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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

EXCLUSIVE: Costliest and most common landlord insurance claims

EXCLUSIVE: Costliest and most common landlord insurance claims

News

Research carried out by LandlordZONEs insurance partner, Hamilton Fraser Total Landlord Insurance, revealed that the vast majority of landlords, https://hamiltonfraser.co.uk/knowledge/good-landlord-quiz-results/?utm_source=landlordzone&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=lz_november

Opinion: Should landlords dive into heat pumps?

Opinion: Should landlords dive into heat pumps?

Opinion

The move to provide home heating and hot water by this method is part of a Government strategy aimed at making deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonizing the UK's power sector by 2035. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the scheme was designed to bring low-carbon hea

UPDATED: Bailiff evictions to be suspended over Xmas and New Year for a month

UPDATED: Bailiff evictions to be suspended over Xmas and New Year for a month

News

Tenants facing eviction in England are to be protected from losing their homes during the Christmas and New Year period, HM Courts and Tribunal has confirmed. Between 13th December and 10th January no evictions should be s

Tax changes for Airbnb landlords 'in the pipeline' to stop gaming of the rates system

Tax changes for Airbnb landlords 'in the pipeline' to stop gaming of the rates system

News

Some holiday lets owners are gaming the system to claim business rate relief, comments made by the Housing Minister Lord Greenhalgh suggest, who has promised action to clamp down on the practice. In a Lords debate on second homes, peers voiced concerns that second homeo

Asylum seeker HMO operator fined �60,000 for running house without licence

Asylum seeker HMO operator fined �60,000 for running house without licence

News

A company that houses asylum seekers has been fined more than �60,000 for HMO offences in Newport. Clearsprings Ready Homes, which has the contract for operating accommodation for asylum seekers in Wales, was found guilty of letting an HMO in Redland Street (pictured), in the B

Bill to make EPC rules mandatory early 'unlikely to become law' after stabbing

Bill to make EPC rules mandatory early 'unlikely to become law' after stabbing

News

The Minimum Energy Performance of Buildings Bill, which aimed to advance the governments energy efficiency commitments, is in doubt following the tragic death of David Amess MP. He was the presentation bills main sponsor in the Commons, launching it at the same time as Lor

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Landlord to pay £37,000 after running overcrowded illegal HMO

Landlord to pay £37,000 after running overcrowded illegal HMO

News
News
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A rogue landlord who squeezed six people into one room of his HMO has been told to pay £37,000 in fines and costs.

CLAIM: Labour's 'new towns' will be all about BTR not private landlords

CLAIM: Labour's 'new towns' will be all about BTR not private landlords

News
News
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Opinion
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The UK’s new towns will favour build-to-rent developers rather than private landlords, according to a think tank which labels them “profit-seeking institutional investors”.

Big London council to bring back selective licensing

Big London council to bring back selective licensing

News
News
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Opinion
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Croydon has announced plans to bring back its selective licensing scheme after a five-year break.

Lettings agency pays high price for ignoring HMO regulations

Lettings agency pays high price for ignoring HMO regulations

News
News
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Opinion
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A student housing firm has been told to pay £13,160 for breaching safety regulations at a Salford HMO.

Landlords in-line for a £20bn energy efficiency bill

Landlords in-line for a £20bn energy efficiency bill

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
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Landlords will collectively have to spend more than £20billion making improvements to their rental properties to meet proposed new energy efficiency standards

Developer in hot water after Rightmove offers Premier Inn rooms to rent

Developer in hot water after Rightmove offers Premier Inn rooms to rent

News
News
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Opinion
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Gravesham Council is looking into a possible planning breach after studio flats were advertised for rent at a disused Premier Inn.

OFFICIAL: Landlords now waiting 25 weeks to evict tenants

OFFICIAL: Landlords now waiting 25 weeks to evict tenants

News
News
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Opinion
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Landlords are waiting even longer to repossess their properties - up to 25 weeks in the last quarter of 2024.

Students call for TripAdvisor-style reviews for rented student homes

Students call for TripAdvisor-style reviews for rented student homes

News
News
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Opinion
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Fed-up students in Bristol have launched a campaign to introduce a TripAdvisor style review system for the city’s accommodation.

OFFICIAL: Tenants blame 'lazy landlords' for poor property repairs

OFFICIAL: Tenants blame 'lazy landlords' for poor property repairs

News
News
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Tenants cite lazy landlords as the main reason for repairs and maintenance not being done in their rental homes.

'Licencing schemes should be abolished and replaced with annual MOT'

'Licencing schemes should be abolished and replaced with annual MOT'

News
News
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Opinion
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Licencing schemes are a blunt instrument, pointlessly cost compliant landlords hundreds of pounds, are ignored by rogue operators and consume scarce council resources.

Property experts say new EPC target 'impossible to meet'

Property experts say new EPC target 'impossible to meet'

News
News
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Opinion
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A straw poll of building surveyors, recovery experts, private landlords, investors and developers has found that the vast majority deem the government’s EPC C target by 2030 as impossible to meet.

Landlord fined £5,000 after ignoring improvement notices

Landlord fined £5,000 after ignoring improvement notices

News
News
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Opinion
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A landlord has been handed a £5,000 fine after persistently ignoring requests to carry out improvement works on his property – despite being a builder.

EPCs to be replaced by a new Home Energy Model this year

EPCs to be replaced by a new Home Energy Model this year

News
News
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Opinion
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EPCs to be upgraded with a new method of assessment, the new "Home Energy Model", later this year

US rent data firm with UK arm faces legal action at home

US rent data firm with UK arm faces legal action at home

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
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A tech firm is being sued by the US government for allowing landlords in America to increase rents and stifle competition.

Eco-upgrade schemes worth £20m for landlords now live across England

Eco-upgrade schemes worth £20m for landlords now live across England

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
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Landlords can get free or subsidised advice on eco upgrades from a raft of new government-funded schemes that are now up and running across England.

Solicitor convicted of harassing tenants given suspended jail term

Solicitor convicted of harassing tenants given suspended jail term

News
News
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A landlord in Northern Ireland has been handed a jail sentence of two months suspended for two years.

Report paints grim picture of homeless excluded from private rented sector

Report paints grim picture of homeless excluded from private rented sector

News
News
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Opinion
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Access to low-cost private rented housing across England has become nearly impossible for ‘bottom of the market’ people living in homelessness accommodation and services, according to new research.

Boom in landlords turning to short lets since 2022

Boom in landlords turning to short lets since 2022

News
News
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Opinion
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Most landlords don’t use the agent they bought the property from to rent it out – and are increasingly likely not to market it as a long-term tenancy.

OFFICIAL: Huge increase in tenants challenging rent increases

OFFICIAL: Huge increase in tenants challenging rent increases

News
News
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Opinion
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New research has shown a huge increase in tenants challenging rent increases in Scotland since an updated procedure was introduced on 1st April.

Building a successful buy-to-let business: who do you need?

Building a successful buy-to-let business: who do you need?

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News
Podcast
Opinion
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Building a successful buy-to-let business requires a strong team of advisors to manage finances, legalities, and property management effectively.

Embrace landlords instead of attacking them, leader urges politicians

Embrace landlords instead of attacking them, leader urges politicians

News
News
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Opinion
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A leading private rented sector figure has called on both the Scottish and English governments to embrace landlords as part of the solution to problem within both countries housing markets.

NRLA to train social housing providers

NRLA to train social housing providers

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News
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Opinion
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Our award-winning Training Academy is set to expand its offer this summer, launching bespoke training courses for social housing providers.

Leading lettings portal warns rent controls will be 'disastrous'

Leading lettings portal warns rent controls will be 'disastrous'

News
News
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One of the largest letting agencies in Scotland has warned within a new report that the SNP’s continued efforts to introduce tougher rent controls will have a ‘disastrous’ impact on an already struggling private rented sector.

Surrey council does U-turn on restrictions for smaller HMOs

Surrey council does U-turn on restrictions for smaller HMOs

News
News
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Opinion
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A council in Surrey is getting reading to restrict landlords seeking to convert houses into small HMOs next year.

BOOMING: London luxe rentals that cost £25,000 a week

BOOMING: London luxe rentals that cost £25,000 a week

News
News
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Opinion
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London’s super-luxe landlords have seen a big boom in £25,000-a-week rentals as taxation fears have prompted the wealthy to rent rather than buy.

NEW: Labour now has more landlord MPs than Tories

NEW: Labour now has more landlord MPs than Tories

News
News
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Opinion
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Information

Three of the top five landlords in parliament are now Labour MPs, including the biggest landlord, new MP Jas Athwal.

Property dealer to pay £700,000 after court case

Property dealer to pay £700,000 after court case

News
News
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Opinion
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Information

A property dealer who was involved in dealings with a controversial property investment company, Home Reit, has been ordered by a court to pay £700,000 to an intermediary.

Labour confirms national registration scheme for short lets

Labour confirms national registration scheme for short lets

News
News
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A mandatory short-lets registration scheme and tougher planning laws look set to take effect soon in England.

Seasoned landlord apologises over £19,000 licencing error

Seasoned landlord apologises over £19,000 licencing error

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
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Information

A landlord firm which tried to argue that its agent was responsible for failing to organise an additional HMO licence has been handed a £19,753 rent repayment order.

Booking.com under fire over 'ghost' and 'scam' properties

Booking.com under fire over 'ghost' and 'scam' properties

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
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Information

A holiday lets platform used by thousands of landlords to generate income has come under fire over ‘ghost’ properties.

'Labour nightmare for landlords! No rent? Well, you can’t evict or sell now'

'Labour nightmare for landlords! No rent? Well, you can’t evict or sell now'

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Opinion
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There is some uncertainty to what it actually means in practice until the details are written down but could the proposed hardship test mean even if your tenants won’t pay their rent, you will not be able to evict them if that makes them homeless or financially disadvantaged?

Big council takes unusual new role 'policing' all privately rented homes

Big council takes unusual new role 'policing' all privately rented homes

News
News
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North Yorkshire Council has adopted a new housing enforcement policy to ensure all private rental properties across the county are up to scratch, the first time this has happened.

Tenant remanded in custody after landlord's death

Tenant remanded in custody after landlord's death

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News
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A tenant accused of murdering her landlord and stabbing his cat to death has been remanded in custody.

NEW: 'Dream home' raffle helps tenants pay their rent

NEW: 'Dream home' raffle helps tenants pay their rent

News
News
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Opinion
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Information

A property raffle has just handed out another £500,000 to a lucky winner to buy their dream house.