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Landlord slapped with �40,700 fine after 'honest mistake' over HMO licence

Landlord slapped with �40,700 fine after 'honest mistake' over HMO licence

News

A lettings agency boss and landlord has been slapped with a �40,700 Rent Repayment Officer despite claiming that his failure to licence an HMO was an honest mistake. A First Tier Property Tribunal handed five former tenants the maximum award for the period from September 2019 t

Scottish government unveils controversial rent reform plans

Scottish government unveils controversial rent reform plans

News

Scotland’s Housing Bill proposes rent controls, winter eviction bans, pet rights & tougher eviction penalties in private sector overhaul.

Bristol significantly expands HMO and selective licensing schemes

Bristol significantly expands HMO and selective licensing schemes

News

Bristol has approved plans to extend landlord licensing in Brislington West, Bedminster and Horfield wards in a bid to raise PRS standards. The scheme includes additional licensing - HMOs with three or more unrelated people sharing facilities and selective licensing - privat

Durham’s new licensing scheme for 29,000 homes: What you need

Durham’s new licensing scheme for 29,000 homes: What you need

News

Durham County Council's selective licensing scheme covers 29,000 homes, requiring landlords to apply by 31 July for a £350–£500 licence fee.

Test Case: Council advising tenants to stay put after valid s21 notice served

Test Case: Council advising tenants to stay put after valid s21 notice served

News

This is a Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman case involving an unnamed landlord (LandlordX or MrX) and Brentwood Borough Council. The case revolves around a common situation where the landlord required possession of the property after serving a valid section 21 notice un

'Let’s not forget property remains the best performing investment'

'Let’s not forget property remains the best performing investment'

Opinion

I've been in the property investment business for almost 30 years and during this period opportunities have come and gone but I've yet to discover an asset class that perf

OPINION: The EPC ratings system is 'not fit for purpose'

OPINION: The EPC ratings system is 'not fit for purpose'

Opinion

Ever since I started to market one of my commercial buildings around 10 years ago now, I began to doubt the efficacy of the EPC rating system. The guy that came along to do the inspection told me himself he had just completed a 6 week course, or whatever it was, to train to be a

BREAKING: Government toughens up smoke and C0 alarm regulations

BREAKING: Government toughens up smoke and C0 alarm regulations

News

Social and private landlords are to face tougher new rules which make it mandatory to fit smoke alarms in all rented accommodation regardless of tenure, and widen the conditions under which they must be fitted. Revisions to the smoke and carbon monoxide detector regulations also

ANALYSIS: Does buy-to-let still beat the stock market?

ANALYSIS: Does buy-to-let still beat the stock market?

News

If you had �50k to invest right now, where would you put it, buy-to-let property or stocks and shares? Certainly leaving it in a traditional savings account, with interest rates as they are at rock bottom, thats out of the question. And with the threat of rising inflation ea

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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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News
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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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News
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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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News
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been warned that unless more rental properties are built her recent promise to ‘attract the best talent to the UK’ and boost economic growth will fall flat.

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

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

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News
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Private HMO landlords leaving the sector have created a shortage of student housing, according to Unite Students, which boasts that it can help fill the gap with purpose-built student accommodation.

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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News
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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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News
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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,

Leading figures call for Government to embrace private landlords

Leading figures call for Government to embrace private landlords

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A group of high-profile housing leaders, lawyers and economists have urged the Government to include private landlords within its plans to solve the housing crisis, instead of casting them as the villains of the piece.

The great British shopping revival, could the exodus be reversing?

The great British shopping revival, could the exodus be reversing?

News
News
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The British High Street has been in decline for some years now, but could it be that there are signs of a revival?

Landlord reveals nightmare of illegal holiday let tenants

Landlord reveals nightmare of illegal holiday let tenants

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News
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A landlord fears neighbours may force him out for breaking lease conditions due to rogue renters illegally sub-letting his flat.

EXCLUSIVE: Welsh Government says landlords 'will get retrofit cash'

EXCLUSIVE: Welsh Government says landlords 'will get retrofit cash'

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News
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Private landlords have been excluded from a new government Welsh government initiative that funds retrofit advice in residential properties and hands out interest-free loans for energy efficiency improvements.

Council sends out inspectors on foot to check selective licencing

Council sends out inspectors on foot to check selective licencing

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News
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Inspectors employed by a big London borough have started knocking on doors around Wembley to check whether landlords have a selective licence.

Landlord fined £50,000 over 'house of horrors' rental

Landlord fined £50,000 over 'house of horrors' rental

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News
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A landlord in Wembley, North London has been fined £49,500 after a court heard that he rented out a five-bedroom two-storey unlicenced house in very poor condition to eight people including two children.

Chancellor to leave BTL landlords alone in budget, claims report

Chancellor to leave BTL landlords alone in budget, claims report

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The Chancellor is expected to leave the rate of capital gains tax (CGT) on the sale of second homes and buy-to-let properties untouched amid concerns that increasing it would cost money.

Tribunal system woefully unprepared for Labour's rent rise appeal plans

Tribunal system woefully unprepared for Labour's rent rise appeal plans

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News
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England’s overburdened tribunal system is ill-equipped to handle the potential influx of new claims from the Renters’ Rights Bill, according to proptech firm Reapit.

London borough to go ahead with more HMO licencing

London borough to go ahead with more HMO licencing

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News
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Barking and Dagenham is to go ahead with an HMO licensing extension in January and has asked the government to approve a new selective scheme.

Give landlords more money to upgrade properties, urges Nationwide

Give landlords more money to upgrade properties, urges Nationwide

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News
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One of the UK’s largest BTL mortgage lenders has urged the Government to give landlords more financial support to reach the recently-announced 2030 deadline for all rental properties to reach a minimum EPC band C.

Landlord-bashing council slammed over its own property failings

Landlord-bashing council slammed over its own property failings

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News
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Newham Council has apologised to council tenants after the Regulator of Social Housing found serious failings in safety standards at its properties.

Housing must be a (unique reference) numbers game, Rayner told

Housing must be a (unique reference) numbers game, Rayner told

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News
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A coalition of leading property groups has called on the government to put the Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) at the heart of the UK residential market.

Pet-friendly homes, not rent rises are tenants biggest concern

Pet-friendly homes, not rent rises are tenants biggest concern

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News
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Many politicians and campaigners have, in support of the Government’s looing renting reforms, claimed that tenants feel insecure when living in their homes and are worried about the high rents.

Rightmove urges Chancellor not to punish landlords AGAIN

Rightmove urges Chancellor not to punish landlords AGAIN

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Rightmove has called on the Government to support landlords, not load them with more tax, ahead of the Chancellor’s budget on 30th October.

LATEST: New guide to official retrofitting support for landlords

LATEST: New guide to official retrofitting support for landlords

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After feedback from landlords, energy firm Utilita has published a free guide on the LandlordZONE Forum on retrofitting scheme eligilility.

Angela Rayner approves compulsory purchase of landlord's house

Angela Rayner approves compulsory purchase of landlord's house

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News
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Haringey Council has made a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) for a derelict house, demonstrating the lengths to which authorities are going to repossess landlord properties.

UPDATED - Commercial landlords face heavy fines

UPDATED - Commercial landlords face heavy fines

News
News
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The UK government has committed to its targets to reach net zero emissions by 2050. As part of this initiative the Government is looking to reduce emissions across a wide range of sectors, including commercial and residential property.

'Widespread fear' among landlords over EPC upgrade costs

'Widespread fear' among landlords over EPC upgrade costs

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News
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One quarter of private landlords plan to sell their properties needing energy upgrades due to the government’s ambition for the sector to reach EPC targets by 2030.

UK's biggest trade union backs MORE renting reforms

UK's biggest trade union backs MORE renting reforms

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News
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The UK’s largest union wants Labour to go further with its plans to reform the PRS and has labelled the Renters’ Rights Bill as only the ‘first step’.

Most former rental properties not bought by first time buyers

Most former rental properties not bought by first time buyers

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News
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Data from a leading estate agency shows just 35% of former rental homes go to those entering the owner-occupier market.

Fears rise over Scotland's rent control plans as investment declines

Fears rise over Scotland's rent control plans as investment declines

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News
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A property leader has warned that Scotland's upcoming Housing Bill must not hamper much-needed investment in the rental sector.

Tenant campaigners push for Labour to go 'much further'

Tenant campaigners push for Labour to go 'much further'

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News
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Tenants’ union Acorn is pushing Labour to introduce tougher rent caps or face undermining work to reform renters’ rights.

Landlord to pay huge rent repayment order over unlicenced HMO

Landlord to pay huge rent repayment order over unlicenced HMO

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News
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A rogue landlord has been ordered to hand back nearly £34,000 to five tenants after failing to license his mouse-infested HMO.

'Abolishing Section 21 evictions won't stop homelessness'

'Abolishing Section 21 evictions won't stop homelessness'

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News
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Ben Beadle, the Chief Executive of the NRLA, has told LandlordZONE that abolishing Section 21 evictions might sound noble, but it's won't make the private rented sector fairer overnight, as many campaigning groups and Labour MPs often claim.

Commercial property continues to struggle in a market downturn

Commercial property continues to struggle in a market downturn

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News
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The UK commercial property market is in a downturn right now. As with the wider economy, commercial property is subject to economic cycles