Penetrating damp, just as its name implies, is where water leaks into a building from outside the structure, through the walls or roof. Less common is where an internal leak from a water or drain pipe leaks into the structure of the building.Common causes of penetrating damp are: <ul <l
Fire Regulations in Rentals: There are several regulations relating to fire safety within rental dwellings; some affect all dwellings whereas others apply mainly to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO).This looks complicated, but fire safety management in reality boils down t
Damp & Mould: You may have seen or heard of the 1970s TV series Rising Damp, which featured a landlord and his tenants (lodgers in this case) which rather implies that all rental properties are troubled with this kind of damp.Far from the case, but some are. In fact the
Renting Standards: Specialist residential property solicitor Amanda Sutcliffe of Bray & Bray looks at the importance of keeping a rental property in good condition.Research conducted by Endsleigh Insurance and TrustMark claimed that over 75% of landlords s
Sub-Letting Licenses: (SOLITAIRE) LIMITED Appellant and CHERRY LILIAN NORTON and other cases [2012]Landlords of leasehold buy-to-let flats are often asked to pay a fee (sub-letting licence or registration fee) to the freeholder when seeking permission to sub-let their flat,
Validity of Section 21 Notice: Amak Property Investments v Laura Sonny [2016]This case was an appeal by the tenant following a county court judgement relating to the validity of a s21 notice on the basis that the landlord had not complied with the deposit protection (MyDepo
Essential guide to rent reviews: why reading the lease is crucial for landlords and tenants to navigate rent adjustments effectively.
Tenant Agreement: The Law of Property Act 1925 talks about having a maximum of 4 tenants on an agreement. So what to do when you have 5, 6 or more tenants sharing a house?There is a common misunderstanding of the rules here. Landlords and agents sometimes think or have heard
Advance Rent: Piggot v Slaven and Johnson v. OldThere are two important cases which clarify (though not necessarily decisively) the position on landlords accepting rent payments in advance. One concerns the accepting of the final two months rent in advance, a common devi
Following some confusion and debate about a deferral for the new standards following the MEES* deadline in April 2018, the new government has confirmed that changes to the EPC rules, preventing landlords from renting out homes below rating E, will definitely be introduced from April 2018.Accordin
Responsibility for Repairs: Who is responsible and who is obliged to pay for repairs to leasehold blocks and flats? What is the procedure if repairs are unnecessarily delayed or not carried out to the leaseholders satisfaction? What is the Section 20 procedure?T
Essential guide on how to conduct a rent review, covering key clauses and best practices to protect landlord and tenant interests.
Test Case Yeomans v Newell [2016]:When a landlord is in breach of the tenancy deposit rules he or she is prevented from serving a valid s21 notice for possession proceedings. Despite the fact that the tenancy deposit legislation has been in force since April 2007, landlords
Test Case: Superstrike Ltd v Marino. RodriguesThe case involved a landlord who had taken a deposit from the tenant before the deposit protection rules came into force in April 2007, since changed by the Deregulation Act 2015 see below. When the tenancy later became a st
Test Case: Leeds City Council v Broadley [2016]This case and the subsequent High Court ruling has brought some clarification about who is liable to pay council tax, tenant or landlord, when a rental property is vacant due to a tenant vacating early, that is, before the tena
Ending a Tenancy: What are the rules governing the ending of a statutory periodic tenancy (SPT) by the tenant, especially when the periods of the tenancy are not the standard 1 month?The answer to this question is not easily defined as it is not covered by one rule or a sing
Deposit Scheme Scam: Mydeposits says it is aware of a new scam being used by a fraudulent company imitating mydeposits and targeting landlords and letting agent members of the mydeposits Custodial scheme in England & Wales.The scam uses an email which imitates one from m
Freezing Pipes: This time of year, as we head towards colder weather and freezing conditions, buy-to-let properties and indeed all rental properties are vulnerable to potentially expensive winter water damageIn this article digital inventory app developer Imfuna Le
Brighton & Hove Council is squeezing its HMO sector even harder by introducing a tough new set of policies designed to reduce their impact on local communities. Its City Plan Part 2 includes new guidance for those applying for planning permission as well as rules covering bu
The way that private rented sector (PRS) landlords operate their properties in Wales is going through one of the biggest changes in decades as the Welsh Government, under its devolved powers, pass and implement the https://www.legislation.gov.uk/anaw/2016/1/contents" target="_blank
Leicester city council councillors are to vote next week on plans to significantly widen local planning laws to clamp down on the spread of HMOs. The measures are to be brought in following a public consultation that finished in January this year. Leicester has had a
The mention of Japanses knoweed has the effect of putting the fear of God in property owners, but the bamboo plant, which is lesser known, can be even more devastating. Homeowners have been planting bamboo for years in Britain to create an exotic oriental ornamental feature or a
The Making Tax Digital initiative (MTD) is a HMRC scheme that aims to modernise income tax accounting and reporting, making the process fully digital. The idea is to improve HMRCs efficiency and reduce costs to the taxpayer by processing business, property and individual tax affairs on-l
Successful landlord and property developer Kathy Miller has urged the government to rethink its plans to abolish Section 21 or face a big rise in court cases and spiralling bills for unpaid rent and property damage. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type- " data-rt-type="" data-rt-a
Landlords could be hit with a rise in capital gains tax (CGT) along with cuts in reliefs and allowances as part of the Chancellors autumn statement due on November 17th. According to a report inhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/" https://www.telegraph.c
A bankrupt landlord in the Midlands has been jailed for eight months after failing to tell the Official Receiver about an HMO property he owned in Coventry. The house at 35 Walsgrave Road, Coventry, which yielded a rent of �1,900 a month for Sukhi Sanghera, was not flagged up b
Landlords have been under a lot of pressure recently, with interest rates going up, house prices dropping, and changes in government, anxiety levels have been at an all-time high. But despite the current state of affairs, we still have options to help us get through this patch without panic
Surprising new research has revealed that three quarters of landlords would allow a tenant to redecorate their home, and half of landlords would pay for the costs of completing the work.
Landlords are being invited to join a deep dive into the Renters’ Rights Bill during a two-day online conference featuring big hitters from the property sector.
Norwich Council is overhauling its HMO policy by bringing in higher standards and tougher enforcement action.
Local authorities are not enforcing private landlords’ legal duty to maintain safe housing, a BBC investigation has found.
Nottingham benefits landlord Mick Roberts has warned that the government’s push to get rental properties up to an EPC C by 2030 could backfire.
Angela Rayner’s promise to build 1.5 million new homes this Parliament is looking increasingly optimistic
Seven out of 10 landlords planning to buy a new rental property during the next 12 months will use a limited company structure, it has been claimed.
Four tenants have won £21,076 from their landlord who failed to explain why she hadn’t licensed her damp and cold HMO.
Many landlords are struggling to sell leasehold flats because management charges have reached astronomical levels with many now forking out £2,000 or more a year.
Landlords buying or selling homes will soon enjoy a smoother and quicker property transaction process after the Government announced that it is to digitise the system.
The Salvation Army has joined calls for the UK government to help prevent homelessness in Scotland by scrapping the planned freeze on Local Housing Allowance (LHA).
The government has confirmed its plan to force all private landlords to get their rental properties up to an EPC C – from the current EPC E – by 2030.
Students from the UK and overseas could miss out on a university education unless the Government makes urgent changes to its Renters’ Rights Bill.
A Birmingham Council officer has saved the lives of a family of renters during a selective licensing compliance visit.
Despite warnings about potential unintended consequences of the Renters’ Rights Bill, the Bill is speeding through Parliament
The Scottish government will scrap its temporary rent control legislation on 31st March, in a move which promises to boost landlords’ confidence.
Build-to-rent developer Grainger has seen impressive growth thanks to a supportive government and the battering of smaller private landlords.
From dwindling profits to tenant pressure groups and legislative interventions – landlords all over the UK have had enough.
The Bank of England has cut interest rates by 0.25 percentage points to 4.5%, raising hopes of better mortgage deals for landlords.
Leading landlords warn renting reforms may harm students by reducing supply or increasing rental costs.
A landlord whose tenants were forced to use a drafty bathroom in the garden has been told to pay out more than £14,000.
Three company directors have each been banned for seven years from running companies after 42 investors were misled about the return of £4.13m they had ploughed into a student accommodation development in Derby.
Three quarters of landlords believe the private rented sector has got worse recently and half are planning to quit, the new report has also found.
Lawyers and Tory peers have expressed fears that the Renters’ Rights Bill will be ineffective without further investment in the courts.
