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Is rent in advance a deposit?

Is rent in advance a deposit?

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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

Minimum EPC Rating for Rental Properties after 2018

Minimum EPC Rating for Rental Properties after 2018

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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

Leasehold Repairs and Disputes

Leasehold Repairs and Disputes

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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

How to do a rent review - Part 1

How to do a rent review - Part 1

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Essential guide on how to conduct a rent review, covering key clauses and best practices to protect landlord and tenant interests.

Returning Deposits when in breach of the rules'�

Returning Deposits when in breach of the rules'�

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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

Tenancy Deposits, Superstrike and the Deregulation Act

Tenancy Deposits, Superstrike and the Deregulation Act

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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

Tenant's Liability to Pay Council Tax

Tenant's Liability to Pay Council Tax

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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

Tenant's Notice-to-Quit ' Periodic Tenancies

Tenant's Notice-to-Quit ' Periodic Tenancies

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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

mydeposits Issues Deposit Scam Warning

mydeposits Issues Deposit Scam Warning

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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

Landlords and Agents Reminded about Burst Pipes

Landlords and Agents Reminded about Burst Pipes

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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

Rent-free period

Rent-free period

Information

Guide to commercial tenancy rent-free periods and full repairing leases, explaining tenant obligations on lease expiry or termination.

Safety Standards for Blinds and Curtains

Safety Standards for Blinds and Curtains

Information

Landlords and letting agents should by now be conversant with the 2014 regulations on blinds and curtains and the measures necessary to prevent accidents with children. It is particularly important to ensure that blinds and curtains supplied in rental properties meet these regulations, otherwise,

Repair Reporting Issues and Section 21

Repair Reporting Issues and Section 21

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Changes to the law on Section 21 and in particular how landlords deal with reported repair issues is now of crucial importance if section 21 claims for possession are to be successful. Careful pre-planning is now essential at the time of setting-up Assured Shorthold Tenancies (AST).The Section 21

Assessing Covenant Strength

Assessing Covenant Strength

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Understand how to assess tenant covenant strength and why it’s key to commercial property investment decisions.

Holding or Pre-Contract Deposits

Holding or Pre-Contract Deposits

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I have always found the holding deposit (an initial retainer paid to the landlord or agent to reserve a tenancy) is a very useful device to commit the tenant to your letting. But is it legal to withhold the advance deposit you take from a prospective tenant if they back out?In my experience a pro

Tenancy Deposit Documentation

Tenancy Deposit Documentation

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What do I need to do when I protect my tenant/s deposit? If you take a deposit from your tenant/s you MUST protect the deposit and serve your tenants with the correct documentation within 30 days or face having to pay a fine and the prospect that you cannot use the s21 evict

ITZA revisited

ITZA revisited

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A clear explanation of ITZA and rent review zoning — why old ITZA measurements may not always apply in new rent reviews.

Dispute Resolution Procedure at Rent Review - Calderbank offer

Dispute Resolution Procedure at Rent Review - Calderbank offer

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Learn how a Calderbank offer can help landlords settle disputes and avoid costly rent review referrals.

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NE city reveals plans for unusual licencing scheme

NE city reveals plans for unusual licencing scheme

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Newcastle Council has revealed plans for an unusual selective licensing scheme that includes building-specific zones.

Tom's landlord guide to winning deposit disputes

Tom's landlord guide to winning deposit disputes

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It's frustrating when the landlord-tenant relationship has to end with a dispute over damages in the property, with a need for deep cleaning, or rent owing, but the deposit is there for these reasons.

Rent-to-rent sector 'must be cleaned up', warn agents

Rent-to-rent sector 'must be cleaned up', warn agents

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Rent-to-rent operators will try to avoid the changes set out in the Renters (Reform) Bill by not using ASTs, a leading property industry body has warned.

OFFICIAL: Rent increases hit record high of 9.2% year-on-year

OFFICIAL: Rent increases hit record high of 9.2% year-on-year

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The rate at which rents have been rising has increased across the UK to record levels, official figures reveal today.

Letting agents call for radical action to solve rental housing crisis

Letting agents call for radical action to solve rental housing crisis

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A group representing letting agents has slammed the chaotic growth of the private rented sector in recent years, calling for radical changes to solve the rental housing crisis this has created.

Jersey launches island-wide selective licencing scheme

Jersey launches island-wide selective licencing scheme

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All Jersey’s landlords will need a licence from the beginning of next month after the Island’s government launched a scheme to improve standards in the PRS.

Average rent arrears jump 27% to £1,800 in a year

Average rent arrears jump 27% to £1,800 in a year

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Average rent arrears owed by tenants to landlords have climbed by 27% so far this year, new data reveals.

Minister slams gas boiler suppliers over price rises

Minister slams gas boiler suppliers over price rises

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The government has urged the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to review the boiler supply market amid fears that a lack of competition is leading to higher prices.

Evictions expert calls for national 'rogue tenant' database

Evictions expert calls for national 'rogue tenant' database

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Evictions expert Paul Shamplina has called for a rogue tenant database to be established, pointing out that bad letting agents and landlords face being named and shamed via official schemes, but tenants do not.

Plan for landlords to pay NI on rental income revealed

Plan for landlords to pay NI on rental income revealed

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Landlords face paying national insurance on their rental income if plans leaked by HM Treasury this morning make it into the Autumn budget.

Businesses in England face double whammy as business rates are reviewed in 2026

Businesses in England face double whammy as business rates are reviewed in 2026

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There will be an “unavoidable double hit” to property taxation next year when the business rates review combines with rising inflation

South of England council latest to clamp down on smaller HMOs

South of England council latest to clamp down on smaller HMOs

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Spelthorne council to the south of Heathrow Airport has changed it mind on HMO 'threat' following complaints.

Council becomes first in UK to take over a landlord's homes after licensing failures

Council becomes first in UK to take over a landlord's homes after licensing failures

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News
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A landlord in London is the first in the UK to have their properties taken over ‘long-term’ by a council.

Labour's plans to abolish fixed term tenancies 'will destroy student lets'

Labour's plans to abolish fixed term tenancies 'will destroy student lets'

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The Government has been warned that its refusal to give student landlords an exemption from plans to scrap fixed-term tenancies will see the universit

SHOCKING 70% of tenants unaware of Renters' Rights Bill

SHOCKING 70% of tenants unaware of Renters' Rights Bill

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Report shows reforms will have little impact on sector if tenants are largely unaware of their new rights.

New partnership to reduce the stress of moving home for tenants

New partnership to reduce the stress of moving home for tenants

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A new partnership enables landlords' tenants to move into their home more easily, it has been announced.

Plan launched in Scotland to bring in rent caps 'immediately'

Plan launched in Scotland to bring in rent caps 'immediately'

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MSP Maggie Chapman wants an immediate introduction of rent caps to prevent 'brutal' rent rises by 'rogue landlords'.

Lodgers Limits - taking in a lodger - is there any limit to the number of rooms? 

Lodgers Limits - taking in a lodger - is there any limit to the number of rooms? 

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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 other implications?

Big property firm advises landlords to adopt 'pet clauses' in rental contracts

Big property firm advises landlords to adopt 'pet clauses' in rental contracts

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News
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John D Wood says landlords must adapt ahead of changes within the Renters' Rights Bill.

Midlands city has fined landlords £450,000 since licensing began

Midlands city has fined landlords £450,000 since licensing began

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News
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Birmingham's council says that while 40,000 landlords have licensed their properties since July 2023, too many have not.

Council starts crackdown on unlicensed HMOs with surprise inspections

Council starts crackdown on unlicensed HMOs with surprise inspections

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News
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Enforcement officers in Harlow are scouring the borough for unlicensed HMOs and unsafe properties.

Landlord duo to pay back tenants nearly £18,000 after licensing failures

Landlord duo to pay back tenants nearly £18,000 after licensing failures

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Landlord couple ordered to pay their tenants back the cash after failing to get an HMO licence for a property in

Selective licensing schemes goes ahead despite landlord opposition

Selective licensing schemes goes ahead despite landlord opposition

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Landlords in Grimsby have failed to convince council bosses to ditch a proposed selective licensing scheme in the town.

Landlord couple banned for nine years from renting homes

Landlord couple banned for nine years from renting homes

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The two landlords have been banned from renting property after their legal appeal was rejected.

COMMENT: 28 Weeks to Evict a tenant, should landlords be fearful?

COMMENT: 28 Weeks to Evict a tenant, should landlords be fearful?

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Why Landlords probably should be concerned about what the Renters’ Rights Bill could bring

Landlords excluded from Treasury plans to overhaul Stamp Duty

Landlords excluded from Treasury plans to overhaul Stamp Duty

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News
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Landlords would be exempt from Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ plans for a national property tax but could ultimately pay higher prices for homes.

Eviction battle between landlord and tenants makes national TV

Eviction battle between landlord and tenants makes national TV

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Tenants at a complex of flats in Nottingham have staged a protest against their no-fault eviction after it was sold to a new owner.

Sellers’ market picks up, as fire and structural damage refuses to stop properties selling in under 2 weeks

Sellers’ market picks up, as fire and structural damage refuses to stop properties selling in under 2 weeks

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Buy-to-let is bouncing back—landlords are selling fast, often above asking, with tenants in place. Portfolios sold in days, even with damage.

LATEST: Tenant rent arrears drop by 20% during 2025

LATEST: Tenant rent arrears drop by 20% during 2025

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Rent arrears fell by 12% to £1,861 in Q2 2025 marking the first year-on-year decline in a second quarter since 2021.

Rent rises ease but tenants still face massive competition for homes

Rent rises ease but tenants still face massive competition for homes

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Rent rises are easing across the UK official data has revealed this morning but experts warn that the private rental market continues to suffer from a

EXPERT: Council abused powers during immediate 'ban' on new HMOs

EXPERT: Council abused powers during immediate 'ban' on new HMOs

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A council in the north of England has been accused of an ‘abuse of power’ after introducing an ‘immediate' article 4 direction for HMOs.

New research debunks 'draughty' claims about privately rented homes

New research debunks 'draughty' claims about privately rented homes

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Homes within the private rented sector aren’t the poor relation portrayed by tenant groups when it comes to energy efficiency

More big names back campaigner seeking Labour U-turn on pets

More big names back campaigner seeking Labour U-turn on pets

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More leading figures and organisations have backed a campaigner's attempt to persuade Labour to U-turn on pet insurance.

TV star signs up to back rent guarantor firm ahead of reforms

TV star signs up to back rent guarantor firm ahead of reforms

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Barrister and TV personality Rob Rinder has got behind RentGuarantor as the firm’s new brand ambassador.