon suggests

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Tenants lodged an estimated 47,405 disputes across the PRS in 2024, a 13% increase on the previous year and the highest number in the past five years.

Average rents in England rise to £1,213 in March

Average rents in England rise to £1,213 in March

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The Government has vowed that “seismic reforms” in its new Planning and Infrastructure Bill will help get families out of temporary accommodation.

Rents in purpose-built student accommodation continue to outpace HMOs

Rents in purpose-built student accommodation continue to outpace HMOs

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Rents in purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) continue to outpace HMOs, with foreign students particularly bolstering their growth.

Renting costs more than buying a home, Zoopla data reveals

Renting costs more than buying a home, Zoopla data reveals

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First-time buyers are paying 20% less a month on their mortgage payments compared to what tenants pay in rent, new figures have revealed.

Landlord slams lender after it sends letters to his tenants showing monthly mortgage payments

Landlord slams lender after it sends letters to his tenants showing monthly mortgage payments

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Nottingham benefits landlord Mick Roberts has slammed Barclays after it sent letters to 22 of his tenants, listing his monthly payments and erroneously alerting them that he is in mortgage arrears.

Rogue landlord duo hit with £90,000 fines after e-bike fire

Rogue landlord duo hit with £90,000 fines after e-bike fire

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A rogue landlord duo has been fined more than £90,000 for safety offences that led to the death of one of their tenants in a fire.

Rogue landlords are not always who they seem…

Rogue landlords are not always who they seem…

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Not all poor housing standards are in the private sector, many social landlords have problems reaching the new higher standards

House prices dip as buyers brace for higher stamp duty

House prices dip as buyers brace for higher stamp duty

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House prices dipped by 0.1% in February, but annual growth held steady at 2.9%, with the cost of an average property down £213 to £298,602.

Letting agents urge peers to listen to their concerns ahead of the Renters’ Rights Bill committee stage in the House of Lords

Letting agents urge peers to listen to their concerns ahead of the Renters’ Rights Bill committee stage in the House of Lords

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Letting agents have urged peers to listen to their concerns ahead of the Renters’ Rights Bill committee stage in the House of Lords.

More councils will launch selective licensing if 20/20 rule is ditched, legal expert warns

More councils will launch selective licensing if 20/20 rule is ditched, legal expert warns

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A legal expert has warned that ditching the 20/20 rule around selective licensing will prompt more councils to launch or expand schemes.

Tenants complain less about their landlords in reality, new survey suggests

Tenants complain less about their landlords in reality, new survey suggests

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Tenants complain less about their landlords in reality, a new survey has suggested.

Rent campaigners block bailiffs from evicting disabled man from home

Rent campaigners block bailiffs from evicting disabled man from home

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Protesters have managed to block bailiffs from evicting a couple who had been handed a Section 21 notice.

Tenants reveal how they feel about renting in Total Property’s survey

Tenants reveal how they feel about renting in Total Property’s survey

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Only 17% of tenants feel more supported by the Labour Government than they did under the Tories, despite the ambitions of the Renters’ Rights Bill, while the same number feel less supported.