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Birmingham introduces city-wide HMO restrictions

Birmingham introduces city-wide HMO restrictions

News

Article 4 direction : Birmingham CityCouncil is introducing a city-wide direction for houses in multipleoccupation (HMOs) from 8 June 2020. An Article 4planning direction means that planning approval will be required forthe conversion of a famil

Capital gains 'Letting Relief'� rule change from April...

Capital gains 'Letting Relief'� rule change from April...

News

Capital Gains Tax: Owners of second homes and buy-to-lets that they have previously lived in should be aware that as from April 2020 the tax relief period allowed against capital against tax (CGT) will be reduced. As it is a present,when you se

Terminating a Letting Agent's Contract

Terminating a Letting Agent's Contract

Information

Letting Agent Contracts: One common question asked by landlords is, "how do I terminate my relationship with my letting agent?"For one reason or another, landlords sometimes wish to end their relationship with their letting agent and want to know how to go about it.Requests

Labour plans would challenge buy-to-let investors and second-home owners...

Labour plans would challenge buy-to-let investors and second-home owners...

News

General Election: Part of Laboursbid to be elected on 12th December is a raft of taxraising measures aimed at buy-to-let landlords and second homeowners. Jeremy CorbynsLabour party manifesto launch last week outlined a n

Controlling moisture and condensation in homes

Controlling moisture and condensation in homes

Information

Condensation andmould : This time of year,as the temperature drops, both new homes and old homes aresusceptible to the formation of condensation and unsightly mould: newhomes because they are effectively a sealed box, and old homesbecause they often lack ef

Winter Proof Your Rental Properties

Winter Proof Your Rental Properties

Information

The colder weather is here again, its that time of year coming; you feel that cold chill in the air, the snow and ice will soon arrive, and you know its time to get out that winter coat, scarf and gloves.You also know that cold wet weather on the way will test your rental properties and tenant

Portfolio landlords now average 13 properties

Portfolio landlords now average 13 properties

News

Portfolio Landlords: Buy to let lender Paragons recent research shows that professionaland larger-scale landlords are still investing and are increasing the size oftheir portfolios through more targeted investments. With an average portfolio

Tenants can sue landlords for cold or damp homes under new laws

Tenants can sue landlords for cold or damp homes under new laws

News

New rules that came into force in March allow https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/landlords-sue-cold-damp-homes-law-tenants-renting-housing-a8776671.html" tenants to sue landlords for issues like cold and damp. A broken heating system or poor ventilation that

Don't fall foul of the authorised guarantee agreement...

Don't fall foul of the authorised guarantee agreement...

Information

Commercial Property : A recent High Court decision in Co-Operative Group Food Ltdv. A&amp;A Shah Properties Ltd (2019) relates to an authorised guaranteeagreement (AGA) dispute, in this case an agreement involving a guarantor of theoutgoing tenant. <p id

Section 21 to be banned in the UK

Section 21 to be banned in the UK

Opinion

The Government has announced its intention to scrap Section 21 notices for eviction in an effort to offer tenants more long-term security.

New service charges rules in commercial property

New service charges rules in commercial property

News

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 & Locks - Buy to Let Renovation & HMO Projects

Security & Locks - Buy to Let Renovation & HMO Projects

Information

Security: Renovating a buy-to-let property can be a great way for landlords to increase the rental income

My tenant left without telling me...

My tenant left without telling me...

Information

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;

What happens if someone other than the tenant pays the deposit?

What happens if someone other than the tenant pays the deposit?

Information

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

The Condensation Conundrum

The Condensation Conundrum

News

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

Tax on income from lodgers and short stay tenants

Tax on income from lodgers and short stay tenants

Information

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 Notices - for older tenancies in England

Section 21 Notices - for older tenancies in England

Information

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 and Your Responsibilities as a Landlord

Asbestos and Your Responsibilities as a Landlord

Information

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

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Expert sounds alarm over rent arrears court decision

Expert sounds alarm over rent arrears court decision

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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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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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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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Chancellor urged to boost rental supply or risk losing young talent to housing scarcity.

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

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

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Build-to-rent developers eye opportunities as private landlords leave student housing market.

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

Landlords offered significantly discounted carpets in Scotland

Landlords offered significantly discounted carpets in Scotland

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Landlords in Scotland who are members of the country’s landlord association are to get discounted carpets when refitting their rented properties,

Number of tenants being asked for a guarantor could increase due to Renters’ Rights Bill, warns Generation Rent

Number of tenants being asked for a guarantor could increase due to Renters’ Rights Bill, warns Generation Rent

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The Renters’ Rights Bill could lead to an increase in the number of tenants being asked to provide a guarantor and to further discrimination, charities and campaign groups have warned

Rising costs and stalled rent – a double whammy for landlords

Rising costs and stalled rent – a double whammy for landlords

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UK landlords face rising costs, regulatory complexity, and affordability challenges, with rent growth slowing despite ongoing demand.

Number of new licensing schemes lined up has surpassed last year’s total

Number of new licensing schemes lined up has surpassed last year’s total

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News
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The number of licensing schemes lined up to launch this year has already surpassed last year’s total, as councils continue to put the financial squeeze on landlords.

Landlord avoids £29K rent repayment order after tribunal ruling

Landlord avoids £29K rent repayment order after tribunal ruling

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A landlord has avoided a £29,000 rent repayment order after a First Tier Property Tribunal ruled that he had been the victim of administrative failings by Southwark Council.

Renters' Rights Bill to be discussed by expert panel at National Landlord Investment Show

Renters' Rights Bill to be discussed by expert panel at National Landlord Investment Show

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The huge changes that the Renters' Rights Bill will introduce for private landlords will be addressed by a panel of top experts at this year’s National Landlord Investment Show.

Tenants likely to go for every target when tougher rent repayment orders take effect, warns solicitor

Tenants likely to go for every target when tougher rent repayment orders take effect, warns solicitor

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Tenants are likely to go after every plausible target when tougher rent repayment orders take effect later this year, a solicitor has warned.

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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News
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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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News
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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