Winter Condensation: Its that time of year again, a time when tenants are most likely to complain about the mould appearing in those corners of the property where the walls and ceilings are really cold, and hot air with moisture always rises to the top. If its black mo
Tax Relief: Starting from 6th April 2017, those landlords with mortgages will have tax relief on their buy-to-let mortgage costs gradually reduce over a 4-year period.Many landlords dont have a mortgage (up to 50% it is said), so this change does not affect them, but many
Rent Arrears: At this time of year, soon after the Christmas spending spree, inevitably rent payments begin to suffer. If you are having problems with rent arrears, this article should help.As in most areas of life,prevention is better than cure . To re
Tax Return 2016-2017: As a general rule, and as outlined in the previous articles in this series on tax returns, landlords can claim the expenses of running and maintaining their rental properties.If the rent you charge includes additional services like water, or council tax
Tax Return 2016-17: With some costs its very easy to decide: a repair to a drain, downspout or roof tile are all allowable expenses, but what about replacing a broken single glazed window with a new plastic frame and double glazing, what about decorating and installing a
Penetrating damp, just as its name implies, is where water leaks into a building from outside the structure, through the walls or roof. Less common is where an internal leak from a water or drain pipe leaks into the structure of the building.Common causes of penetrating damp are: <ul <l
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
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
Essential guide on how to conduct a rent review, covering key clauses and best practices to protect landlord and tenant interests.
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
Wannabe Prime Minister Liz Truss has announced that, if elected next month, she will introduce measures to enable tenants within the private rented sector to record their rent with the UK's credit reference agencies. This will both help tenants get on the property ladder via imp
A landlord in East London is to pay two of her former tenants just over �12,000 after a rent repayment order (RRO) tribunal judge said she had at times bullied the pair and verged on threatening behaviour. Judge Shepherd awarded
A challenger utilities provider has claimed that HMO landlords can solve their tenants mounting bill payment challenges by using tech. Glide, which has a fast-spreading network of its own broadband cables around the UK but also offers bundled utility deals to homeowners and t
Leeds has the highest number of student properties in the UK, according to new research. Website money.co.uk analysed the biggest university towns and cities, giving Leeds, which has five universities and one of the biggest student populations, the top spot with 16,225, followed
Leaseholders can now check their eligibility for a share of the �4.5 billion Building Safety Fund, which has reopened to take new applications.� � Those living in buildings over 18m with cladding issues can apply for a share of the fund. However, the DLUHC tel
Barnet Council is reintroducing borough-wide HMO licensing in a bid to improve property standards despite less than impressive figures in its previous additional licensing scheme. According to one of the respondents in the consultation report, only 32% of licensable properties h
A recent RICS survey finds that interest rate hikes and cost of living pressures are beginning to weigh on sentiment. Credit conditions have deteriorated to such an extent that 43% of respondents to the RICS survey felt we're in early downturn.� Investor sentiment is steady, but the ma
HMRC has confirmed that landlords must file a capital gains tax (CGT) property return - even if the disposal has already been reported on a self-assessment (SA) return. The government introduced the requirement to report disposals of UK residential property and pay the subsequen
A leading poverty organisation has called for a radical overhaul of the private rented sector including a government-backed right to buy scheme for private renters. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), which was founded by a Quaker philanthropist and sweets manufacturer i
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.
Calls are growing for the Labour MP who was shamed for renting out mouldy and unlicensed flats to step down.
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.
Lambeth has ignored landlord protests to launch its selective licencing scheme but backtracked on many onerous conditions.
Brighton & Hove City Council has set its controversial new selective licensing scheme live, which now covers 17 of its 23 wards.
A landlord association has called for councils and charities that refer homeless or vulnerable tenants to take out mandatory rent guarantee insurance.
A landlord and his wife are to pay a total of some £141,000 in fines and costs after failings at their HMO.
Tenants who were forced to move out due to an “unbearable” rat infestation have won back more than £17,000 from their landlord.
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.
TNorthern Ireland has launched a survey to gather views from letting agents and landlords on its proposed Landlord Registration Scheme changes.
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.
