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As if landlords don’t have enough to worry about – here’s another risk...

As if landlords don’t have enough to worry about – here’s another risk...

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There’s an issue with the safe disposal of Vapes - disposal in normal household bins has been identified as a fire risk

Landlord fined £43K for renting rodent-infested flats and blaming tenants for disrepair

Landlord fined £43K for renting rodent-infested flats and blaming tenants for disrepair

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A landlord has been fined more than £43,000 for renting unsafe and rodent-infested flats - but blamed tenants for the disrepair.

Growing appeal of commercial property among landlords

Growing appeal of commercial property among landlords

News

Growing numbers of landlords are moving into commercial property amid fears that the residential market is too challenging.

Landlords to be fined if their tenants don’t keep their rubbish under control, warns council

Landlords to be fined if their tenants don’t keep their rubbish under control, warns council

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Sefton Council has threatened to get tough on private landlords if they don’t help tenants keep their rubbish under control.

Landlords less likely to win appeals again improvements notices after tribunal ruling

Landlords less likely to win appeals again improvements notices after tribunal ruling

News

Landlords are less likely to win their appeal against an improvement notice following an Upper Tribunal ruling.

Renters’ Rights bill “won’t impact landlords’ profits”, insists tenant referencing firm

Renters’ Rights bill “won’t impact landlords’ profits”, insists tenant referencing firm

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The Renters’ Rights Bill won’t impact private landlords’ profits or slow rising rents, according to tenant referencing company FCC Paragon.

Landlord ordered to pay £11K in fines and costs after misleading tenants

Landlord ordered to pay £11K in fines and costs after misleading tenants

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A landlord who hoodwinked her student tenants into paying higher deposits has been ordered to pay more than £11,000 in fines and costs.

Average monthly rents in Britain increase to £1,332, official figures reveal

Average monthly rents in Britain increase to £1,332, official figures reveal

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The average rent in Britain increased by 7.7% to £1,332 in the 12 months to March this year, official figures have revealed.

Inflation fall prompts hopes of an interest rate cut

Inflation fall prompts hopes of an interest rate cut

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A drop in the UK inflation rate has sparked hopes that it could prompt a cut in interest rates next month amid the threat of economic uncertainty.

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Providing a Reference

Providing a Reference

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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

Polystyrene Ceiling Tiles

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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

Misrepresentation

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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

Mail for Previous Tenants

Mail for Previous Tenants

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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

Long Term AST

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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

Lodgers Limits

Lodgers Limits

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Lodgers Limits - Is there any limit to the number of rooms I can rent out to lodgers, and are there any planning implications ?</h2> There are several parts of legislation in England and Wales that affect this question. Perhaps four main ones apply: Health &amp; Safety (HHSRS), HMO, Over

How long should accounts be kept

How long should accounts be kept

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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

Expiry of Section 21 Notice

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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

Covenant and Covenant Strength

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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

Tenant demo in London calls for rent controls

Tenant demo in London calls for rent controls

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Hundreds of tenants have staged a protest in central London calling for the government to introduce rent controls.

Major national park moves to restrict holiday lets

Major national park moves to restrict holiday lets

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One of the UK’s larger national parks is planning to stop any new homes that are built within it being used as holiday/short lets or second homes.

Legal Matters: Serving notices, don’t fall foul of the law

Legal Matters: Serving notices, don’t fall foul of the law

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A crucial task for landlords and agents is to correctly serve statutory notices and other documents

What should the new rental contracts be called? Have your say!

What should the new rental contracts be called? Have your say!

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Property experts are pondering what the government might name new tenancies created by the Renters’ Rights Bill.

Council takes unusual approach to signing off HMOs

Council takes unusual approach to signing off HMOs

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A district council has come up with a set of exceptional circumstances to help decide when to give the go-ahead to new HMOs.

Student landlord lands £2.3 million refinancing deal

Student landlord lands £2.3 million refinancing deal

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A landlord in Liverpool has secured £2.3 million to refinance eight student HMOs within the city and unusually has gone public about the deal.

Letting agent slams police over 'lack of justice'

Letting agent slams police over 'lack of justice'

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A letting agent has criticised police who failed to act when vandals threw a brick through one of his tenant’s windows.

Landlords, Fed Up with the Labour Government? Sell your Portfolio NOW

Landlords, Fed Up with the Labour Government? Sell your Portfolio NOW

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The never-ending onslaught of landlords, including the abolition of Section 21, tough EPC rules, and changes to stamp duty, have left landlords fed up and thinking of throwing in the towel.

Energy firms called out over HMO tenant utility bill problems

Energy firms called out over HMO tenant utility bill problems

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A tenants’ champion has slammed energy companies for failing to help renters with energy bill problems at HMOs.

Landlords fume after letting agency shuts down owing money

Landlords fume after letting agency shuts down owing money

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Northwood letting agency in Romford has gone bust, leaving angry landlords out of pocket.

Most labour-voting landlords now regret their decision

Most labour-voting landlords now regret their decision

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Most landlords who voted Labour wouldn’t do it again, a new survey from buy-to-lender Landbay has found.

RICS reports first dip in tenant demand since 2020

RICS reports first dip in tenant demand since 2020

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Surveyors are the latest group to report a cooling rental market in the UK, with a slowing in demand among tenants for the first time since 2020.

Big town in south reveals plans for more HMO licencing

Big town in south reveals plans for more HMO licencing

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Reading Council has given the go-ahead for an additional licensing scheme in the town – and defended the rising costs set to hit landlords.

Campaigners urge MPs to back more severe renting reforms

Campaigners urge MPs to back more severe renting reforms

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Generation Rent has urged renters to get more MPs backing amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill.

LATEST: Rental market cooling as landlord 'sell off' eases

LATEST: Rental market cooling as landlord 'sell off' eases

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Rental growth in the UK has dropped to 3.9%, its lowest level in more than three years and down from 9.1% a year ago.

Demand for accessible homes grows as renting population ages

Demand for accessible homes grows as renting population ages

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Demand for accessible homes is growing as the tenant population ages, a leading estate agency has reported, calling on Labour to help landlords finance upgrades.

COMMENT: Tax trap has landlords in a quandary

COMMENT: Tax trap has landlords in a quandary

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With substantial capital gains gathered within your properties, selling the whole portfolio will probably leave you exposed to a substantial capital gains tax bill

Welsh Government reveals 'baffling' stamp duty rise for landlords

Welsh Government reveals 'baffling' stamp duty rise for landlords

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The Welsh Government has followed its counterparts in England and Scotland and raised the stamp duty that landlords buying rental properties must pay, effective from tomorrow.

Renting reforms will be 'costly ride' for landlords warns expert

Renting reforms will be 'costly ride' for landlords warns expert

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Landlords may need to prepare for a turbulent and potentially very costly ride once the Renters’ Rights Bill becomes law, a financial expert has warned.

Judge orders landlord to pay back tenants £44,000

Judge orders landlord to pay back tenants £44,000

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A landlord has been ordered to pay six tenants a whopping £44,358 after failing to provide an excuse for operating an unlicensed HMO.

People over 55 years old are 'fastest-growing tenant group'

People over 55 years old are 'fastest-growing tenant group'

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Tenants heading for retirement age are the fastest growing group privately renting in England, according to new figures.

Campaigners target landlord's workplace over leaky flat

Campaigners target landlord's workplace over leaky flat

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Tenant group Acorn has protested outside a landlord’s shop after he refused to return a former tenant’s deposit in a dispute over a leak.

City council slammed for 'double standards' over HMO licensing

City council slammed for 'double standards' over HMO licensing

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Edinburgh Council has responded to accusations of double standards when housing homeless people in 30 unlicensed HMOs by moving tenants out of the properties.

Northern council targets HMOs with new planning rules

Northern council targets HMOs with new planning rules

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Hyndburn Council wants to deter landlords from making the most of its cheap properties and ‘multiple deprivation’ by clamping down on HMO conversions.

Landlord Christmas carol reflects on rental sector

Landlord Christmas carol reflects on rental sector

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As we approach the festive season of 2024, like many of us, I find myself drawn to Charles Dickens's timeless tale, A Christmas Carol.