New and replacement gas boilers should be banned by 2033, two years earlier than current plans, according to the governments net zero tsar. Conservative MP Chris Skidmore believes it should make the decision to decarbonise homes by next year to help the country meet its clima
The Scottish government has admitted it is considering long-term proposals for rent control after the https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/leading-letting-agent-slams-chaotic-rent-freeze-announcement-in-scotland/" Cost of Living Act has expired. Minister for Te
A rogue landlord who created false identities and fake letting agencies as part of an elaborate web of misinformation designed to exploit his tenants has been fined �12,000 and ordered to pay �25,000 costs. Thomas Flight, who owns flats on Portland Square in ht
Tougher checks on lending to buy-to-let https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/office-blocks-and-high-streets-provide-hope-for-canny-investors/" investors are on the cards after the Bank of England warned it would scrutinise risky areas more heavily due to rising interest ra
Scottish landlords exit amid stringent regulations and taxation; experts warn of worsening housing shortages and increased homelessness risk.
The Property Redress Scheme's (PRS) advisory panel has chosen experts from across the sector to join its new member panel. The UKs largest lettings redress scheme, covering more than 13,250 letting agency branches, launched the panels as new, open, and transparent forums to b
MPs have voted against an amendment to prevent a tax cut from applying to buyers of second and additional homes. During a debate on the Stamp Duty Land Tax (Reduction) Bill, Opposition Treasury Secretary Abena Oppong-Asare said that a clause which increases the threshold for peo
According to a new report just out by the Resolution Foundation (RF), UK households face a torrid time in the coming months in what is going to be the worst cost-of-living crisis in living memory. Its the aftermath of a Covid pandemic that involved massive Government borrowin
https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/judge-slams-arrogant-landlord-after-illegal-eviction-of-tenant-during-covid/" Rent Repayment Order (RRO) applications dropped significantly last year as tenants were put off by more restrictive Upper Tribunal and Court of Appeal decisio
Housing groups across Greater https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/latest-manchester-landlords-given-last-chance-to-comment-on-licensing-expansion/" Manchester have urged MPs and local policymakers to step in and protect tenants from eviction, warning that the system is no
Commercial capital property values fell 13% last year as rising interest rates impacted the sector, with industrial units taking the biggest hit. https://www.cbre.co.uk/" CBRE s monthly figures show values down 3% in December and annual total returns down by
Private renters are facing an increase in housing costs, with rental price growth at its highest rate in the UK since records began in 2016. About a quarter (26%) of all renters (both private and social) surveyed between 7th and 18th December reported that their rent payments ha
As landlords, we all know there is a wealth of legislation that we need to wrap our heads around to maintain compliance throughout the lifespan of a tenancy. Gas safety, energy efficiency, electrical safety, legionella risk assessments, insurances, prohibited payments, How to Rent, Right to
New laws will make it easier for broadband companies to gain access to thousands of https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/latest-mps-gives-tenants-new-rights-to-have-high-speed-broadband-kit-installed-in-blocks/" blocks of flats across England and Wales. The Tel
Landlords are being encouraged to donate the addresses of their vacant properties as part of a unique bid to stem homelessness. Dreamt up by architect Chris Hildrey, https://www.proxyaddress.co.uk/" ProxyAddress allows people to securely borrow a stable, donat
Average house prices fell by -1.5% in December, while the annual growth rate dropped from +4.6% to +2.0%, according to the Halifax House Price Index. A typical property now costs �281,272 - down from �285,425 in November following six months of rapid growth during the firs
Propertymark has voiced fears that the governments ECO plus scheme risks excluding many landlords with low-rated properties. In its response to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategys consultation into the scheme to help fund home insulation, the indus
Cherwell District Council has pressed the government to urgently introduce the long-awaited Renters Reform Bill to help it rebalance the relationship between landlords and tenants. The north Oxfordshire authority has written to Housing Secretary Michael Gove asking him to bring
Commercial: A new set of mandatory rules introduced from 1stApril 2019 and though the document itself is titled a first edition, itsupersedes 3 previous editions published as codes of practice. The RICS (Royal Institution of Ch
Security: Renovating a buy-to-let property can be a great way for landlords to increase the rental income
Abandonment: When times get hard the instances of tenants leaving without notice are known to increase. Doing a runner�, skipping� moonlight flitting� walking away� or gone away� and in the words of the immortal song;
Tenancy Deposits: According to TDS (Tenancy Deposit Scheme) less than 1% (0.85%) of tenancies they handle have resulted in a deposit dispute in the year to March 2018, nevertheless its important to get it right when dealing with tenants' deposits.Cleaning was the most com
Viewpoint by Tom Entwistle As winter approaches outside temperatures drop and the perennial landlords problem of winter condensation and black mould rear their ugly heads again.The question is, how do you know if this is caused by the building or the tenant, or is it a co
Landlords' Tax: Internet sites, such as AirBnB, have increased the number of landlords letting to lodgers and to guests on short stays. There are specific tax benefits to this type of letting business which are expanded upon below.Furnished holiday letting</st
Section 21: Most tenancies will never require the service of a Section 21, Housing Act 1988, (eviction) notice. However, on those occasions when it does become necessary, and you just never know, landlords (and agents) will thank their lucky starts they complied with the rul
Asbestos:Asbestos regulations were last updated in 2012 , bringing the UK in line with EU regulations, which means the current regulations have been in place long enough for most
The Application Form You should always use a comprehensive Tenancy Application Form when taking on a new tenant. You need a completed application for each adult tenant in the property.The Tenancy application form is a very important starting point for any residential or comm
Despite politicians and campaign groups claiming that the nation’s rental market is unaffordable, new research out today reveals that renting remains cheaper on average than buying a property with a 5% deposit.
A tenancy agreement is just like any other contract, so as soon as both tenant and landlord have signed the agreement, it becomes a legally binding contract.
Labour might be no more likely to deliver on promises to overhaul the leasehold system than the Conservatives, according to property experts.
A huge mismatch in the private rented sector has left tenants tackling ever-rising living costs and plummeting affordability levels.
Most portfolio landlords have been asked to make energy efficient improvements by their tenants in the past year, according to a new poll.
Private rented homes will have to meet minimum energy efficiency standards by 2030 if Labour get the keys to Number 10 next month.
Reform UK wants mortgage interest tax relief brought back as part of ‘critical reforms’ suggested by the party following the general election.
The NRLA has stepped in to help fight a legal battle over whether it is acceptable for vital rental documents to be served by post.
Increasing the energy efficiency of a property is undoubtedly of value - regardless of the election outcome.
Landlords could have to start keeping a digital logbook to demonstrate their compliance with energy efficiency measures.
Green MPs will push for rent controls and tenants’ right to demand energy efficiency improvements if they win more seats in the election.
Property expert Julie Ford has called out tenant union Acorn for suggesting the private rented sector should be greatly reduced.
Utilita Homes urges parties to include retrofit support for landlords in their election manifestos.
Groups representing both tenants and landlords have reacted coolly to the Conservative manifesto which was deemed short on new initiatives.
The British Property Federation has called on the next government to set a bold target of 30,000 new build-to-rent homes a year.
The latest data shows that rent increases have been slowing but tenant demand still outstrips supply
The Scottish government has published new evidence that confirms the country’s private rented sector is getting smaller.
A former Conservative councillor has been banned from letting properties for two years after repeatedly failing to comply with improvement notices.
The Liberal Democrats have vowed to make three-year tenancies the default and to require landlords to achieve an EPC C or above by 2028.
mydeposits partners with No Letting Go to enhance inventory management and deposit protection for landlords and agents.
A tenancy agreement between the landlord and the tenant is just like any other contract, it is legally binding on both parties.
A private tenant has been inspired to pen her first novel by a contract renewal email sent by a letting agent - and has even named it after the letting platform involved.
Housing Secretary Michael Gove faces eviction from his government-owned mansion on 5th July, the morning after the election.
HMO Reform Group won a Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s annual HMO Awards for its campaigning work to change the law on council tax being imposed on individual HMO rooms.
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.
