Landlords with empty properties are being urged to take advantage of council cash to help fight the housing shortage. About 300 councils currently offer a scheme mainly loans to carry out repairs - although some provide grants, usually ranging from �5,000 to more than �25,
Letting out property abroad can be a great way of generating extra income. The property might have been bought primarily as an investment but for others or it could be second or holiday home let out when not in use. There are plenty of things to think about, though.
Leicester is going ahead with its selective licensing extension in three areas of the city, charging landlords �1,090 per property - the highest fee in the Midlands. The council is introducing the scheme in parts of Westcotes, Fosse, Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields wards, whi
Durham Council has warned landlords covered by its new selective licensing scheme to brace themselves for inspections next month. At least 29,000 properties, 42% of the countys PRS, are covered by the scheme which launched in April after winning government approval. <p id
Nearly one-fifth of private rented homes would need work costing more than �10,000 to bring them up to an EPC Band C, according to the latest PRS figures. The English Housing Survey Private Rented Sector report for 2020-21 found that these were more likely to need larger sums o
The latest figures available from Rightmove show that London rents jumped by around 14 per cent in the last year, with some property experts calling it the most competitive market on record Matt Hutchinson, a director at SpareRoom, the flat sharing website, has said: <p
The pandemic has had a devastating impact on commercial property, with lockdowns, social distancing, working from home (WFH), all accelerating the move to online and home deliveries. The likes of Tesco, Ocado and the other big supermarket deliveries were the saviour of the public during the
Welsh politicians have reaffirmed their desire to consider rent controls in the PRS while announcing plans to crack down on the holiday let sector. Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price (main pic, right) suggested rent controls could be on the table when the long-awaited but now <a href
Michael Gove, arguable the best housing secretary for some years, has been sacked from his job after joining a chorus of Tory cabinet ministers calling on the PM to resign. During a fast-moving day in politics which has seen over 40 MPs quit the government or withdraw their supp
Welsh government leaders have revealed radical plans to licence holiday lets in a bid to get tough on the causes of long-term rental shortages. The region is to introduce a cap on the number of second and holiday homes while bringing in measures to put more homes into common own
HMO landlords face paying thousands of pounds for https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/safety-peer-asks-why-private-landlords-must-do-electrical-checks-when-social-ones-are-exempt/" electrical equipment when new regulations kick in later this year. An amendment
Manchester aims to double the size of its selective licensing scheme by adding another 1,884 properties in eight areas. The council has given it the go-ahead to the https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/manchester-mayor-vows-to-launch-1-5m-landlord-licensing-across-city/"
Owners of second homes in many coastal and holiday locations could face a ban on renting using lettings websites like Airbnb. Tourist hotspots such as coastal towns in Cornwall and Devon are particularly affected. Communities being eroded In many of these towns, loca
Brighton and Hove has its sights set on being the first city to slap a ban on second homes and holiday lets. The Green-controlled council is looking to clamp down on landlords profiting from the staycation boom amid fears that the rapid growth has impacted on the availability of
Prepare for the Leasehold Reform Act on 30 June: what landlords need to know about new ground rent rules and leasehold fairness.
The long-awaited Government White Paper, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1083378/A_fairer_private_rented_sector_web_accessible.pdf" target="_blank" A Fairer Private Rented Sector ,
According to recent research buy property agents Hamptons International, for the last 11 months its been cheaper to buy a home with a 10% deposit than rent. This is because to rental growth was tearing away before and mortgage rates were near their record lows. In May this ye
Abolishing fixed-term tenancies risks ruining the student rental market, warns leading provider of major housing contraction.
Fire Regulations in Rentals: There are several regulations relating to fire safety within rental dwellings; some affect all dwellings whereas others apply mainly to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO).This looks complicated, but fire safety management in reality boils down t
Damp & Mould: You may have seen or heard of the 1970s TV series Rising Damp, which featured a landlord and his tenants (lodgers in this case) which rather implies that all rental properties are troubled with this kind of damp.Far from the case, but some are. In fact the
Renting Standards: Specialist residential property solicitor Amanda Sutcliffe of Bray & Bray looks at the importance of keeping a rental property in good condition.Research conducted by Endsleigh Insurance and TrustMark claimed that over 75% of landlords s
Sub-Letting Licenses: (SOLITAIRE) LIMITED Appellant and CHERRY LILIAN NORTON and other cases [2012]Landlords of leasehold buy-to-let flats are often asked to pay a fee (sub-letting licence or registration fee) to the freeholder when seeking permission to sub-let their flat,
Validity of Section 21 Notice: Amak Property Investments v Laura Sonny [2016]This case was an appeal by the tenant following a county court judgement relating to the validity of a s21 notice on the basis that the landlord had not complied with the deposit protection (MyDepo
Essential guide to rent reviews: why reading the lease is crucial for landlords and tenants to navigate rent adjustments effectively.
Tenant Agreement: The Law of Property Act 1925 talks about having a maximum of 4 tenants on an agreement. So what to do when you have 5, 6 or more tenants sharing a house?There is a common misunderstanding of the rules here. Landlords and agents sometimes think or have heard
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
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
A rogue landlord has been handed a suspended jail sentence after she failed to maintain gas appliances at her rental property.
The government has vowed to take action on rogue landlords who exploit vulnerable residents in exempt accommodation.
A mass sell-off is currently underway in the landlord sector, and it only looks set to increase. EPC requirements, The Renters Reform Bill, mounting financial pressures, the list of reasons goes on.
A third of renters (33%) don’t plan to ever own their own home, up from a fifth (20%) in 2022.
A “tsunami of landlords” will put in Section 21 notices before the ban is implemented, predicts Landlord Action’s Paul Shamplina.
Landlords are bracing themselves for the impact of a ban on Section 21 after the government published its Renters’ Rights Bill.
The first base rate cut since 2020 has boosted rental stock levels across major British cities, according to new research.
Landlords are being asked to share their experiences of conveyancing to help strengthen the case for digital property packs.
The government is considering a further crackdown on short-term lets in a bid to free up more homes for local people.
Landlords and letting agents aren’t carrying out inventory inspections on nearly a third of tenancies, leaving themselves open to disputes.
Landlords have been warned that cutting maintenance budgets could jeopardise their ability to rent out properties and puts renters at risk.
A landlord has successfully overturned a rent repayment order after he argued he wasn’t responsible for an unlicensed HMO.
It’s that time of year again. The first signs of the UK’s autumn cold arrives as we see more cooling rain and wind, and a noticeable drop in temperature
Stay compliant to avoid hefty five‑figure penalties—landlord responsibilities can't be ignored.
The Renters’ Reform Coalition has called for more radical renter reforms including longer eviction notice periods, longer protected periods free from eviction when a tenancy starts and limits on rent increases during a tenancy.
A Capital Gains Tax rate change could be the final nail in the PRS coffin as investors ditch bricks and mortar, according to one big financial analyst.
A portfolio landlord group has urged the government to voice support for the sector and work with it on finding a solution to the country’s housing crisis.
Hoarding is an issue for an estimated six per cent of the population so at some point, many landlords will house a tenant that is affected.
Waltham Forest has been slammed for failing to adequately publicise details of its new additional licensing scheme.
Landlord groups are hoping Scotland’s First Minister has softened his hard-line stance on impending rent controls amid promises to boost the PRS.
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.
Rightmove reports 18% of homes for sale were previously rentals, up from 8% in 2010, as landlords exit amid rising taxes and costs.
Architect Matthew Robinson argues that there’s never been a better time to convert commercial buildings to residential use...
A new app aims to help prospective tenants decide whether a rental property ticks all the right boxes.
A councillor has called for more local authorities to follow Merton’s lead and strip rogue landlords of their properties.
