The large herbaceous perennial with its bamboo-like appearance became infamous in Britain for its threat to buildings. Its rapid growth, its size and most importantly the damage it can do, made it the villain of the horticultural world, and it became feared by property owners and mortgag
Four years after it was launched, the number on the Rogue Landlord database has only crept up to 61 out of the thousands claimed to be operating within the private rental sector, the latest government figures show. Asked by opposition MP Gill Furniss to provide an update, Housin
Flat owners (leaseholders) only own their leasehold property for a fixed period of time and during that period they pay ground rent and service charges to the freeholder (landlord). Theres always a long-lease agreement, a detailed legal tenancy agremeent between the leasehold
Luton Council has finally got its act together and revealed blanket HMO licensing for the town after a number of false starts over the last few years. HMOs of any size will now need a licence under its additional scheme which launches on 1st April, while all privately rented pro
The Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 provides a right for leaseholders to acquire the freehold landlords management functions by transfer to a company set up by them the Right To Manage (RTM) company. The thinking behind the right was to empower leaseholders. The
Appeal Court judges have found in favour of the landlord in the landmark case of Northwood Solihull v Fearn & Ors, preventing a potentially huge logistical headache for landlords and letting agents. The judges ruled that any authorised employee of a landlord or letting agent
In an apparent re-run of Harold Wilsons 1970s investment income tax surcharge, Labour plan to re-introduce such an additional layer of tax to what is termed unearned income�. The Wilson Labour government applied an investment income surcharge of 15% and kept the top rate
According to a recent report by estate agents Hamptons, over the last four years the number of landlords operating their buy to let business through a limited company has doubled. There were 47,400 new buy-to-let companies incorporated in 2021 right across the UK, the figures be
Landlords and letting agents will soon be able to carry out quicker https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/updated-advice-for-landlords-on-right-to-rent-checks-due-in-new-year/" right to rent checks on British and Irish citizens. From 6th April, Identification Do
An energy expert has sought to reassure landlords that they may not need to spend huge sums retrofitting their properties to raise EPC ratings at least not in the short term. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type- " data-rt-type="" data-rt-align=""><div><img src="https://upload
Just as residential landlords are contemplating the costs of bringing older properties up to the proposed new standard - very likely EPC band C� required by December 2025 - so too are commercial landlords.<br> See: https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/compulsory-epc
Compulsory EPC band C by 2025 causing confusion There have been recent confusing reports put out that from 2025, all newly rented properties in England & Wales will be required to have an EPC rating of band C or above. This is somewhat misleading and jum
LandlordZONE sits down with one of Londons most prolific but little-known landlords who has spent 30 years amassing a huge portfolio in the East End and West End areas of the capital. For reasons of privacy, and a desire to remain behind the scenes, he doesnt want to
So, we ended 2021 after twenty-one months since the first Covid lockdown with the new variant, Omicron, spreading fast, and with Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland putting in stricter measures and speculation that England may follow with an announcement early in the New Year.
An example of the difficulty of prediction is the conclusion to a detailed study recently published on the private rented sector by the London School of Economics (a study commissioned by the NRLA) Individually and cumulatively, the recent tax changes
A lettings agency boss and landlord has been slapped with a �40,700 Rent Repayment Officer despite claiming that his failure to licence an HMO was an honest mistake. A First Tier Property Tribunal handed five former tenants the maximum award for the period from September 2019 t
Scotland’s Housing Bill proposes rent controls, winter eviction bans, pet rights & tougher eviction penalties in private sector overhaul.
Bristol has approved plans to extend landlord licensing in Brislington West, Bedminster and Horfield wards in a bid to raise PRS standards. The scheme includes additional licensing - HMOs with three or more unrelated people sharing facilities and selective licensing - privat
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
Rent arrears fell by 12% to £1,861 in Q2 2025 marking the first year-on-year decline in a second quarter since 2021.
Rent rises are easing across the UK official data has revealed this morning but experts warn that the private rental market continues to suffer from a
A council in the north of England has been accused of an ‘abuse of power’ after introducing an ‘immediate' article 4 direction for HMOs.
Homes within the private rented sector aren’t the poor relation portrayed by tenant groups when it comes to energy efficiency
More leading figures and organisations have backed a campaigner's attempt to persuade Labour to U-turn on pet insurance.
Barrister and TV personality Rob Rinder has got behind RentGuarantor as the firm’s new brand ambassador.
Coventry Council has handed out £278,782 in landlord fines so far this year, including prosecutions, financial penalties and rent repayment orders.
Slump in buying due to confidence dented by regulatory uncertainty, higher borrowing costs and slower house price growth, says Dwelly.
Letting agents have urged Hackney Council to rethink licensing schemes that risk increasing rents and pushing smaller landlords out.
Whatever initiative governments have tried so far, nothing seems to be working for Britain’s high streets
The NRLA has teamed up with online student and graduate lettings platform Hybr
Shelter warns that nearly 1,000 households are to be “marched out of their homes” by bailiffs every month.
More than a third of landlords now avoid investing in flats because of leasehold-related issues or complex building management.
Latest official figures show that despite fewer landlords evicting overall across the nation, 'time to evict' continues to take longer and longer.
Landlords have urged the government to amend the Renters’ Rights Bill to protect vital student housing.
The majority of tenants in England and Wales get most or all of their deposit back when they move out, new data shows.
Prafula Kopp, who lives in the same development where Rushanara Ali owns an HMO, says the real story has not been told.
Deposits should be lodged with a single, not-for-profit organisation, the campaigning group has claimed.
Surveying trade organisation says its estate agent members have reported weakest supply of rented homes since 2020.
Landlord pain, tenant gain scenario where a High Court ruling has allowed River Island to impose a restructuring plan
Tom Darling says landlords should not be able to evict tenants to sell a property under any circumstance.
MPs have been urged to help get landlords involved in a campaign to raise awareness about damp and mould.
A new poll of landlords has found that 87% make a profit on their properties despite spending a fifth of their gross rental income on property repairs
A thinktank director has said Labour's renting reforms will put many landlords off investing in the private rented sector.
Senior Tory figure David Gauke says Government should be concentrating on building more homes to rent, and ignore calls for rent controls.
