Date

Library

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

UPDATED: Letting agents now face anti money laundering checks

UPDATED: Letting agents now face anti money laundering checks

News

From Wednesday 14 May 2025 letting agents are required to check landlords, tenants and guarantors by making anti money laundering (AML) checks

A read asks - What will be the effect of the Renters' rights bill on my buy to let business? 

A read asks - What will be the effect of the Renters' rights bill on my buy to let business? 

Information

The Renters' Rights Bill will become law soon; a reader asks, what will be the result of it on my buy-to-let portfolio?

Landlord being 92 years old 'no excuse' for licensing failure

Landlord being 92 years old 'no excuse' for licensing failure

News

A 92-year-old landlord has been slapped with a £9,360 Rent Repayment Order after two tenants took him to tribunal for renting out an unlicensed HMO.

Landlords slam Labour as 'anti investment' in housing

Landlords slam Labour as 'anti investment' in housing

News

Landlords have accused Labour of being ‘anti investment’ in the as a new survey reveals over half are worried about the costs of EPC upgrades, the Renters’ Rights Bill and mooted increases in Capital Gains Tax.

Greens fail in bid to stop above-inflation rent increases

Greens fail in bid to stop above-inflation rent increases

News

The Scottish government has rejected proposals to increase rents by no more than the cost-of-living or increase in wages, at the latest stage of the Housing (Scotland) Bill.

'Clean-up' of property deal sourcing sector begins with new initiative

'Clean-up' of property deal sourcing sector begins with new initiative

News

A new initiative aims to clean up property sourcing’s reputation and help compliant agents get deals signed off by finance firms.

Landlords endure even longer wait to get properties back

Landlords endure even longer wait to get properties back

News

The government has been warned that its failure to acknowledge the true state of the courts risks eroding landlord confidence.

Bungalow shortage hits older renters hard

Bungalow shortage hits older renters hard

News

A fall in the number of bungalows to rent is impacting the growing number of older and disabled tenants.

Landlords' household definition confusion results in £11,250 fine

Landlords' household definition confusion results in £11,250 fine

News

A landlord pair have failed to convince a tribunal judge that their tenants’ relationship excused them from getting an HMO licence.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

ANALYSIS: Short term lets under threat...

ANALYSIS: Short term lets under threat...

Information
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The rental market in the UK has undergone something of a revolution in recent years, with a significant shift away from permanent or long-term renting towards Airbnb style hol

Unusual legal win by landlord shows appealing council fines can be worth it

Unusual legal win by landlord shows appealing council fines can be worth it

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Landlords operating good-quality and well managed rented properties and who are of good character should fight unfair council fines for failing to licence properties, an unusu

Landlord company registrations rise as many seek to avoid higher tax bills

Landlord company registrations rise as many seek to avoid higher tax bills

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Higher taxes and the pandemic have significantly increased the number of landlords starting up limited companies rather than owning and operating properties personally, new re

Market rents hit £1,367 as void periods plunge

Market rents hit £1,367 as void periods plunge

Information
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The average rent for a property in the UK has hit a historic high of �1,367 a month, helping push void periods between tenancies down to their lowest ever, an average of nine

Is it fair that councils can fine landlords even though they too break the law?

Is it fair that councils can fine landlords even though they too break the law?

Opinion
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

There is a burning issue within the rented homes market that is grossly unfair on private landlords and that is never discussed by politicians or the trade associations that o

Landlord to pay tenants £12,500 because 'innocence of law is no defence'

Landlord to pay tenants £12,500 because 'innocence of law is no defence'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Being ignorant of landlord law is no defence, a brutal legal point that has cost a landlord duo in London dearly after they were told by judges to repay their tenants �12,500

Looming EPC changes already skewing the buy-to-let market, claims finance boss

Looming EPC changes already skewing the buy-to-let market, claims finance boss

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The Governments plans to force landlords to upgrade their properties to a minimum C energy efficiency standard is already affecting how rental properties are being purchased, the boss of a big money firm has claimed. Louisa Sedgwick, Commercial Director at Paragon Bank

City office space under threat as personified by Canary Wharf exodus

City office space under threat as personified by Canary Wharf exodus

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The pattern of office working is changing and nowhere is its effect on commercial property being felt more strongly than in Londons Docklands Canary Wharf. A once thriving financial centre The development of the wharf into a thriving financial centre just outsi

BREAKING: Gove green lights expensive new licencing scheme in Nottingham

BREAKING: Gove green lights expensive new licencing scheme in Nottingham

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Michael Gove has given Nottingham city council the green light to proceed with one of the UKs most expensive and controversial selective licensing schemes. Due to start on December 1st, it will require all rented properties within 20 of its wards to be licenc

Former housing minister facing questions over rented property

Former housing minister facing questions over rented property

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Former Housing Minister Esther McVey has been claiming tens of thousands of pounds in Parliamentary expenses for renting a London flat, despite her husband owning a property a mile away, it has been claimed.

MPs tell Government to protect landlords from rogue agents

MPs tell Government to protect landlords from rogue agents

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The government has been urged to stop “sitting on its hands” and bring forward changes to protect tenants, leaseholders and landlords from poor practices in the lettings industry.

DIY lettings service for landlords launches with big promise

DIY lettings service for landlords launches with big promise

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A new DIY lettings service for landlords should help Hello Neighbour fulfil its ambition of becoming the biggest letting agent in England, according to co-founder Richard Jenkins.

Council closes HMO after surprise visit reveals nightmare property

Council closes HMO after surprise visit reveals nightmare property

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A landlord who rented out his unlicensed, seven-bedroom HMO to 13 tenants has been ordered to pay £3,000.

Rent rises reflect cost tracking, not profiteering

Rent rises reflect cost tracking, not profiteering

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Landlords' rent increases reflect rising mortgage rates and operational costs, not profiteering, amid a challenging property market.

MPs urge Ministers to 'sort out' Local Housing Allowance rises

MPs urge Ministers to 'sort out' Local Housing Allowance rises

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Landlord and tenant groups have welcomed proposals by MPs on the Work and Pensions Select Committee to introduce an annual ‘uprating guarantee’ to the Local Housing Allowance (LHA).

REFORMS: Many landlords have 'no idea what's about to hit them'

REFORMS: Many landlords have 'no idea what's about to hit them'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Propertymark poll reveals only 18% of landlords understand the Renters (Reform) Bill; 52% find official guidance insufficient.

Landlord warns: "sell now” as Government urged to further reduce PRS

Landlord warns: "sell now” as Government urged to further reduce PRS

Sponsored
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The Guardian suggests that Government may start to veer towards a “surprisingly simple solution to the UK housing crisis” which could see them squeeze landlords further, blaming them for the current housing crisis affecting home-buyers.

Report reveals £45 billion contribution landlords make to economy

Report reveals £45 billion contribution landlords make to economy

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A new report published today claims that 390,000 jobs rely on the private rented sector as critics of the sector, including the Guardian newspaper, have called for it to be shrunk or abolished entirely.

UK's only city-wide licencing scheme 'gets tough' on landlords

UK's only city-wide licencing scheme 'gets tough' on landlords

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Landlords in Oxford who fail to sign up to the city’s licensing scheme are being threatened with fines and enforcement action after a year of relative ‘grace’.

REPORT: Will lower inflation lead to lower BTL mortgage rates?

REPORT: Will lower inflation lead to lower BTL mortgage rates?

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Falling UK inflation could herald some good news for BTL landlords over the coming months, according to mortgage experts.

A reminder for landlords that electrical safety checks are mandatory

A reminder for landlords that electrical safety checks are mandatory

Information
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Until recently landlords only had to concern themselves gas safety checks - but now all residential landlords or their agents must arrange for regular electrical safety checks (every 5 years)

Court approves tough bankcruptcy limits on 'property guru'

Court approves tough bankcruptcy limits on 'property guru'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Infamous property guru Glenn Armstrong, who misled dozens of investors by promising to make them rich, has been handed tough bankruptcy restrictions lasting 12 years.

Tenant pockets £5,000 from Tribunal after realising HMO was unlicenced

Tenant pockets £5,000 from Tribunal after realising HMO was unlicenced

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A tenant who discovered that his landlord had not licenced the HMO in which he lived is to pocket £5,000 after winning a rent repayment order (RRO) during a Tribunal hearing.

Spring Budget shortfalls: What was missing for landlords?

Spring Budget shortfalls: What was missing for landlords?

Opinion
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

In what was likely his last Budget Statement before the next General Election, Jeremy Hunt announced his plans for tax, housing, and cost-of-living measures. Where did the Budget fall short for the private rented market (PRS)?

Murder conviction bars landlord from running rental properties

Murder conviction bars landlord from running rental properties

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A landlord who was jailed for culpable homicide in 2008 has been refused permission to rent out flats in Glasgow, despite claiming he has taken ‘responsibility for his actions’ and moved on.

Escalating 'housing emergencies' are Government's fault, say Scots letting agents

Escalating 'housing emergencies' are Government's fault, say Scots letting agents

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Letting agents have blamed poor Scottish government policies for the growing number of councils declaring ‘housing emergencies’.

Heat pumps still 'too expensive' warns national spending watchdog

Heat pumps still 'too expensive' warns national spending watchdog

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Heat pump sales continue to be hampered by high costs, lown awareness and a lack of long-term financial support, the government’s spending watchdog has warned.

90% of landlords reject Scottish rent control plans, official poll reveals

90% of landlords reject Scottish rent control plans, official poll reveals

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Vast majority of landlords have flatly rejected future widespread rent control across Scotland, in a new Holyrood survey.

Landlord fined after tenant harrassment revealed in court

Landlord fined after tenant harrassment revealed in court

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A landlord has been ordered to pay £2,500 in fines, compensation and costs after he admitted harassing two of his tenants.

Will landlord MPs stymie the Rental (reform) Bill?

Will landlord MPs stymie the Rental (reform) Bill?

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Momentum appears to be growing to torpedo the controversial legislation as evidence emerges that the Bill is ‘close to collapse’ in Parliament.

Should a good rent payment record count towards a mortgage application

Should a good rent payment record count towards a mortgage application

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

It used to be the case that renting was a temporary phase in a young persons life. It gave flexibility until their career settled down to a fixed employer and a fixed location. But todays property prices mitigate against this pattern. Many people are locked into renting fa

Generation Rent calls for big landlord regulation push in Wales

Generation Rent calls for big landlord regulation push in Wales

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Generation Rent has urged the Welsh government to introduce an ombudsman for the PRS along with more grounds for rent repayment orders (RROs) in order to improve tenants’ lives.

80% of landlords say banning Section 21 evictions 'a mistake'

80% of landlords say banning Section 21 evictions 'a mistake'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The vast majority of landlords and letting agents view the Government’s plans to abolish Section 21 evictions as a mistake, a new report has revealed.

Hunt's Spring Budget hid 'stealth' tax grab on landlords via CGT rules

Hunt's Spring Budget hid 'stealth' tax grab on landlords via CGT rules

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Jeremy Hunt’s recent Spring Budget hid a ‘steal tax’ on landlords seeking to sell properties after April 1st, it has been claimed.