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
End of an AST: Questions: What happens when an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) comes to an end? Will the tenant have to leave or does she need to sign a new agreement? What if a tenant wants to leave early? How long can a periodic tenancy last?When the fixed term (minimum of
Landlords often buy flats which are either Leasehold or Shared Freehold. What are these tenures and what should landlords look out for in these different forms of ownership?Leasehold is one of three forms of tenure (property/land ownership) almost exclusively peculiar to the United Kingdom, thoug
Landlord's Access to Property: Many landlords will have experienced a tenant denying them access to a property - whether for an inspection, viewings or legal duties. Its easy to understand the view of Its my property, I can enter when I want, but unfortunately th
New Rules for Section 21 :Landlords and Agents need to be aware of the changes affecting Section 21 rules and Notices and other changes for the letting of residential properties in England (and in many cases Wales) introduced during 2015 . This article explains the new rules
Many landlords have long suspected that the DCLG approved national calculation methodologies and software programs were seriously flawed when they produced EPC ratings for buildings following energy assessments.So news that new software is being introduced which is claimed to be more accurate is
Serving Notices: Landlords and agents often get confused as to how they should serve Notices on their tenants.Ordinarily it wouldnt matter what method is used, but if you end up in court with a possession or money claim, or some such court action, then what and how you se
Tenant are Consumers: The UK Consumer Protection law applies to letting agents and landlords alike when they advertise a property to let or create a new tenancy. It also applies to most private landlords when they deal with letting agents, unless they operate as a company.
Obtaining Possession Using Section 21 Notices Updated October 2016This article explains how to gain possession of your residential rental property in the most efficient way possible. You may just want your property back for your own use, or to sell, or you may be having prob
Winter Condensation: Its that time of year again, a time when tenants are most likely to complain about the mould appearing in those corners of the property where the walls and ceilings are really cold, and hot air with moisture always rises to the top. If its black mo
Tax Relief: Starting from 6th April 2017, those landlords with mortgages will have tax relief on their buy-to-let mortgage costs gradually reduce over a 4-year period.Many landlords dont have a mortgage (up to 50% it is said), so this change does not affect them, but many
Rent Arrears: At this time of year, soon after the Christmas spending spree, inevitably rent payments begin to suffer. If you are having problems with rent arrears, this article should help.As in most areas of life,prevention is better than cure . To re
Tax Return 2016-2017: As a general rule, and as outlined in the previous articles in this series on tax returns, landlords can claim the expenses of running and maintaining their rental properties.If the rent you charge includes additional services like water, or council tax
Britains demented war on landlords has already backfired�, says Daily Telegraph columnist Matthew Lynn, and There is no sign whatsoever that the Government realises it is to blame,� he says. Furthermore Mr Lynn says that the chaos in the rental market
A void energy solution and switching service for 'end of tenancy' promises to trim pounds from landlords bills. Empty rental properties incur a range of standing charges that average between 10p and 80p per day for electricity and from 5p to 60p per day for gas, averaging out
Landlords should do their homework before voting in the local elections next week and take the chance to quiz candidates on issues affecting the PRS, advises Leaders Romans Group (LRG). It points to a number of pressing local issues which can be determined
Landlords have until 1st June to comply with the new and relatively convoluted Rented Homes Wales legislation following its introduction last December. Under the new law, standard contracts have replaced assured shorthold tenancies a
Companies selling multi-occupancy insurance will have to act in leaseholders best interests under new proposals from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). It is demanding new rights and protections to improve the transparency of the multi-occupancy leasehold buildings insura
Jersey has launched a consultation into sweeping reforms including rent controls and open-ended tenancies, prompting fears that they could force more private landlords to quit the sector. The islands government aims to increase protections for both tenants and landlords
A new law to crack down on predatory landlords who exploit vulnerable people for sex in return for free or discounted rent is being considered, Home Secretary Suella Braverman (main picture) has announced. Her department is seeking the views of victims, the police and charities
There are heavy fines for those landlords who fail to have their rental properties tested by a qualified electrician before letting, and for existing tenancies, or if they fail to comply with any of the important recommendations made in a test report. The landlord will ordinarily have 28 da
Tribunal judge warns landlords to include licensing update clauses in agency contracts to avoid fines for non-compliance with licensing requirements.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A cross-party group of peers has attacked the government for sidestepping its proposals to clamp down on rogue letting agents.
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.
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.
Serving a Section 21 notice - you need to be meticulous in your preparation, making sure you have complied faultlessly with all the regulations
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.
