Uninhabitable Premises. My tenanted property is flooded. What are my legal obligations in this situation? Am I obliged to re-house my tenant? Must my tenant continue to pay rent?Landlords are under a general obligation to supply property in tenant able condition for the tenant to i
Question: Tenant Blacklists. I've had a very bad experience with a tenant and would like to put him on a black list so that other landlords don't have the same experience that I've had. How do I go about this?Answer: We often get asked this question.Although there have been several attempts by di
Sub-letting leasehold - I want to rent out my leasehold flat but the managing agent says the freeholder wont allow it. I know that other flats in the block are rented out, so what can I do? Landlords usually prohibit sub-letting to safeguard the interest.Landlords usually prohibit sub-letting
What are the implications of renting to a 17 year old or someone who is under the age of 18? We have an application from a 17-year old that is keen to rent but Im not sure this would be legal?</h2> Many landlords and housing providers would be concerned and therefore refuse to let to
Question - Rent Review - my landlord is asking for far more rent than I expected on review. Am I obliged to pay this?Answer - Commercial leases are contractual - the parties agree to and are bound by its clauses and that includes rent review provisions.The rent review process is a way of periodic
Re-selling Energy - As a landlord am I able to make a profit by re-selling electricity or gas?</h2>Resale of Gas and ElectricityThe maximum amount that Residential Landlords or resellers� are permitted to charge for gas or electricity is the amount they
Providing a Reference - I have been asked to provide a reference for one of my tenants who is moving on. What is my legal position in this and am I putting myself at risk if I say he was a bad tenant?</h2> Referencing (seeking verification of a tenants past performance) is an increasi
Misrepresentation - We recently rented out our rural cottage to a couple. As they wanted to use their computers I said it was possible to get high-speed broad-band. I thought this would be possible but it seems it is not at this time. The couple are now claiming that I misled them and that
I'm receiving mail for previous tenants and some of them are from debt collectors. Will this get my property black listed and cause problems for my current tenants and myself in the future?</h2> It's fairly common to have mail arriving for months and even years after residents have left,
Long Term AST - My prospective tenant has asked for a tenancy term of 6 years. Can I use the usual Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement for this?</h2> The Assured Shorthold Tenancy is the default tenancy for residential lettings and since October 2010 this applies to rents up to �100,000
Question: How long should accounts be kept to satisfy the authorities, things like accounting files, invoices and tax records, as a property landlord?Answer: You must keep your records for 6 years after the tax year to which they apply, whether or not you complete a tax return.It's a good idea, a
Expiry of Section 21 Notice - I have served a Section 21 (s21) Notice on my tenant but don't wish to start proceedings immediately. Can I wait without the notice expiring?Once a Section 21 notice has been served correctly it continues indefinitely, until such time as the tenancy is ended, either
Covenant and Covenant Strength - What is a legal covenant and what is the significance of the terms in relation to rental property and lettings ?</h2>The term covenant can have several meanings and has biblical origins but it is of particulalry significance
2 years ago I purchased a company with a 10 year lease from my ex boss, on a 10 year lease, the lease was set up by a solicitor. After 2 years the business is struggling and is not viable. I feel that my solicitor ill advised me as there was no break clause mentioned. Where do I stand on t
Good Left in the Premises or Uncollected GoodsFrequently, tenants leave goods after their tenancy has concluded or when they have abandon the premises during a tenancy. Uncollected goods and possessions left or abandoned in premises by tenants can pose a real problem for landlords.
<h1 Standing Order</h1>What are Bankers' Standing Orders?</h3><ul <li Standing Orders allow landlords to automate the process of collecting rents</li> <li They safeguard tenants in that the landlord cannot change the payment amount, as is the case with direct debit
The Possession Procedure - 1988 Housing ActThe possession procedure under Section 8 of the Housing Acts 1988 & 1996 is known as the Section 8 Route and is available to landlords where the tenant is in breach of one or more terms of
Renting or Leasing Commercial Property Renting commercial property usually represents a major part of the operating costs involved in running any business. If you include surveyor's and solicitor's fees, rent, business rates, insurance,
A group of companies involved in substantial property investment scams has been wound up by the High Court and an official received appointed to liquidate the four firms involved. These are Sentor Solutions Commercial Ltd , Fabcourt Deve
The RICS global Commercial Real Estate Market Monitor (Q3 2022) is indicating that the sector is in the early stages of a downturn. Thats according to around 81% of the surveys respondents in Q3 2022. It marks a significant increase from the previous quarter sample when just 11% of th
A concerned landlord has shared his frustration at the way councils manage problem tenants facing eviction by telling them to stay put while they are found alternative accommodation, informing the tenants that they will be making themselves 'intentionally homeless' if they move out. <p i
Continued demand for detached properties and a post-Covid resurgence in rent for flats has pushed annual increases in London above inflation. Average rents have accelerated by 4% to �1,499 during Q3 more than double the previous quarters rise and up 11% (�160) highe
The Rishi effect has started to impact mortgage rates just a day after the new PM was announced. As former Chancellor Rishi Sunak moves into number 10, some lenders have announced plans to drop their rates from tomorrow; Coventry Building Society is reducing its new busine
Nottingham landlords could face a �5,000 fine if their property doesnt have an EPC E rating as the city council bids to crack down on cold homes. The authority has agreed to adopt financial penalties under the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property in Engla
In this episode of The Property Cast, Eddie and Paul welcome energy expert and Head of Tenancy Services at Goodlord, Rik Smith. Drawing on his in-depth knowledge of the residential energy market, Rik cuts through the jargon to explain what is happening in the energy market at la
In this episode of The Property Cast, we discuss how landlords and agents can stay on top of their legal obligations. Landlords now have to meet 168 rules and regulations to let a property legally, but what are the latest legislative updates that landlords and agents need to kno
The Property Cast returns for 2022 and our first episode discusses what the Governments strategy is to achieve decarbonization of the private rented sector? What is the NRLA doing to support landlords? And what do landlords need to know? Eddie and Paul are joined by CEO of th
A rogue landlord who was also a letting agent in Essex has been banned from being a landlord in England for three years.
A big council in the East Midlands has revealed plans to extend and widen its additional licencing scheme for HMOs.
Labour has moved to make good on its manifesto promise to reform and improve the Right to Buy scheme which, under the Tories, saw the number of publicly-funded affordable rented homes in England shrink dramatically.
Councils are failing in more ways than one. When it comes to complaints from their tenants, repairs and maintaining safety standards, councils are not performing
An HMO landlord has lost his appeal against an improvement notice ordering him to update a 'paddle staircase'.
The number of short lets in Scotland fell last year as the sector felt the impact of its licensing scheme clampdown.
One in five private renters had to provide a guarantor when moving into their current property - equating to 940,000 households - according to the latest English Housing Survey.
Millions owed to a lender by businesses which collapsed due to the oversupply of student accommodation in Newcastle are unlikely to be recovered.
A private landlord in Kent has submitted plans for what will be the UK’s largest HMO if the scheme gets the go-ahead.
Flats and smaller houses make the best buy-to-let investment for landlords, having seen the strongest annual increase in average yield compared with other property types during the past 12 months.
Traditional private landlords are rapidly being replaced by pension funds and private equity firms seeking to capitalise on the lucrative build-to-rent sector.
Home REIT, the investment trust marketed as the dream scheme to house 10,000 homeless and needy tenants, and a sure-fire investment alternative in property, is folding with extensive debts and legal claims
A councillor in the North of England has pushed back against unlikely claims that large firms operating HMOs are ‘taking away his town’s family homes’.
Looking to boost your property portfolio? Below are the five factors you must consider before your next property purchase.
A landlord who sub-let an unlicensed HMO, failed to pay thousands of pounds in rent to the owner and illegally evicted a tenant has been handed a £4,872 rent repayment order.
John Lewis has finally received the green light to begin its transformation into a build-to-rent landlord after Bromley Council approved its plans for 353 rental homes.
A new tech start-up using AI to pair tenants with the most suitable rented homes has been launched.
Former housing secretary Robert Jenrick who brought in the controversial 'evictions ban' during Covid has joined the Conservative party leadership race.
Two leading figures from the private rented sector have slammed the ongoing nightmare many landlords are facing when waiting for evictions to pass through the courts.
Shelter has called for indefinite tenancies as well as rent increases restricted to once a year and limited to a rise either in line with inflation or wage growth.
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook has hinted heavily that councils will be given powers to introduce large licencing schemes without his approval as part of Labour’s push for greater devolution.
While the new Labour government has talked about making rented homes more energy efficient, one company has shone a light on how much it will cost landlords to achieve it.
New minimum standards for rental properties and industry training are needed to improve quality and safety in the PRS, the government has been told.
A landlord who tried to charge a prospective tenant for having overnight guests has been ordered to repay the holding deposit.
James Kent, the NRLA’s Chief Innovation Officer, and founder of digital compliance platform Safe2, explains why landlords need to know where they stand sooner rather than later.
