Fire Regulations in Rentals: There are several regulations relating to fire safety within rental dwellings; some affect all dwellings whereas others apply mainly to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO).This looks complicated, but fire safety management in reality boils down t
Damp & Mould: You may have seen or heard of the 1970s TV series Rising Damp, which featured a landlord and his tenants (lodgers in this case) which rather implies that all rental properties are troubled with this kind of damp.Far from the case, but some are. In fact the
Renting Standards: Specialist residential property solicitor Amanda Sutcliffe of Bray & Bray looks at the importance of keeping a rental property in good condition.Research conducted by Endsleigh Insurance and TrustMark claimed that over 75% of landlords s
Sub-Letting Licenses: (SOLITAIRE) LIMITED Appellant and CHERRY LILIAN NORTON and other cases [2012]Landlords of leasehold buy-to-let flats are often asked to pay a fee (sub-letting licence or registration fee) to the freeholder when seeking permission to sub-let their flat,
Validity of Section 21 Notice: Amak Property Investments v Laura Sonny [2016]This case was an appeal by the tenant following a county court judgement relating to the validity of a s21 notice on the basis that the landlord had not complied with the deposit protection (MyDepo
Essential guide to rent reviews: why reading the lease is crucial for landlords and tenants to navigate rent adjustments effectively.
Tenant Agreement: The Law of Property Act 1925 talks about having a maximum of 4 tenants on an agreement. So what to do when you have 5, 6 or more tenants sharing a house?There is a common misunderstanding of the rules here. Landlords and agents sometimes think or have heard
Advance Rent: Piggot v Slaven and Johnson v. OldThere are two important cases which clarify (though not necessarily decisively) the position on landlords accepting rent payments in advance. One concerns the accepting of the final two months rent in advance, a common devi
Following some confusion and debate about a deferral for the new standards following the MEES* deadline in April 2018, the new government has confirmed that changes to the EPC rules, preventing landlords from renting out homes below rating E, will definitely be introduced from April 2018.Accordin
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.
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.
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 need to update their home address with their local council’s property licensing department or risk a penalty, an appeal judge has ruled.
Disgruntled landlords have started legal action against Middlesbrough Council in a bid to squash its upcoming selective licensing scheme.
A dawn police raid on an overcrowded Coventry HMO has prompted an investigation into potential slavery and immigration issues.
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.
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.
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.
A Conservative MSP has slammed Scotland’s short lets licensing scheme for its negative impact on thousands of businesses.
Five former housing ministers are among the 77 Conservative MPs standing down at the next election, leaving behind a mixed legacy.
Welsh rugby star Gareth Davies is trying his hand at a career in lettings as he considers life after playing for the national team.
Tom Entwistle asks the question, what’s gone wrong with the buy-to-let market, why has government policy been so much against it?
Social rents are 64% more affordable than private rents, with social tenants in England paying about £828 less each month than private tenants, according to new analysis by Shelter.
John Lewis has urged future governments to develop a clear national strategy around the need for build-to-rent developments.
A rogue landlord has been ordered to pay more than £23,000 after he admitted operating an unlicensed and unsafe HMO.
A pet activist has pledged to continue her fight for tenants’ right to keep pets following the demise of the Renters (Reform) Bill.
Leading private rented sector expert, Total Property, has launched an innovative new platform for its mydeposits custodial scheme members this week.
Landlords in and around Bristol are invited to join TV star Paul Shamplina this Thursday, 30th May for an educational seminar run by leading estate agency Andrews.
More than 40% of landlords are still undecided about who to vote for in the upcoming general election, while nearly half have concerns over a potential change in government.
Michal Gove will leave the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities having seen his Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill make it onto the statute book.
A rogue landlord who let his tenant sleep in a bike store and rented out a crumbling property has been banned from letting houses in England for three years.
A letting agent investigated by the BBC following complaints about the management of a student HMO in Salford has lost his appeal against expulsion from his industry’s trade association.
An increase in licensing schemes pushed the number of HMO licences issued in England up to a record-breaking 27,177 last year.
The Renters (Reform) Bill has been abandoned and must now go back to the drawing board after years of uncertainty and political wrangling.
Eight in 10 landlords are reporting strong levels of tenant demand, Paragon Bank research has revealed.
The Renters (Reform) Bill is almost dead in the water following the announcement of a 4th July general election which probably won’t leave time for it to become law before Parliament is dissolved next Thursday.
The threat of rent control still lingers, despite Labour claiming the party policy goes against it, landlords still leaving...
The Welsh Government should reinforce existing legislation, remove barriers to building more adequate homes and improve how it collects data instead of bringing rent controls into the housing debate, according to Propertymark.
New North East mayor Kim McGuinness has vowed to seize properties from irresponsible landlords as part of her plan to stand up for renters.
