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OPINION: Landlords and agents had a chance to avoid licensing, and blew it

OPINION: Landlords and agents had a chance to avoid licensing, and blew it

News

It is not unusual to hearletting agents and their landlord clients complaining that operating within theprivate rented sector is has become increasingly tangled with red tape.

WARNING: Money lost to 'investment scams' rises to £144 million

WARNING: Money lost to 'investment scams' rises to £144 million

News

The public has been warned to be vigilant following a new report that shows the number of people relieved of their savings by ‘investment scams’ has increased by value for the first time since 2021, reaching £144 million.

'Blue-rinse' seaside resort seeks to restrict number of HMOs

'Blue-rinse' seaside resort seeks to restrict number of HMOs

News

The borough council’s planning committee will vote on whether to introduce an Article 4 direction next week.

Council secures criminal conviction for landlord over unlicensed HMO

Council secures criminal conviction for landlord over unlicensed HMO

News

A West Sussex landlord has been prevented from letting out HMOs after he admitted operating an unlicensed property.

Landlords WILL be allowed to raise rents to pay for EPC upgrades

Landlords WILL be allowed to raise rents to pay for EPC upgrades

News

Despite Energy Secretary Ed Miliband’s insistence that rents hadn’t increased when standards were raised during previous initiatives, Justice Minister Sarah Sackman has now said there are grounds for “higher market rents”.

Landlord £10,000 out of pocket as DWP rules complicated payments

Landlord £10,000 out of pocket as DWP rules complicated payments

News

A tenant has built up more than £10,000 in rent arrears after the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) refused to accept her landlord’s word that the rent had increased.

Number of planning permissions for HMOs declines across UK

Number of planning permissions for HMOs declines across UK

News

Report from digital planning portal suggests public fight-back against HMOs and higher taxes for landlords are beginning to bite.

US activist urges British tenants to withhold rents and resist 'despotic landlords'

US activist urges British tenants to withhold rents and resist 'despotic landlords'

News

Radical renting campaigners have written a new book that aims to inspire the end of UK landlords’ “despotic control” over tenants.

Famous seaside town plans enlarged £784 landlord licensing scheme

Famous seaside town plans enlarged £784 landlord licensing scheme

News

The Norfolk seaside town of Great Yarmouth has revealed plans to introduce a five-year selective licensing scheme for rented properties in three key wards.

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Landlords with leasehold properties in line for Ground Rent rip-off refunds

Landlords with leasehold properties in line for Ground Rent rip-off refunds

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News
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More than 5,000 leaseholders including landlords could get refunds on their ground rent after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) secured assurances from nine firms that bought freeholds from housing developer Taylor Wimpey. Those leaseholders who paid a doubled

EXPERT: Number of councils seeking to stop HMO conversions is on the rise

EXPERT: Number of councils seeking to stop HMO conversions is on the rise

News
News
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Opinion
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More councils are set to introduce Article 4 directions in a bid to clamp down on HMO development, with six currently waiting for approval. There are already about 45 local authorities in England partly or entirely affected by Article 4 which means planning permission is nee

Unintended consequences of plans to ban Section 21 evictions 'already happening'

Unintended consequences of plans to ban Section 21 evictions 'already happening'

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News
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A new landlord survey has revealed the effects of the Government's proposals to ban Section 21 evictions already feeding into the private rented sector. Evictions specialist Landlord Action canvassed some 1,500 landlords and found that 26% of those who had evicted a tenant over

Speculation grows that Rees-Mogg will be Housing Secretary if Liz Truss wins

Speculation grows that Rees-Mogg will be Housing Secretary if Liz Truss wins

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News
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Its known as silly season when the media focuses on light-hearted stories, but news that Jacob Rees-Mogg (pictured) is being mooted as the new Levelling Up Secretary has been seen by some as no laughing matter. As the leadership contest draws to a close, preparations fo

Making tax digital as a landlord: What you need to know

Making tax digital as a landlord: What you need to know

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News
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Opinion
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Making tax digital (MTD) for income tax is part of the governments long-term strategy to digitalise tax and will have implications for how landlords pay tax on their income. For those used to self-assessment, it will represent a change, but providing digital records will give businesses

What are the special rules for VAT on commercial property?

What are the special rules for VAT on commercial property?

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News
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VAT on Commercial Property is a complex topic and anyone wishing to understand these complexities in relation to their own situation should seek specialist advice. This article should give a broad brush general overview but you really should seek advice because errors can be irredeemable an

Landlord banned from letting properties in England for five years

Landlord banned from letting properties in England for five years

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News
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A rogue portfolio landlord has been banned from letting properties for five years after she admitted multiple offences relating to fire safety issues. Naomi Knapp, a landlord with 34 properties in Bristol, was convicted of eight banning order offences and will now be added to th

'Spray foam must be regulated to stop properties becoming un-mortgageable'

'Spray foam must be regulated to stop properties becoming un-mortgageable'

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News
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Urgent regulation of the spray foam industry is needed to prevent making thousands of homes un-mortgagable, warn leading property groups. Sprayed polyurethane expanding foams are often used in lofts, either to stabilise a failing roof covering or to provide extra insulation. But

EXCLUSIVE: Landlords battle city council over HMO council tax re-valuations

EXCLUSIVE: Landlords battle city council over HMO council tax re-valuations

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News
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Portsmouths HMOs are in the firing line again as growing numbers are being referred to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to have their council tax bands reassessed. Rather than paying tax on the whole property, each room can be classified as a band A at a cost of �1,200, wit

SHOCK: Third of tenants prefer renting to home ownership

SHOCK: Third of tenants prefer renting to home ownership

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News
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Polling by build-to-rent (BTR) landlord UNCLE shows that 32% of those it polled who were between 18 and 24 years old said they ‘chose to rent’ rather than being compelled to by the housing market, while the figure was 31% for those between 25 and 34 years old.

What landlords should expect now the election is over

What landlords should expect now the election is over

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With the victory for Labour now over a week behind us, what should landlords expect from the change in government?

Councillors in big south coast city back rent controls

Councillors in big south coast city back rent controls

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News
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Councillors in Brighton have backed a petition by campaign group Living Rent to introduce rent controls during a debate yesterday at its monthly full council meeting.

'New model rental contracts in Wales put deposits in jeapordy'

'New model rental contracts in Wales put deposits in jeapordy'

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News
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Landlords in Wales have found themselves unable to make deductions to deposits when using occupation contract templates, it has been claimed.

Selective licencing given green light in 'blighted' seaside town

Selective licencing given green light in 'blighted' seaside town

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News
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Northumberland council is the latest to approve more selective licencing with two wards in the seaside town of Blythe.

Landlord minister joins new Labour housing team

Landlord minister joins new Labour housing team

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News
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Five new housing ministers have been tasked with helping the government deliver homes and reform the PRS – and one of them is a landlord.

Labour told to address dire rental supply problem

Labour told to address dire rental supply problem

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News
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Frustrated surveyors have urged the government to introduce fair legislation that increases supply as landlords continue to quit the sector.

WARNING: Hasty eviction reforms will be 'nail in coffin' of PRS

WARNING: Hasty eviction reforms will be 'nail in coffin' of PRS

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News
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Propertymark has warned that abolishing Section 21 without an adequate replacement mechanism will add 'another nail in the coffin' of the PRS.

Council to launch third licencing scheme charging £609

Council to launch third licencing scheme charging £609

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News
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Opinion
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Salford Council is to launch a consultation into reviving one of its selective licencing schemes - offering landlords slightly cheaper licences than eight years ago.

POLL: Higher costs to force 85% of landlords to raise rents

POLL: Higher costs to force 85% of landlords to raise rents

News
News
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Opinion
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Most buy-to-let landlords plan to raise rents in the next 12 months after being hammered by higher interest rates and operating costs.

Rental arrears ease as cost-of-living crisis recedes

Rental arrears ease as cost-of-living crisis recedes

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News
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Fewer tenants are going into rent arrears, according to the latest figures from Handelsbanken.

Idea of rent caps 'scares the life out of landlords' warns Shamplina

Idea of rent caps 'scares the life out of landlords' warns Shamplina

Podcast
News
Podcast
Opinion
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Paul Shamplina warns that introducing rent caps could drive landlords out of the market, potentially worsening housing supply issues.

Decison imminent on new EPC target for landlords

Decison imminent on new EPC target for landlords

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News
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Private landlords are about to get a new deadline for making energy efficiency improvements to their properties.

Will Labour improve a dysfunctional housing market, or destroy it?

Will Labour improve a dysfunctional housing market, or destroy it?

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News
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Tom Entwistle considers the current state of the UK housing market and how it could be affected by Labour’s policies

Midlands council reveals start date for £1,000 a property HMO licences

Midlands council reveals start date for £1,000 a property HMO licences

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News
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More HMO landlords in the West Midlands borough of Sandwell face paying £1,000 for a licence after the council gave the go-ahead to an extended additional scheme to go live on October 1st 2024.

Plan revealed by Yorkshire city to 'get tough' on landlords

Plan revealed by Yorkshire city to 'get tough' on landlords

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News
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Sheffield Council is about to get tougher on private landlords as part of a new 10-year plan to improve the city’s housing.

Labour has just one job to do - stabilise the rental market, says agency

Labour has just one job to do - stabilise the rental market, says agency

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News
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Good landlords have little to fear from a Labour government if it can stabilise the economy to support the property market and make renting easier and less volatile, according to one letting agent.

'Levelling up' dropped by Angela Rayner from housing department name

'Levelling up' dropped by Angela Rayner from housing department name

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News
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Angela Rayner has revealed that the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities that it is to drop ‘levelling up’ from its name and concentrate on ‘basics not gimmicks’.

Kemi Badenoch named shadow housing secretary by Sunak

Kemi Badenoch named shadow housing secretary by Sunak

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News
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Wannabe Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has been appointed by Rishi Sunak as his shadow housing secretary.

Cut your losses says landlord: Why this month’s mortgage rates are causing landlords to sell

Cut your losses says landlord: Why this month’s mortgage rates are causing landlords to sell

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News
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Opinion
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If you were looking for a sign on whether or not to downsize or expand your property portfolio, this weeks’ news provided mixed messages on how landlords might be affected by Buy-to-let (BTL) mortgage rates.

Introducing Portfolio

Introducing Portfolio

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More than 5,000 landlords are now managing their properties using the NRLA’s new Portfolio platform. Here James Kent, the NRLA’s Chief Innovation Officer, and founder of digital compliance platform Safe2, explains more about the platform, and how it can work for you.

Chancellor confirms no-fault Section 21 evictions ban

Chancellor confirms no-fault Section 21 evictions ban

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News
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves has today revealed Labour’s post-election plans to get the housing market moving but also confirms Section 21 evictions will go.

Khan eyeing more housing powers after Labour victory

Khan eyeing more housing powers after Labour victory

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News
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London Mayor Sadiq Khan is confident he will be able to push ahead with a massive house building programme in the capital and new powers to control the housing market.

Landlord in hot water over 'no WFH' rental advert

Landlord in hot water over 'no WFH' rental advert

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News
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A landlord has got into hot water for telling prospective tenants that they’re not allowed to work from home.

Coroner calls for landlord register following tenant death

Coroner calls for landlord register following tenant death

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News
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A coroner has called on the government to set up a private landlord register in England after the mould-related death of a tenant.