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Bristol significantly expands HMO and selective licensing schemes

Bristol significantly expands HMO and selective licensing schemes

News

Bristol has approved plans to extend landlord licensing in Brislington West, Bedminster and Horfield wards in a bid to raise PRS standards. The scheme includes additional licensing - HMOs with three or more unrelated people sharing facilities and selective licensing - privat

Durham’s new licensing scheme for 29,000 homes: What you need

Durham’s new licensing scheme for 29,000 homes: What you need

News

Durham County Council's selective licensing scheme covers 29,000 homes, requiring landlords to apply by 31 July for a £350–£500 licence fee.

Test Case: Council advising tenants to stay put after valid s21 notice served

Test Case: Council advising tenants to stay put after valid s21 notice served

News

This is a Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman case involving an unnamed landlord (LandlordX or MrX) and Brentwood Borough Council. The case revolves around a common situation where the landlord required possession of the property after serving a valid section 21 notice un

'Let’s not forget property remains the best performing investment'

'Let’s not forget property remains the best performing investment'

Opinion

I've been in the property investment business for almost 30 years and during this period opportunities have come and gone but I've yet to discover an asset class that perf

OPINION: The EPC ratings system is 'not fit for purpose'

OPINION: The EPC ratings system is 'not fit for purpose'

Opinion

Ever since I started to market one of my commercial buildings around 10 years ago now, I began to doubt the efficacy of the EPC rating system. The guy that came along to do the inspection told me himself he had just completed a 6 week course, or whatever it was, to train to be a

BREAKING: Government toughens up smoke and C0 alarm regulations

BREAKING: Government toughens up smoke and C0 alarm regulations

News

Social and private landlords are to face tougher new rules which make it mandatory to fit smoke alarms in all rented accommodation regardless of tenure, and widen the conditions under which they must be fitted. Revisions to the smoke and carbon monoxide detector regulations also

ANALYSIS: Does buy-to-let still beat the stock market?

ANALYSIS: Does buy-to-let still beat the stock market?

News

If you had �50k to invest right now, where would you put it, buy-to-let property or stocks and shares? Certainly leaving it in a traditional savings account, with interest rates as they are at rock bottom, thats out of the question. And with the threat of rising inflation ea

EXCLUSIVE: Costliest and most common landlord insurance claims

EXCLUSIVE: Costliest and most common landlord insurance claims

News

Research carried out by LandlordZONEs insurance partner, Hamilton Fraser Total Landlord Insurance, revealed that the vast majority of landlords, https://hamiltonfraser.co.uk/knowledge/good-landlord-quiz-results/?utm_source=landlordzone&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=lz_november

Opinion: Should landlords dive into heat pumps?

Opinion: Should landlords dive into heat pumps?

Opinion

The move to provide home heating and hot water by this method is part of a Government strategy aimed at making deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonizing the UK's power sector by 2035. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the scheme was designed to bring low-carbon hea

UPDATED: Bailiff evictions to be suspended over Xmas and New Year for a month

UPDATED: Bailiff evictions to be suspended over Xmas and New Year for a month

News

Tenants facing eviction in England are to be protected from losing their homes during the Christmas and New Year period, HM Courts and Tribunal has confirmed. Between 13th December and 10th January no evictions should be s

Tax changes for Airbnb landlords 'in the pipeline' to stop gaming of the rates system

Tax changes for Airbnb landlords 'in the pipeline' to stop gaming of the rates system

News

Some holiday lets owners are gaming the system to claim business rate relief, comments made by the Housing Minister Lord Greenhalgh suggest, who has promised action to clamp down on the practice. In a Lords debate on second homes, peers voiced concerns that second homeo

Asylum seeker HMO operator fined �60,000 for running house without licence

Asylum seeker HMO operator fined �60,000 for running house without licence

News

A company that houses asylum seekers has been fined more than �60,000 for HMO offences in Newport. Clearsprings Ready Homes, which has the contract for operating accommodation for asylum seekers in Wales, was found guilty of letting an HMO in Redland Street (pictured), in the B

Bill to make EPC rules mandatory early 'unlikely to become law' after stabbing

Bill to make EPC rules mandatory early 'unlikely to become law' after stabbing

News

The Minimum Energy Performance of Buildings Bill, which aimed to advance the governments energy efficiency commitments, is in doubt following the tragic death of David Amess MP. He was the presentation bills main sponsor in the Commons, launching it at the same time as Lor

Should holiday-let owners be paying council tax?

Should holiday-let owners be paying council tax?

News

However, Carol Lewis writing for the Sunday Times newspaper thinks that holiday let owners should be paying council tax. Given that levelling up is the government's buzzword du jour, it is time to level the playing field and bring holiday-home owners in line wi

Landlords left struggling to claw back deposits owed after property firm ceases trading

Landlords left struggling to claw back deposits owed after property firm ceases trading

News

Landlords and letting agents hit by the collapse of Ash Residential Property Management Limited (ARPM) have been left struggling to claw back deposits and fees after it ceased trading last month with debts of almost �1.5m. At least 8,000 properties and their landlords are affec

HMRC warns holiday let owners about their tax obligations

HMRC warns holiday let owners about their tax obligations

News

HMRC warns that owners must accurately declare these earnings on their self assessment tax returns or face criminal charges if in default. A boom in bookings The Covid pandemic has stored up excess demand for stay at home Britains under the foreign holiday restrictio

LATEST: Scots landlords face new EPC rules but up to �15,000 to pay for upgrades

LATEST: Scots landlords face new EPC rules but up to �15,000 to pay for upgrades

News

Scottish landlords have until 2028 to meet energy efficiency standards but can access interest-free loans of up to �15,000 to help them spread the cost. The Scottish government has published its Heat In Building Strategy setting out that, by 2030, greenhouse gas emissions from

Sir Philip Green and his wife bought-up high-end London property as their retail empire was collapsing

Sir Philip Green and his wife bought-up high-end London property as their retail empire was collapsing

News

The so called Pandora Papers is a financial services leak of nearly 12 million documents that reveal an international treasure trove of hidden wealth, tax avoidance and money laundering, by some of the world's richest individuals. The secret files were unearthed by a Washington

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Meet the hero landlord who hasn't raised rents for 25 years

Meet the hero landlord who hasn't raised rents for 25 years

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A good Samaritan landlord is bucking the national trend by not raising his rents for more than 25 years. Mick Musson, who owns eight flats at the former Blue Horse Pub (inset), in Great Ponton, Lincolnshire, hasnt increased the rent since he took over the property, and now co

LAUNCH: Novel system that eliminates damp and mould in rented properties

LAUNCH: Novel system that eliminates damp and mould in rented properties

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A new 'mechanical ventilation with heat recovery' (MVHR) system aims to provide the solution to landlords damp and mould problems. Ebacs self-managing, hands-off eco-system is designed to be installed in a loft opening and works to continually extract polluted, humi

Government admits PRS is in trouble as supply dwindles

Government admits PRS is in trouble as supply dwindles

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Government acknowledges private rental sector shortage, pledges action to boost housing supply amid growing demand and affordability concerns.

Legal: Commercial landlord regains possession against opposition...

Legal: Commercial landlord regains possession against opposition...

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In the case of B&M Retail Ltd v HSBC Bank Pension Trust (UK) Ltd [2023], The Central London County Court was asked to rule on a claim for possession by the landlord under the rules of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. The landlord was seeking possession against the tenant

Crunch time for PRS revealed as increasing numbers of 'pioneer' landlords retire

Crunch time for PRS revealed as increasing numbers of 'pioneer' landlords retire

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Thousands of landlords who entered the private rented sector following the introduction of dedicated buy-to-let mortgages in 1996 are now retiring in increasing numbers, it has been revealed. Research by estate agency Hamptons reveals that some 140,000 landlords retired in 2022,

Landlord mortgage costs rising faster than rent rises, research shows

Landlord mortgage costs rising faster than rent rises, research shows

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Barrows and Forrester reports UK landlords' mortgage costs rose 20–45% since 2021, outpacing rent increases, squeezing rental yields.

Consultation reveals majority of residents oppose wider selective licencing

Consultation reveals majority of residents oppose wider selective licencing

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Plans to bring in a vast new selective licencing scheme within Brent have been given a resounding thumbs down from both landlords and, surprisingly, the London boroughs residents too. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type- " data-rt-type="" data-rt-align=""><div><img src="https:

AIRBNB: Tory 'free marketeers' attack Gove over short-lets clamp-down

AIRBNB: Tory 'free marketeers' attack Gove over short-lets clamp-down

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Michael Goves plans announced yesterday to require owners of holiday lets in tourist hotspots to get planning permission for their properties has not gone down well in some quarters of the Conservative party. The https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/breaking-governmen

Portsmouth HMOs face council tax re-banding surge

Portsmouth HMOs face council tax re-banding surge

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Landlords locked in a battle with Porsmouth council over its approach to shared houses have branded its recent planning decisions an anti-HMO campaign. Trouble has been brewing the city since councillors on its planning committee began overriding the councils own planni

SW landlords invited to join Paul Shamplina live in Bristol

SW landlords invited to join Paul Shamplina live in Bristol

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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.

Are you? Half of landlords worried about a Labour government

Are you? Half of landlords worried about a Labour government

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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.

Gove quits parliament, but what did he do for landlords?

Gove quits parliament, but what did he do for landlords?

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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.

Landlord banned for three years from renting properties

Landlord banned for three years from renting properties

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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.

Tribunal publishes decision in dispute between tenant and agent

Tribunal publishes decision in dispute between tenant and agent

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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.

Councils issue record number of HMO licences

Councils issue record number of HMO licences

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An increase in licensing schemes pushed the number of HMO licences issued in England up to a record-breaking 27,177 last year.

Dismay as renting reforms finally hit the buffers

Dismay as renting reforms finally hit the buffers

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The Renters (Reform) Bill has been abandoned and must now go back to the drawing board after years of uncertainty and political wrangling.

South West properties see strongest tenant demand

South West properties see strongest tenant demand

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Eight in 10 landlords are reporting strong levels of tenant demand, Paragon Bank research has revealed.

All for nothing? General election 'death knell for Tories' renting reforms'

All for nothing? General election 'death knell for Tories' renting reforms'

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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.

Comment: The Labour Party is at odds with itself over rent controls, just how effective are they?

Comment: The Labour Party is at odds with itself over rent controls, just how effective are they?

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The threat of rent control still lingers, despite Labour claiming the party policy goes against it, landlords still leaving...

Experts pour cold water on Welsh rent controls plans

Experts pour cold water on Welsh rent controls plans

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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.

Northern Mayor vows to seize properties from rogue landlords

Northern Mayor vows to seize properties from rogue landlords

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New North East mayor Kim McGuinness has vowed to seize properties from irresponsible landlords as part of her plan to stand up for renters.

Right to Rent rules relaxed to help landlords and agents

Right to Rent rules relaxed to help landlords and agents

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Changes to the EU Settlement Scheme mean tenants granted pre-settled status can continue to prove their right to rent easily while landlords will be better able to check their immigration status.

Sunak names date for election as 55% of landlords revealed 'undecided'

Sunak names date for election as 55% of landlords revealed 'undecided'

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Landlords are likely to be targeted heavily by political parties as new research shows most remain undecided following Rishi Sunak’s decision to go for a July 4th General Election.

Council to 'educate' renters in person if they live within new licencing areas

Council to 'educate' renters in person if they live within new licencing areas

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Gateshead plans to include a third of its private rented properties in a selective licencing scheme that also aims to improve tenants’ wellbeing and prompt landlords to boost energy efficiency.

Housing minister slammed over failure to weed out rogue letting agents

Housing minister slammed over failure to weed out rogue letting agents

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A cross-party group of peers has attacked the government for sidestepping its proposals to clamp down on rogue letting agents.

Tenants should face consequences if they don't pay the rent, say landlords

Tenants should face consequences if they don't pay the rent, say landlords

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Landlords are less worried by the Government’s looming Renters (Reform) Bill and more concerned about the financial squeeze they face including tenants who don’t pay their rent, a new poll reveals.

160,000 rented homes 'disappear' from rental market

160,000 rented homes 'disappear' from rental market

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At least 163,000 privately rented properties disappeared from the market between 2019 and the end of 2023 as the number of landlords selling up outstripped purchases.

Legal Matters: Your Section 21 notice – is it valid?

Legal Matters: Your Section 21 notice – is it valid?

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Serving a Section 21 notice - you need to be meticulous in your preparation, making sure you have complied faultlessly with all the regulations

Ending fixed-term tenancies 'doesn't make sense' says Foxtons

Ending fixed-term tenancies 'doesn't make sense' says Foxtons

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A big lettings agency has questioned why the government is set on pursuing the end to fixed term tenancies, while ignoring the needs of landlords and tenants.

Labour report says tenants should be given 'rights charter'

Labour report says tenants should be given 'rights charter'

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A Labour-commissioned review of the private rented sector has called for a new renters’ charter to strengthen tenants’ rights and a mandatory National Landlords Register to help enforce compliance.

London landlords to repay tenants £45,000 after Tribunal decisions

London landlords to repay tenants £45,000 after Tribunal decisions

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Three London landlords are to pay over £45,000 in rent back to their tenants following separate Tribunal decisions, highlighting the increasing risks of Rent Repayment Orders as renters become more aware of the huge sums that are often involved.

Council launches licencing despite 'NO' from 73% of landlords

Council launches licencing despite 'NO' from 73% of landlords

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The London Borough of Lambeth is to launch a £923 per property selective licencing scheme in four wards this September after a lengthy consultation period that began in December last year.

EXCLUSIVE: Landlord reveals why his green upgrade cost £150,000

EXCLUSIVE: Landlord reveals why his green upgrade cost £150,000

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A landlord who raised a rental property's EPC from a band F to an A has urged others to make energy efficiency improvements that benefit both their property and their tenants.

Controversial landlord given suspended sentence over harrassment

Controversial landlord given suspended sentence over harrassment

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Controversial landlord Fergus Wilson has been handed a suspended prison sentence after being found in contempt of court for breaching an injunction preventing him from harassing staff and councillors at Ashford Borough Council.