Date

Library

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Law Commission rules out major change to security of tenure rules for commercial leases

Law Commission rules out major change to security of tenure rules for commercial leases

News

The Law Commission has published an interim report on its initial conclusions about security of tenure for business leases

Why can't all licensing schemes cost just £230 - this NW one does

Why can't all licensing schemes cost just £230 - this NW one does

News

Landlords in Wirral might not welcome yet another selective licensing scheme, but a reduced £fee will make it one of the cheapest in UK.

Landlord banned by Tribunal after 'outrageous' safety failings

Landlord banned by Tribunal after 'outrageous' safety failings

News

A landlord in Aberdeen has been banned for failing to repair dangerous electrics in his rental property.

BIG SHIFT: Many young landlords 'don't own their own homes'

BIG SHIFT: Many young landlords 'don't own their own homes'

News

Growing numbers of young people in the UK now prefer to invest in rental properties than buy their own home, an estate agency has claimed.

Third of UK adults say BTL 'safest' way to build long-term wealth

Third of UK adults say BTL 'safest' way to build long-term wealth

News

Despite the sometimes hostile environment endured by current landlords, a third of UK adults aspire to invest in buy-to-let to build their long-term prosperity.

New independent report tracks BTR's huge growth

New independent report tracks BTR's huge growth

News

The first independent report into the build-to-rent (BTR) sector has tracked huge growth in urban areas and city centres where it’s taking up the slack from traditional landlords.

Scotland consults on minimum EPC band C for rented homes

Scotland consults on minimum EPC band C for rented homes

News

The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on its plans to introduce a minimum EPC level for rented homes.

TV show seeks landlords happy to settle tenant disputes on camera

TV show seeks landlords happy to settle tenant disputes on camera

News

Landlords seeking to recoup money from tenants now have an alternative to a lengthy and expensive battle through the courts.

Paragon mortgage approvals defy the decline of buy to let

Paragon mortgage approvals defy the decline of buy to let

News

Paragon Bank’s latest financial results show that buy to let is not in terminal decline, but the industry is going through structural change

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

NEW: Worcester latest to propose city-wide HMO licencing scheme

NEW: Worcester latest to propose city-wide HMO licencing scheme

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

All HMO landlords in Worcester will soon have to buy a licence if councillors back a new additional licensing scheme. The city has operated an additional scheme since September 2015 but amended it in 2020 to cover only the wards of Arboretum, Bedwardine, Cathedral and St Clement

Landlords LEFT OUT of new 'forbearance' guidance for mortgage holders

Landlords LEFT OUT of new 'forbearance' guidance for mortgage holders

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Landlords have been left out of measures announced today designed to support mortgage holders during the cost of living crisis. The guidance, which has been issued by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) updating borrowers responsibilities to their existing mortgage holders,

FIRST rent repayment order against landlord issued following landmark case

FIRST rent repayment order against landlord issued following landmark case

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A landlord who tried to claim that he was the superior landlord of an unlicensed HMO has failed in his bid to avoid paying a Rent Repayment Order. In the first RRO case since the landmark�

'Zero-rate VAT for property upgrades if you want to hit EPC targets' say big landlords

'Zero-rate VAT for property upgrades if you want to hit EPC targets' say big landlords

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The British Property Federation (BPF) has called on the government to zero rate VAT on building repair and maintenance to incentivise essential upgrades across the residential sector or risk missing its 2050 net zero target. In the run-up to next weeks Budget, it says the

Politician warns big landlord fines by councils 'can be seen as hypocritical'

Politician warns big landlord fines by councils 'can be seen as hypocritical'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A Suffolk councillor has spoken out against targeting private landlords with tougher regulations when authorities face similar problems with their own housing stock. Both Babergh and Mid Suffolk councils have agreed that civil penalties of up to �30,000 should be used to deter

NRLA chief Ben Beadle cleared of misleading MPs on rent supply

NRLA chief Ben Beadle cleared of misleading MPs on rent supply

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

NRLA boss Ben Beadle clears his name, confirming he did not mislead MPs about private rental supply shortages.

A year in review for agents: The PRS annual report 2022

A year in review for agents: The PRS annual report 2022

Information
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The Property Redress Scheme annual report 2022 has just been released and reflects on

Retro-fitting buildings for energy efficiency - is it worth it?

Retro-fitting buildings for energy efficiency - is it worth it?

Information
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Refurbishing, or in the jargon - retrofitting - older commercial and residential buildings, according to the Government, is desirable and necessary, given that energy efficiency standards that will need to be met under the Governments legal commitment to net zero by 2050. But

Property firm boss banned for 12 years after falsely claiming �45,000 Covid loan

Property firm boss banned for 12 years after falsely claiming �45,000 Covid loan

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A property investor who falsely claimed a �45,000 Bounce Back Loan before dissolving his firm has been banned by the Insolvency Service. Simon Gorgin, 63, from Kings Langley, was sole director of P3 Estates Ltd until it was dissolved in December 2021. In May 2020,

Holiday let landlords to collect new tourism levy AND register properties

Holiday let landlords to collect new tourism levy AND register properties

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Landlords with holiday let properties in Wales will soon have to register their properties and collect a £1.25 per person, per night fee from clients.

Big Midlands council green lights more HMO licencing

Big Midlands council green lights more HMO licencing

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

West Northamptonshire Council has given the go-ahead for an extended additional licensing scheme in Northampton.

Big London council moves to stamp out bidding wars

Big London council moves to stamp out bidding wars

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A big council in London has called on letting agents to stop pitting tenants against one other in “exploitative” bidding wars within the borough.

Landlords ARE 'working people' says housing minister

Landlords ARE 'working people' says housing minister

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Keir Starmer got into hot water recently after saying landlords did not ‘work’ for their income, but Scotland’s housing minister has taken a very different approach.

Airbnb encourages tenants to sublet their homes

Airbnb encourages tenants to sublet their homes

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Airbnb has teamed up with global landlord Greystar to allow tenants in three London apartment blocks to rent out their homes.

Full details of landlord fines and prosecutions (or lack of them) revealed

Full details of landlord fines and prosecutions (or lack of them) revealed

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

More than 100 local councils in England and Wales have not prosecuted any rogue landlords in the last five years despite getting thousands of complaints.

Farmers and farm tenants “up in arms” over budget measures

Farmers and farm tenants “up in arms” over budget measures

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Ever since the government announced its new inheritance tax rules, there has been intense debate about how many people will be affected

NRLA and minister lock horns over ongoing eviction court delays

NRLA and minister lock horns over ongoing eviction court delays

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The NRLA has insisted that its evidence around the Renters’ Rights Bill was not “alarmist” nor due to “fundamental opposition” to proposed changes as claimed by housing minister Matthew Pennycook.

REVEALED: Main reasons given by landlords for raising rents

REVEALED: Main reasons given by landlords for raising rents

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Higher market rents is the most common reason given by landlords for a rent hike, affecting 20% of private renters, according to new research by Generation Rent.

Irish landlords to face rent controls promises Sinn Féin

Irish landlords to face rent controls promises Sinn Féin

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Irish landlords are facing rent controls after one of the three main parties running for election next Friday (29th November) promised to ‘cut rents’ as the cost of living continues to be an issue.

Stopping landlords raising rents in between tenancies 'will not survive contact with reality'

Stopping landlords raising rents in between tenancies 'will not survive contact with reality'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Preventing landlords from raising rents in between tenancies is an idea - like rent controls - that simply “could not survive contact with reality”, says Scotland’s landlord body.

Minister commits to ending leasehold and making commonhold 'default tenure'

Minister commits to ending leasehold and making commonhold 'default tenure'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Landlords who have properties within ‘problem’ leasehold blocks have been given some good news following housing minister Matthew Pennycook confirmation that Labour will ‘end leasehold’ and make commonhold the ‘default’ tenure before the end of this parliament.

'We're being squeezed out in favour of corporates' says small portfolio landlord

'We're being squeezed out in favour of corporates' says small portfolio landlord

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Smaller landlords are being forced out of the private rental sector in favour of corporate limited companies – and tenants will be the losers, according to one landlord who’s quitting.

Councils fine Midlands landlords £850,000 in ONE month

Councils fine Midlands landlords £850,000 in ONE month

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Three rogue landlords have been fined a total of £403,079 for operating a network of unlicensed and unsafe HMOs, labelled “an orchestrated system of neglect for financial gain”.

WATCH: We interview landlord blogger Suzanne Smith for our NEW podcast

WATCH: We interview landlord blogger Suzanne Smith for our NEW podcast

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

LandlordZONE is launching a new podcast to enable our readers to gain entertaining insights into the world of landlording from some of the sector’s leading lights.

HMOs generating highest yields for landlords at 8.34%

HMOs generating highest yields for landlords at 8.34%

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

BTL landlords enjoyed average yields of 6.72% in September, up from 6.69% at the end of the second quarter and 6.48% in the previous year.

REVEALED: Key reasons why landlord/tenant relationships sour

REVEALED: Key reasons why landlord/tenant relationships sour

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

New report reveals that it doesn't take much to tip a landlord relationship into something that a tenant sees as negative, particularly when landlords are largely portrayed negatively in mainstream media.

10% of homes lacking carbon monoxide alarms

10% of homes lacking carbon monoxide alarms

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

New research among tenants has found that nearly 10% of rented homes with gas appliances don’t have a carbon monoxide alarm fitted, leaving the landlords of these properties open to fines of up to £5,000.

HMO landlord loses fine appeal after blaming agent for rules breach

HMO landlord loses fine appeal after blaming agent for rules breach

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

An HMO landlord who blamed a guaranteed rent firm for breaching his licence has failed in his bid to overturn a £7,500 fine.

RICS member agents predict growing rental shortages

RICS member agents predict growing rental shortages

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

RICS survey predicts growing shortage of rental properties. Demand is predicted to grow while supply declines.

HMO planning register rejected in East of England

HMO planning register rejected in East of England

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Councillors in Ipswich have rejected plans for a register of all HMO licensing applications in the town.

Renting reforms will pose 'serious risk' to self-managing landlords

Renting reforms will pose 'serious risk' to self-managing landlords

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Landlords face considerable risks from self-managing their properties when the Renters’ Rights Bill goes live, according to a letting agent expert.

Rent controls will backfire, landlords warn Scots ministers

Rent controls will backfire, landlords warn Scots ministers

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Scotland’s landlords and letting agents have warned that the country’s imminent rent controls will backfire.

Rent rewards app urges tenants to pay by card not BACS

Rent rewards app urges tenants to pay by card not BACS

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Landlords could soon be paid their rent via credit cards rather than bank transfer after a Spanish company said it plans to launch in the UK.

Renters' Rights Bill - a month on, what's happened?

Renters' Rights Bill - a month on, what's happened?

Opinion
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

It's been just over a month since I last penned my thoughts for LandlordZONE, and in that brief period, the private rental sector has continued to evolve at rapid pace.