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Labour to allow councils to 'take over' empty rental properties

Labour to allow councils to 'take over' empty rental properties

News

Councils will be given more power to force landlords to rent out vacant residential properties as part of the government’s English Devolution white paper.

Letting agents warn over Labour's plan to increase licensing

Letting agents warn over Labour's plan to increase licensing

News

Letting agents have slammed plans to ease licensing rules that will mean local councils can introduce large selective schemes without government approval.

HMO landlords warned as London council begins 1,000s inspections

HMO landlords warned as London council begins 1,000s inspections

News

Ealing Council has ramped up its crackdown on rogue landlords with a rigorous programme of HMO inspections.

Councils given more powers to licence landlord properties

Councils given more powers to licence landlord properties

News

Local authorities will no longer have to ask the Secretary of State for permission to introduced selective licensing schemes in England and Northern Ireland, it has been revealed.

Lenders warn of 'challenging' year ahead for landlords

Lenders warn of 'challenging' year ahead for landlords

News

Economic headwinds are set to shrink purchases in the buy-to-let market by 7% next year to £9 billion, predicts UK Finance.

Norwich landlords fume over missing rental payments

Norwich landlords fume over missing rental payments

News

Landlords in Norwich are chasing thousands of pounds in rent payments from a letting agency which appears to have gone under.

Tenant demo in London calls for rent controls

Tenant demo in London calls for rent controls

News

Hundreds of tenants have staged a protest in central London calling for the government to introduce rent controls.

Major national park moves to restrict holiday lets

Major national park moves to restrict holiday lets

News

One of the UK’s larger national parks is planning to stop any new homes that are built within it being used as holiday/short lets or second homes.

Legal Matters: Serving notices, don’t fall foul of the law

Legal Matters: Serving notices, don’t fall foul of the law

Information

A crucial task for landlords and agents is to correctly serve statutory notices and other documents

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Landlords and Agents Reminded about Burst Pipes

Landlords and Agents Reminded about Burst Pipes

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Freezing Pipes: This time of year, as we head towards colder weather and freezing conditions, buy-to-let properties and indeed all rental properties are vulnerable to potentially expensive winter water damageIn this article digital inventory app developer Imfuna Le

Rent-free period

Rent-free period

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Guide to commercial tenancy rent-free periods and full repairing leases, explaining tenant obligations on lease expiry or termination.

Safety Standards for Blinds and Curtains

Safety Standards for Blinds and Curtains

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Landlords and letting agents should by now be conversant with the 2014 regulations on blinds and curtains and the measures necessary to prevent accidents with children. It is particularly important to ensure that blinds and curtains supplied in rental properties meet these regulations, otherwise,

Repair Reporting Issues and Section 21

Repair Reporting Issues and Section 21

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Changes to the law on Section 21 and in particular how landlords deal with reported repair issues is now of crucial importance if section 21 claims for possession are to be successful. Careful pre-planning is now essential at the time of setting-up Assured Shorthold Tenancies (AST).The Section 21

Assessing Covenant Strength

Assessing Covenant Strength

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Assuming a commercial property is let already, the proposition an income-producing investment, the investor would be buying the building/property, not the tenant's business. Since the purchase price is geared to the passing and reversionary rent, it is normal to assess the tenant's ability to per

Holding or Pre-Contract Deposits

Holding or Pre-Contract Deposits

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I have always found the holding deposit (an initial retainer paid to the landlord or agent to reserve a tenancy) is a very useful device to commit the tenant to your letting. But is it legal to withhold the advance deposit you take from a prospective tenant if they back out?In my experience a pro

Tenancy Deposit Documentation

Tenancy Deposit Documentation

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What do I need to do when I protect my tenant/s deposit? If you take a deposit from your tenant/s you MUST protect the deposit and serve your tenants with the correct documentation within 30 days or face having to pay a fine and the prospect that you cannot use the s21 evict

ITZA revisited

ITZA revisited

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I am revisiting ITZA in the light of an experience I am enduring concerning some tenants that are inexperienced of rent review. Tenant contention is that an ITZA adopted/agreed for a previous review should be used again for a current review.Unless the ITZA is documented in a binding agreement, th

Dispute Resolution Procedure at Rent Review - Calderbank offer

Dispute Resolution Procedure at Rent Review - Calderbank offer

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Basically, what is known as a Calderbank offer is a 'without prejudice;' offer to settle a dispute to avoid the extra costs and associated risks of a full referral.From Calderbank v Calderbank [1976] and originally confined mainly to family property disputes, an offer of settlement made before th

Next Government 'must fund better enforcement of rogue landlords'

Next Government 'must fund better enforcement of rogue landlords'

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Rogue landlords continue to give the sector a bad name because many councils enforce private rented sector standards weakly or not at all, a new report reveals.

Labour to help thousands of tenants get on the property ladder

Labour to help thousands of tenants get on the property ladder

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Labour has revealed an uncosted plan to help 80,000 young renters get onto the property ladder, assuming his party gains power atthe General Election.

WARNING: 'Bashing landlords will make PRS as bad as social homes'

WARNING: 'Bashing landlords will make PRS as bad as social homes'

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Standards in the PRS will soon fall to those in the social sector if regulation and licensing continues to push smaller landlords out, a leading letting agent and landlord has warned.

Landlords must update their home address or face fines, says judge

Landlords must update their home address or face fines, says judge

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Landlords need to update their home address with their local council’s property licensing department or risk a penalty, an appeal judge has ruled.

Landlords take council to High Court over 'rapacious' licensing fee

Landlords take council to High Court over 'rapacious' licensing fee

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Disgruntled landlords have started legal action against Middlesbrough Council in a bid to squash its upcoming selective licensing scheme.

If you’re thinking of selling, here’s how to get the highest price for your properties this year

If you’re thinking of selling, here’s how to get the highest price for your properties this year

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We’ve all seen the headlines, from mixed-message articles to advice from experts and landlords, but if now REALLY is the best time to sell, how can we ensure we’re getting the highest amount in the fastest time?

Letting agents flag huge worries over landlords leaving market

Letting agents flag huge worries over landlords leaving market

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Letting agents are concerned that increasing numbers of landlords are exiting the market.

London rental market cools down but will rest of UK follow?

London rental market cools down but will rest of UK follow?

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The capital’s rental market continues to show signs of slowing down, with prices rising by just 1% year-on-year in May while the number of viewing request per property has dropped too.

Controversial landlord calls on Reform to back landlords with tax breaks

Controversial landlord calls on Reform to back landlords with tax breaks

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Fergus Wilson has questioned whether new Reform UK leader Nigel Farage would restore Landlord Tax to the previous headline rate and put Capital Gains Tax down to a flat 10% for all landlords - the level of tax paid if held in a company.

Generation Rent says private rented homes must be 'nationalised'

Generation Rent says private rented homes must be 'nationalised'

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Generation Rent has called for private rented homes to be brought into public or tenant ownership in its list of demands for the next government.

Build-to-rent giants hoover up 1000s of homes in southern England

Build-to-rent giants hoover up 1000s of homes in southern England

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The rise of ‘built-to-rent’ homes as a major competitor for tenants with private landlords took a leap forward this week after two US firms revealed they had bought 1,750 homes off a UK builder that will now be rented out rather than sold.

Court refuses to alter terms of a commercial lease on renewal

Court refuses to alter terms of a commercial lease on renewal

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When the terms of a commercial renewal lease cannot be varied in the agreed between the parties, according to the provisions of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954

CLADDING: Leaseholders still facing mortgage problems despite official promise

CLADDING: Leaseholders still facing mortgage problems despite official promise

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Nearly a quarter of mortgages on mid-rise flats required an ESW1 form this year, despite government promises that leaseholders in these blocks affected by the cladding scandal would no longer need one when selling or remortgaging.

Labour to re-start renting reforms abandoned by Tories, predicts NRLA

Labour to re-start renting reforms abandoned by Tories, predicts NRLA

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Labour is likely to reintroduce the Renters (Reform) Bill in a similar form if it wins the election and has already confirmed its view that the court process needs speeding up.

'Landlords part of solution to housing crisis, not the problem'

'Landlords part of solution to housing crisis, not the problem'

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Any new government must continue to encourage private landlords if it is to effectively tackle the housing crisis, according to property lawyer David Smith.

'Outdated and inaccurate' EPCs need reform say experts

'Outdated and inaccurate' EPCs need reform say experts

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Calls are growing for a thorough overhaul of the EPC regime amid claims that the information in many could be inaccurate and misleading.

Tenants continue to stay longer in homes, new research reveals

Tenants continue to stay longer in homes, new research reveals

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News
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Private tenants are still renting their homes for longer than they did a decade ago, according to analysis by Zero Deposit.

Landlord fined £500 after sending housing minister racist emails

Landlord fined £500 after sending housing minister racist emails

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A landlord who sent offensive emails to MSP Patrick Harvie (main image) about his anti-landlord policies has been convicted of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.

Landlord to pay £25,000 fine over new windows and messy bins

Landlord to pay £25,000 fine over new windows and messy bins

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A rogue landlord who ignored multiple planning enforcement notices has been ordered to pay more than £25,000.

Tougher HMO restrictions begin in East of England

Tougher HMO restrictions begin in East of England

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Landlords in Ipswich face restrictions on converting properties into HMOs after the council voted to introduce an Article 4 direction.

Uncertainty surrounds the abolition of furnished holiday let tax relief

Uncertainty surrounds the abolition of furnished holiday let tax relief

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Landlords who operate furnished holiday lets (FHL) have been anxiously awaiting further guidance on the proposals put out in the March Spring Budget

Police swoop during dawn raid on 'slavery' HMO

Police swoop during dawn raid on 'slavery' HMO

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A dawn police raid on an overcrowded Coventry HMO has prompted an investigation into potential slavery and immigration issues.

More woes for City-backed landlord that houses homeless

More woes for City-backed landlord that houses homeless

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Home REIT - a City-backed investment trust providing affordable homes for homeless people and prison leavers – has taken back 600 properties from a charity landlord.

Leading landlord warns over property portal proposals

Leading landlord warns over property portal proposals

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One of the key provisions of the Renters (Reform) Bill was the provision of a portal to register all landlords. In effect a licencing system for every landlord in England and Wales and something Labour has said it would like to resurrect if it wins the General Election.

£45 billion! Report champions economic contribution of landlords

£45 billion! Report champions economic contribution of landlords

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A report published today attempts to counter the ‘anti-landlord’ rhetoric that has gathered pace in the UK recently by revealing that the private rented sector supports some 390,000 jobs and makes a £45 billion contribution to its economy.