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Hardship test “bombshell” for landlords

Hardship test “bombshell” for landlords

News

Labour’s housing minister Matthew Pennycook is said to be planning a “hardship test”

New minister says transfer from housing benefit to Universal Credit 'smooth' but expert disagrees

New minister says transfer from housing benefit to Universal Credit 'smooth' but expert disagrees

News

Claims by the new Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) minister of state Stephen Timms that the transfer of remaining housing benefit claimants to Universal Credit is being done ‘as smoothly as possible’ have been questioned by a leading expert.

Landlord fined £10,000 over failure to do £169 safety check

Landlord fined £10,000 over failure to do £169 safety check

News

Booking in a five-yearly Electrical Safety Installation Certificate (ESIC) check for your rented property often seems like one of the plethora of minor tasks on the ‘to do’ list.

Higher BTL repossessions making rental shortage worse says Law Society

Higher BTL repossessions making rental shortage worse says Law Society

News

An increase in buy-to-let repossessions is exacerbating the rental supply shortage and leaving evicted families without legal aid needed to fight their case.

'We're seeing mostly older landlords selling up' says agency boss

'We're seeing mostly older landlords selling up' says agency boss

News

An exodus of older landlords is paving the way for build-to-rent investors and younger landlords looking to capitalise on higher yield properties, according to a big estate agency boss.

Landlord property repossessions continue upward trajectory

Landlord property repossessions continue upward trajectory

News

At least 710 buy-to-let mortgaged properties were repossessed in the second quarter of the year, 13% up on the previous quarter and 51% up year-on-year.

OpenRent and Rightmove's 'war of words' ends with new deal

OpenRent and Rightmove's 'war of words' ends with new deal

News

Online lettings firm OpenRent and Rightmove have signed a new property listings deal after several weeks of corporate brinkmanship over fees.

COURTS: Time to evict a tenant jumps 15% to 25 weeks

COURTS: Time to evict a tenant jumps 15% to 25 weeks

News

The average time from claim to landlord repossession has jumped to 25.4 weeks, up from 22.1 weeks in the same period in 2023, according to the latest government figures.

'Supply of rented property thinning out, and Labour's not helping'

'Supply of rented property thinning out, and Labour's not helping'

News

Gloomy letting agents have reported a fall-off in private rentals coming onto the market around the country.

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Higher mortgage rates driving more landlords to request rent guarantors

Higher mortgage rates driving more landlords to request rent guarantors

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Landlords hit by mortgage rate hikes are demanding guarantors from increasing numbers of high earning tenants. Many tenants are seeing a greater proportion of their take-home pay go towards rent so are having to provide the additional security of a guarantor when signing new agr

Influential Labour group says tougher eviction rules needed to tackle poverty

Influential Labour group says tougher eviction rules needed to tackle poverty

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Landlords should be prevented from serving an eviction notice for at least the first year of a tenancy, in the case of repossession for selling or occupying the property, according to a new report from the Fabian Society. The independent left-leaning

Rents soar as agents report rising tenant demand but landlord slump

Rents soar as agents report rising tenant demand but landlord slump

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The Governments housing policies are coming home to roost as tenant demand continues to soar but the number of landlords advertising new properties to rent plummets, it has been revealed. RICS says that during June it found significantly more members (a net balance increase o

NEW: Big London borough brings in tighter HMO conversion rules for landlords

NEW: Big London borough brings in tighter HMO conversion rules for landlords

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Landlords in one of London's biggest boroughs now need planning permission to convert family homes into HMOs for three to six tenants. After a year-long pilot and consultation with residents, the London Borough of Hounslow (main picture) has made its borough-wide A

Mortgage woes spark surge in landlords selling portfolios

Mortgage woes spark surge in landlords selling portfolios

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Landlords with portfolios of 20 properties or more are making up the bulk of enquiries about selling to the Landlord Sales Agency. Despite reports that smaller landlords with one or two properties will be hardest hit by current market conditions, the firm has one landlord client

Housing chief tries to reassure landlords over looming eviction changes

Housing chief tries to reassure landlords over looming eviction changes

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Government officials have reassured private landlords that judges will be able to consider a wider range of behaviours before using their judicial discretion in ASB eviction cases. Giving evidence to the Levelling Up Housing and Communities Committee into

Landlords face losses amid soaring mortgage rates

Landlords face losses amid soaring mortgage rates

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Almost 250,000 BTL landlords face refinancing losses as borrowing rates near 7%, says Daily Telegraph.

Renting reform bill progress unlikely until much later this year, admits minister

Renting reform bill progress unlikely until much later this year, admits minister

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The Governments Renters Reform Bill is unlikely to make progress through parliament until much later this year, housing minister Rachel Maclean has admitted. Maclean was unable to confirm when the bill would get a second reading during a Q&A with MPs from the Levelling Up

Labour WARNED over claim that 'most renters live in homes owned via mortgages'

Labour WARNED over claim that 'most renters live in homes owned via mortgages'

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A team of independent fact checkers and campaigners has debunked Labours claims that most renters live in homes bought with a buy-to-let mortgage. Deputy leader Angela Rayner made the assertion last week, but charity Full Fact says the claim is technically incorrect, as it ho

City council pushes for powers to regulate holiday lets

City council pushes for powers to regulate holiday lets

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Brighton & Hove Council is to ask the government if it can start licensing short-term lets in a bid to combat their impact on local communities.

Campaigners urge Labour to make pet damage insurance mandatory

Campaigners urge Labour to make pet damage insurance mandatory

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A charity is looking to reboot its campaign urging the public and MPs to support reforms around keeping pets in rental properties.

Build to rent growing at fastest rate on record

Build to rent growing at fastest rate on record

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Exceptional growth in the build-to-rent (BTR) sector has pushed completions to a record high during the past 12 months.

Council offers landlords UK's 'best ever renting package'

Council offers landlords UK's 'best ever renting package'

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Local councils across the UK have been offering private landlords sweet deals for some time now to help solve the housing crisis, but one borough council is offering one that goes the extra mile.

Mayor asks for landlord views on controversial renting charter

Mayor asks for landlord views on controversial renting charter

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Landlords in Greater Manchester are being asked to help mould the city region’s new Good Landlord Charter, designed to improve renting.

Lloyds makes next step towards becoming 'UK's largest landlord'

Lloyds makes next step towards becoming 'UK's largest landlord'

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Lloyds Banking Group is making another foray into the housing sector by turning its former office buildings into affordable homes.

Tackling rent arrears: helping you help your tenants

Tackling rent arrears: helping you help your tenants

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There are a number of ways you can support renters who have fallen behind on their rent. NRLA trainer and debt expert Julie Ford explains more.

SHOCK: Third of tenants prefer renting to home ownership

SHOCK: Third of tenants prefer renting to home ownership

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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

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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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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

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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’.