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
I'm receiving mail for previous tenants and some of them are from debt collectors. Will this get my property black listed and cause problems for my current tenants and myself in the future?</h2> It's fairly common to have mail arriving for months and even years after residents have left,
Long Term AST - My prospective tenant has asked for a tenancy term of 6 years. Can I use the usual Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement for this?</h2> The Assured Shorthold Tenancy is the default tenancy for residential lettings and since October 2010 this applies to rents up to �100,000
Question: How long should accounts be kept to satisfy the authorities, things like accounting files, invoices and tax records, as a property landlord?Answer: You must keep your records for 6 years after the tax year to which they apply, whether or not you complete a tax return.It's a good idea, a
Expiry of Section 21 Notice - I have served a Section 21 (s21) Notice on my tenant but don't wish to start proceedings immediately. Can I wait without the notice expiring?Once a Section 21 notice has been served correctly it continues indefinitely, until such time as the tenancy is ended, either
Covenant and Covenant Strength - What is a legal covenant and what is the significance of the terms in relation to rental property and lettings ?</h2>The term covenant can have several meanings and has biblical origins but it is of particulalry significance
2 years ago I purchased a company with a 10 year lease from my ex boss, on a 10 year lease, the lease was set up by a solicitor. After 2 years the business is struggling and is not viable. I feel that my solicitor ill advised me as there was no break clause mentioned. Where do I stand on t
Good Left in the Premises or Uncollected GoodsFrequently, tenants leave goods after their tenancy has concluded or when they have abandon the premises during a tenancy. Uncollected goods and possessions left or abandoned in premises by tenants can pose a real problem for landlords.
<h1 Standing Order</h1>What are Bankers' Standing Orders?</h3><ul <li Standing Orders allow landlords to automate the process of collecting rents</li> <li They safeguard tenants in that the landlord cannot change the payment amount, as is the case with direct debit
The Possession Procedure - 1988 Housing ActThe possession procedure under Section 8 of the Housing Acts 1988 & 1996 is known as the Section 8 Route and is available to landlords where the tenant is in breach of one or more terms of
Renting or Leasing Commercial Property Renting commercial property usually represents a major part of the operating costs involved in running any business. If you include surveyor's and solicitor's fees, rent, business rates, insurance,
Types of Tenure: A tenancy gives the tenant a legal interest in the land and property - in effect, legal ownership for the period of the tenancy. Tenancies can take several forms: <ul <li Rent Act or Regulated Tenancies - pre </li> <li
<h1 Joint or Single Shared Tenancies</h1>Shared House (Joint Tenants) or Individual Rooms (Single Tenants)? Where a landlord lets to multiple and usually unrelated tenants there are two main ways of doing this:(1) As a Joint Tenancyng
These are tenancies that fall outside the scope of the Housing Acts (1988, 1996, 2004), including the Regulated Tenancies, Assured Tenancies (AT) and Assured Shorthold Tenancies ASTs.In the case of a common law residential tenancy , the tenant's rights and obligations are ma
What are Business Tenancies ?A tenancy is an "estate in land", granted for a determined period of time (term of years or fixed term - 6 months,1 year, 21 years, 99 years etc) or a specific period (a periodic tenancy - yearly, monthly, weekly, even daily).In return for the "time lim
Landlord's Duty to Ensure Installations are SafeAll Landlords have a common law duty to ensure that gas installations and appliances supplied with their properties are safe. Tenants also have certain legal obligations when it comes to gas safety - see below.I
HMRC warns that owners must accurately declare these earnings on their self assessment tax returns or face criminal charges if in default. A boom in bookings The Covid pandemic has stored up excess demand for stay at home Britains under the foreign holiday restrictio
Scottish landlords have until 2028 to meet energy efficiency standards but can access interest-free loans of up to �15,000 to help them spread the cost. The Scottish government has published its Heat In Building Strategy setting out that, by 2030, greenhouse gas emissions from
The so called Pandora Papers is a financial services leak of nearly 12 million documents that reveal an international treasure trove of hidden wealth, tax avoidance and money laundering, by some of the world's richest individuals. The secret files were unearthed by a Washington
High Street lender the Nationwide has launched a platform that will be first of its kind created for landlords by a major financial institution. Called The Landlord Works, it has been developed by a team headed up by Paul Wooton (main picture) who, after leaving its mortgage bro
Lambeth to launch UK's most expensive HMO scheme, charging landlords £289 per bedroom under new five-year additional licensing rules.
The Section 21 possession procedure (currently under threat of being removed) is a no fault eviction process where the landlord can serve notice on a tenant to regain possession once the initial minimum 6 months or contracted fixed term has ended. A section 21 notice is for 2
A dog-owning tenant has launched a legal challenge against her freeholder which could result in parting with her pets or the leasehold. The womans partner moved into her property five years ago with three small dogs and admitted this to the freeholder. It then sent her a
A tech professional who is also a landlord has launched what she believes to be the ideal solution to the impasse between landlords who won’t take tenants with pets, and the estimated 7.6 million tenants in the UK who want to live with their cats or dogs.
Landlords and agents must make sure they dont come a cropper deciding what constitutes a single household when vetting HMO tenants in an age of polyamorous relationships, warns a top property lawyer. While the legal definition of a household can be explained quickly, re
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 urged to boost rental supply or risk losing young talent to housing scarcity.
Build-to-rent developers eye opportunities as private landlords leave student housing market.
The government has repeated its rejection of “heavy handed” rent controls despite pressure from peers in the House of Lords.
Preston Council has proposed new powers to reject HMO applications amid fears that the city is already being over-run by shared homes.
Landlords in Scotland who are members of the country’s landlord association are to get discounted carpets when refitting their rented properties,
Landlords and letting agents have slammed the extra BTL tax rise in the Scottish budget which they believe could backfire on the government.
Moving landlord and tenant disputes from overburdened county courts to tribunals would help clear the backlog and make evictions faster, according to a senior housing lawyer.
UK Finance has urged the government not to single out the private rented sector when updating its EPC framework.
New laws will place extra demands on landlords and letting agents—learn what changes are coming and how to stay compliant.
Manchester has extended selective licensing to another 1,863 rental properties across the city.
Tenants in Scotland are being targeted by a new campaign that aims to make them aware of their rental rights.
Jas Athwal, the Labour MP who was shamed for renting out mouldy and unlicensed flats, has stood down as a councillor for Redbridge Council.
DWP is expected to look at reforms that will make it harder for landlords to have money deducted from a tenant's UC benefits to repay arrears.
A landlord has revealed how increasing risk and a “lack of joy” has prompted her to start offloading half her portfolio ahead of the Renters’ Rights Bill.
A “lackadaisical” landlord who rented out an unlicensed and cockroach-infested HMO has been told to pay £10,834 back to three tenants.
Peterborough Council is considering banning a rogue landlord who was handed a fine for housing a family in an uninhabitable property for a second time.
A “terrified” landlord has urged the government to reconsider large parts of the Renters’ Rights Bill
The Welsh private rental sector has lost a worrying 1,107 landlords in the last five years, coinciding with tougher rules around evictions and new tenancy agreements.
One of the largest gatherings of landlords under one roof is due to take place on 19th March in London.
After pursuing a £30,000 fine against one landord, his local council has vowed to go for other non-complilant BTL operators.
Key factors landlords must weigh before expanding property portfolios for sustainable growth.
Landlords urged to document property inspections following failed evictions for stronger legal standing.
Rising EPC scores suggest that achieving a C rating by 2030 shouldn’t be such a cause for concern, according to landlord energy efficiency platform epIMS.
Rent arrears jumped by 44% to an average of £2,597 during the final three months of 2024, latest year-on-year figures reveal, while on a quarterly basis they increase by 26%.
