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.

How safe are classified sites? Another tenant scammed by fake landlord

How safe are classified sites? Another tenant scammed by fake landlord

News

A tenant has been scammed by a Gumtree advertiser who stole more than �2,000, leaving her facing homelessness. Mum-of-four, Shirley Jones, from Coventry, fell for the flat rental scam after answering the advert for a three-bedroom home in Nuneaton that was available to rent on

LATEST: Government's annual housing benefit bill rises to �30 billion

LATEST: Government's annual housing benefit bill rises to �30 billion

News

The government is expecting to spend and eye-watering �30 billion on housing benefit for tenants this year, DWP minister Will Quince has told parliament. This figure is �8-10 billion more than the Office for Budget Responsibility https://obr.uk/forecasts-in-depth/tax-

BREAKING: 'Half of tenants would take out pet insurance against damage', says expert

BREAKING: 'Half of tenants would take out pet insurance against damage', says expert

News

Half of all tenants who want to rent a home with their pet would be prepared to take out specialist insurance to cover their landlord against damage, a leading campaigner has revealed. Jennifer Berezai of AdvoCATS has researched an in-depth report into whether there is an appeti

Six month tenancy notice made permanent in Wales

Six month tenancy notice made permanent in Wales

News

Legislation has been passed in Wales that extends the amount of notice landlords must give to their tenants, from the two month s21 period, to six months. The Renting Homes (Amendment) (Wales) Bill means (because notice cannot be served within the initial term) that the minimum

Leading private landlord moves entire portfolio to Ltd company and saves �10 million

Leading private landlord moves entire portfolio to Ltd company and saves �10 million

News

One of Britains biggest private landlords is encouraging others to follow his lead by shifting property from their own name into a company structure. In what is thought to be the countrys largest ever mortgage transaction, Alastair Kerr (pictured) has transferred ownership

Regaining possession of a commercial property

Regaining possession of a commercial property

News

Landlords of commercial premises may consider it necessary to bring the lease to an end or to refuse to renew a lease. This course of action might be for a number of reasons: A tenant for example might not have a statutory right to a lease renewal under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, the

MTD vs Self-Assessment Tax Returns - understanding the coming changes

MTD vs Self-Assessment Tax Returns - understanding the coming changes

Information

The big changes are in the submission frequency and digital submission process. Firstly, you will need to complete not one but five tax submissions per year � one every quar

BREAKING: Don't expect an extension to the electrical safety standards deadline, says ministry

BREAKING: Don't expect an extension to the electrical safety standards deadline, says ministry

News

Landlords have been warned not to expect a grace period or extension to the deadline for properties to confirm to the new electrical safety standards. Originally, an https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electrical-safety-standards-in-the-private-rented-sector-guid

Average house price to rise by 17% over next ten years and to nearly �400,000 by 2050

Average house price to rise by 17% over next ten years and to nearly �400,000 by 2050

News

The average UK house price could surge by 17% in the next decade, based on historical data from the past 40 years, and is set to reach �400,000 by 2050. Property buying firm Good Move has studied house prices in the UK since 1980 to predict what the market might look like in th

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

17% of deposits 'don't cover rent arrears or damage by tenants'

17% of deposits 'don't cover rent arrears or damage by tenants'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Cash deposits increasingly don’t cover landlords’ claims for rent arrears or damage, according to a new study.

55% of tenants support rent controls says Generation Rent

55% of tenants support rent controls says Generation Rent

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

More than half of private renters (55%) reckon a new government should introduce rent controls.

Welsh nationalists back rent controls in manifesto

Welsh nationalists back rent controls in manifesto

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Plaid Cymru has come out in favour of rent controls in the PRS as part of its housing strategy in the party’s manifesto.

BLOG: Why accurate inventories are more important than ever

BLOG: Why accurate inventories are more important than ever

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The first thing I tell anyone is how important 'evidence' is in both deposit disputes and, now more than ever, monitoring fire safety compliance.

Renting £300 a month cheaper than owning says big lettings firm

Renting £300 a month cheaper than owning says big lettings firm

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Despite politicians and campaign groups claiming that the nation’s rental market is unaffordable, new research out today reveals that renting remains cheaper on average than buying a property with a 5% deposit.

GUIDE: Tenancy agreements as a deed instead of a contract

GUIDE: Tenancy agreements as a deed instead of a contract

Information
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A tenancy agreement is just like any other contract, so as soon as both tenant and landlord have signed the agreement, it becomes a legally binding contract.

Definitive leasehold reform is still far from a done deal

Definitive leasehold reform is still far from a done deal

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Labour might be no more likely to deliver on promises to overhaul the leasehold system than the Conservatives, according to property experts.

Surveyors warn parties to focus on generation rent

Surveyors warn parties to focus on generation rent

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A huge mismatch in the private rented sector has left tenants tackling ever-rising living costs and plummeting affordability levels.

Demand grows for greener properties to lower energy bills

Demand grows for greener properties to lower energy bills

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Most portfolio landlords have been asked to make energy efficient improvements by their tenants in the past year, according to a new poll.

Wales to reform contentious HMO council tax banding system

Wales to reform contentious HMO council tax banding system

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The Welsh government looks set to follow England’s lead by launching a consultation into how HMOs are valued and banded for council tax purposes.

Landlords leaving rental market amid tax and cost pressures

Landlords leaving rental market amid tax and cost pressures

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Rightmove reports 18% of homes for sale were previously rentals, up from 8% in 2010, as landlords exit amid rising taxes and costs.

There’s never been a better time to convert commercial buildings to residential

There’s never been a better time to convert commercial buildings to residential

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Architect Matthew Robinson argues that there’s never been a better time to convert commercial buildings to residential use...

TECH: New app gives tenants ability score landlords' properties

TECH: New app gives tenants ability score landlords' properties

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A new app aims to help prospective tenants decide whether a rental property ticks all the right boxes.

Councils urged to follow Merton's lead and repossess landlord homes

Councils urged to follow Merton's lead and repossess landlord homes

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A councillor has called for more local authorities to follow Merton’s lead and strip rogue landlords of their properties.

Renters' campaigners push for 'under-fire' landlord MP to resign

Renters' campaigners push for 'under-fire' landlord MP to resign

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Calls are growing for the Labour MP who was shamed for renting out mouldy and unlicensed flats to step down.

NRLA wins 'gold' for staff dedication to supporting private landlords

NRLA wins 'gold' for staff dedication to supporting private landlords

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The NRLA has won Gold status from the Investors in People (IIL) scheme following a wide-ranging accreditation process that scrutinised its commitment to deliver a positive work environment for the organisation’s staff.

London council U-turns over 'onerous conditions' for new licensing scheme

London council U-turns over 'onerous conditions' for new licensing scheme

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Lambeth has ignored landlord protests to launch its selective licencing scheme but backtracked on many onerous conditions.

Huge new selective licensing scheme goes live on South Coast

Huge new selective licensing scheme goes live on South Coast

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Brighton & Hove City Council has set its controversial new selective licensing scheme live, which now covers 17 of its 23 wards.

'Make rent guarantee insurance for council-referred tenants mandatory'

'Make rent guarantee insurance for council-referred tenants mandatory'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A landlord association has called for councils and charities that refer homeless or vulnerable tenants to take out mandatory rent guarantee insurance.

Landlord couple fined £141,000 over failings at London HMO

Landlord couple fined £141,000 over failings at London HMO

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A landlord and his wife are to pay a total of some £141,000 in fines and costs after failings at their HMO.

Landlord to pay £17,000 after tenants leave property over rat infestation

Landlord to pay £17,000 after tenants leave property over rat infestation

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Tenants who were forced to move out due to an “unbearable” rat infestation have won back more than £17,000 from their landlord.

Landlord income from renting drops by £2 billion as 'attacks' continue

Landlord income from renting drops by £2 billion as 'attacks' continue

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The government could trigger a rental crisis if attacks on private landlords continue, warns a leading tax advisory expert, amid an overall drop in rental income.

Next steps taken on national landlord registration in NI

Next steps taken on national landlord registration in NI

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

TNorthern Ireland has launched a survey to gather views from letting agents and landlords on its proposed Landlord Registration Scheme changes.

Big London borough consults on more HMO restrictions

Big London borough consults on more HMO restrictions

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

One of London’s largest boroughs is the latest to tighten planning controls when granting permission for smaller HMOs, namely those accommodating between three and six unrelated tenants who share common services.

Landlord recently elected as MP under fire over damp, mould and ants

Landlord recently elected as MP under fire over damp, mould and ants

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A Labour MP who is also a landlord in London has apologised over the weekend after a BBC investigation uncovered damp, mould and ant infestation problems within his property.

'We will not stand for repeat offenders', council chief warns rogue landlords

'We will not stand for repeat offenders', council chief warns rogue landlords

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A landlord couple in Haringey have been fined a total of £15,000 for failing to license one of their properties and make another one safe.

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

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

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

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
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

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
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

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
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

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
Sponsored
Information

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
Sponsored
Information

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
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

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
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

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.