Capital Gains Tax: Owners of second homes and buy-to-lets that they have previously lived in should be aware that as from April 2020 the tax relief period allowed against capital against tax (CGT) will be reduced. As it is a present,when you se
Letting Agent Contracts: One common question asked by landlords is, "how do I terminate my relationship with my letting agent?"For one reason or another, landlords sometimes wish to end their relationship with their letting agent and want to know how to go about it.Requests
General Election: Part of Laboursbid to be elected on 12th December is a raft of taxraising measures aimed at buy-to-let landlords and second homeowners. Jeremy CorbynsLabour party manifesto launch last week outlined a n
Condensation andmould : This time of year,as the temperature drops, both new homes and old homes aresusceptible to the formation of condensation and unsightly mould: newhomes because they are effectively a sealed box, and old homesbecause they often lack ef
The colder weather is here again, its that time of year coming; you feel that cold chill in the air, the snow and ice will soon arrive, and you know its time to get out that winter coat, scarf and gloves.You also know that cold wet weather on the way will test your rental properties and tenant
Portfolio Landlords: Buy to let lender Paragons recent research shows that professionaland larger-scale landlords are still investing and are increasing the size oftheir portfolios through more targeted investments. With an average portfolio
New rules that came into force in March allow https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/landlords-sue-cold-damp-homes-law-tenants-renting-housing-a8776671.html" tenants to sue landlords for issues like cold and damp. A broken heating system or poor ventilation that
Commercial Property : A recent High Court decision in Co-Operative Group Food Ltdv. A&A Shah Properties Ltd (2019) relates to an authorised guaranteeagreement (AGA) dispute, in this case an agreement involving a guarantor of theoutgoing tenant. <p id
The Government has announced its intention to scrap Section 21 notices for eviction in an effort to offer tenants more long-term security.
Commercial: A new set of mandatory rules introduced from 1stApril 2019 and though the document itself is titled a first edition, itsupersedes 3 previous editions published as codes of practice. The RICS (Royal Institution of Ch
Security: Renovating a buy-to-let property can be a great way for landlords to increase the rental income
Abandonment: When times get hard the instances of tenants leaving without notice are known to increase. Doing a runner�, skipping� moonlight flitting� walking away� or gone away� and in the words of the immortal song;
Tenancy Deposits: According to TDS (Tenancy Deposit Scheme) less than 1% (0.85%) of tenancies they handle have resulted in a deposit dispute in the year to March 2018, nevertheless its important to get it right when dealing with tenants' deposits.Cleaning was the most com
Viewpoint by Tom Entwistle As winter approaches outside temperatures drop and the perennial landlords problem of winter condensation and black mould rear their ugly heads again.The question is, how do you know if this is caused by the building or the tenant, or is it a co
Landlords' Tax: Internet sites, such as AirBnB, have increased the number of landlords letting to lodgers and to guests on short stays. There are specific tax benefits to this type of letting business which are expanded upon below.Furnished holiday letting</st
Section 21: Most tenancies will never require the service of a Section 21, Housing Act 1988, (eviction) notice. However, on those occasions when it does become necessary, and you just never know, landlords (and agents) will thank their lucky starts they complied with the rul
Asbestos:Asbestos regulations were last updated in 2012 , bringing the UK in line with EU regulations, which means the current regulations have been in place long enough for most
The Application Form You should always use a comprehensive Tenancy Application Form when taking on a new tenant. You need a completed application for each adult tenant in the property.The Tenancy application form is a very important starting point for any residential or comm
The UKs largest holiday home rentals website has published shocking figures that reveal the average income earned by property investors on its platform. Sykes Holiday Cottages Holiday Letting Outlook Report 2023 reveals that its average owner saw an income of �24,000 last
A First Tier Property Tribunal has slammed Nottingham Council for covering large swathes of the city with licensing schemes rather than targeting rogue landlords, a 'temptation' it says is faced by other local authorities. Justice for Tenants brought a case on behalf of a tenant
As landlords continue to exit the buy-to-let market, to the detriment of their tenants, could this rout also lead to buy-to-let mortgage lenders following their lead? This is a question posed by Chloe Cheung writing for the FT this last weekend. Its a serious question, a deve
Letting agents have backed the Governments decision to reform the way HMO properties are banded for council tax. Propertymark, which represents the estate agency sector, says in its submission to a consultation by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities that p
Landlords wanting to back the eco movement may want to pause for thought after the Green Party today vowed to bring in an immediate rent freeze and no-fault eviction ban to tackle the housing crisis. During an election campaign visit to Suffolk, party co-leaders Carla Denyer and
A rogue landlord has been jailed for 10 months after he failed to comply with conditions set by a court concerning his rat-infested property. Martin Ambler admitted four counts of breaching a criminal behaviour order in May 2022 but sentencing was deferred so that he could instr
There is a lot of talk at the moment about how rents are up by 11% across the UK and although I know its tough on renters, landlord costs have, in many cases, doubled. This includes mortgage premium payments following interest rates rises from 0.5% to 4% in just 12 months, an
The government should introduce three-year tenancies to protect tenants from uncertainty and rising rents, according to a liberal conservative think tank report. The Bright Blue group has teamed up with Shelter to publish, <strong id
Landlords have heavily criticised the Scottish governments decision to implement its evictions freeze and rent cap without a proper consultation. The measures, which were widely criticised earlier this year for being rushed through, are now being fought by a coalition of orga
A rogue landlord who threatened to evict his tenant after she complained about dodgy utilities bills has been handed a huge court fine.
Landlords, tenants and letting agents are being asked to reveal their experiences of the private rented sector within a new national survey.
Insurance company Zurick UK warns that many Permitted Development (PD) conversions could become uninhabitable
Following the Prime Minister’s comments that he does not consider those who earn income from property as ‘working people’, TV star Paul Shamplina has said he does not agree, pointing out that many landlords work hard - and rarely for the 'millons' some activists claim they do.
The government should advise landlords to look at property location and an animal’s medical history when deciding whether to refuse pets, according to a campaigning animal charity.
Landlords in Wales could get stamp duty relief for renting out their properties through the Welsh government’s Leasing Scheme Wales.
A property and tenancy management app originally designed for the social housing sector is offering its service to private HMO landlords.
The Prime Minister’s comments about what constitutes “working people” has reignited landlords’ fears that they may be at risk of a tax raid.
Ahead of one of the most anticipated Budgets in a generation, given the government’s doom-laden hints, here’s some budget wishes from Britain’s builders.
The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has called for more flexible and longer licensing schemes in its evidence to MPs scrutinising the Renters’ Rights Bill.
A new student shorthold tenancy (SST) would address student renters’ unique needs, ensuring fairness and safety while providing flexibility around academic schedules, according to iHowz landlord association.
Acorn has urged MPs to let tenants withhold their rent if landlords fail to repair serious repair including damp and mould.
How can we ensure that by welcoming furry visitors into our rental properties, we don’t get bitten asks Victoria Valentine.
This week The Telegraph hit the nail on the head when it reported that landlord profits had collapsed in the past decade following an onslaught of taxes and red tape.
A new inquiry led by Dame Kate Baker CBE has investigated the crisis in the housing market after a 20 year gap since her last housing study
The NRLA has backed many of the measures within a new report from a Welsh parliamentary committee which recommends big changes for the country's private rented sector.
Tenants’ union Acorn is lobbying Norwich City Council to introduce a selective licensing scheme and to better enforce its housing policies.
Only 6% of tenants would pay more rent to help fund energy efficiency measures, despite 80% being in favour of their properties getting an upgrade to an EPC rating of C.
A very big portfolio landlord has been ordered to pay £15,290 to former tenants after it failed to license one of its 750 properties.
Landlords may soon have to repay up to two years rents to tenants if they fail to comply with decisions with the sector’s looming new ombudsman.
The government must focus on sustaining a vibrant PRS and not “hark back to the wonders of the 1970s with social housing and council housing…as being a really great thing,” warns NRLA boss Ben Beadle.
Benefits landlord Mick Roberts is losing patience with MPs whose continued ‘anti-landlord’ policies have only made more people homeless and increased rents.
Landlords and businesses are rushing to transfer and liquidate assets ahead of a potential Capital Gains Tax hike in next week’s budget.
A landlord who used to have a property portfolio of 100 homes has told the BBC that multiple pressures on the sector including looming regulations, higher interest rates and costs have persuaded him to cut his portfolio down to 65 units.
A group of student accommodation landlords have warned the Government that its plans to dispense with fixed-term tenancies and move to open ended ones will lead to fewer providers and homes within this market.
