First time buyers remain better off owning than renting an equivalent home, Lloyds Bank says, but the gap is narrowing. Its latest Owning vs Renting Review reveals that owning a first home now costs �971 a month, four percent less than renting at �1,013.
The government failed to offer long-term support for energy efficiency improvements or increase the Local Housing Allowance in a Budget which instead focused on getting the country back to work. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended support for energy bills at current levels of �2,50
In this in-depth private rented sector legislation special, Eddie and Paul are joined by David Smith, head of property litigation at JMW Solicitors. The discussion kicks off with the recent landmark Rakusen v Jepsen rent repayment order case, where David represented the NRLA and which, he e
Youve made the decision to sell, and beat the market drop and increased costs. But where do you turn? Estate Agents can get you a high price, but theyll take far too long. Auctions can sell super-fast, but you might be compromising on price. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-t
Generation Rent is calling on the government to extend Awaabs Law to the PRS after its survey found 1,106 private rented homes in England with dangerous levels of damp and mould. A Freedom of Information request by the campaign group found that the 65 councils which reported
Eddie Hooker, Chief Executive of insurance company the HFIS Group, has called for action to combat the murky end of the rent-to-rent market. Talking during an video interview with LandlordZONE , Hooker said action was needed to increase transparency w
A tenancy mediator has warned landlords that they or the experts they hire - risk being jailed for contempt of court by not using a regulated solicitor to fill in possession notice claim forms. PRS Mediations Julie Ford (pictured) says that under the L
An 80-year-old disabled woman is being evicted from her home after more than 60 years because her property wont pass tighter new EPC rules, a case which is believed to be the first of its kind. Thoresby Estate which owns Anne Marshs property in Edwin
Increasing the Local Housing Allowance would be the quickest way for the government to improve access to affordable homes, say housing charities. According to analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), in 37 local authorities, the gap between market rents for three-bedr
The director of a property management firm has been fined more than �25,000 after dangerous electrics were discovered at an HMO in Northampton. West Northamptonshire Council issued a warrant in May 2022 after tenants raised concerns about the property in Lutterwor
Landlords in the North East have complained that a rubber stamped selective licencing scheme is a pure waste of time� and that they are fed up being taxed in this way�. The comments concern Middlesborough councils plans to extend its licencing scheme in the ce
Landlords will be looking for more government support to make energy efficiency improvements while hoping for some tax burden relief in the upcoming Budget. With EPC deadlines looming, many want greater incentives to back up the https://www.gov.uk/apply-boiler-upgrade-s
A new How to Rent guide will come out on Friday (17th March) which landlords in England must serve at the start of any new tenancy or renewal. The new guide forms part of the prescribed information landlords must issue, and if they dont
Scottish MSPs have voted through a rent cap and extension of the eviction ban until 30th September. The rent cap for private sector tenancies will increase to 3% from 1st April under the amendment to the https://www.gov.scot/publications/cost-living-ten
All HMO landlords in Worcester will soon have to buy a licence if councillors back a new additional licensing scheme. The city has operated an additional scheme since September 2015 but amended it in 2020 to cover only the wards of Arboretum, Bedwardine, Cathedral and St Clement
Landlords have been left out of measures announced today designed to support mortgage holders during the cost of living crisis. The guidance, which has been issued by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) updating borrowers responsibilities to their existing mortgage holders,
A landlord who tried to claim that he was the superior landlord of an unlicensed HMO has failed in his bid to avoid paying a Rent Repayment Order. In the first RRO case since the landmark�
The British Property Federation (BPF) has called on the government to zero rate VAT on building repair and maintenance to incentivise essential upgrades across the residential sector or risk missing its 2050 net zero target. In the run-up to next weeks Budget, it says the
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
Tenants are now facing bigger rent rises when they renew their contract than when they move into a new rental home.
Rent caps could be introduced in England by a Labour government, the party’s shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said over the weekend.
Mayor Andy Burnham has announced plans including a new Property Check scheme for tenants whose landlords won’t work with the council voluntarily.
A landlord who let three of his properties fall into dangerous disrepair has been ordered to pay almost £14,000.
The founder of property management firm that houses asylum seekers by offering landlords guaranteed rents has reached the Sunday Times Rich List.
The number of households removed from their privately rented properties by bailiffs in England via a Section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction increased by 19% during the first three months of the year to 2,682 households, official data shows.
Landlords with properties in Manchester have been urged to have their say on the city’s latest plans to expand selective licencing.
Rising rents and lack of supply in the privately rented sector (PRS) are the result of long-term failure in government housing policy and is not landlords’ fault, peers were told during the Renters Reform Bill second reading last night.
The government has provided more detail on how it plans to overhaul the courts, along with the timeline for abolishing Section 21.
James Kent, the NRLA's Chief Innovation Officer and founder of property compliance platform Safe2, looks at new data on the postcode lottery of local authority enforcement.
Commercial Lease: Before 1995, though many commercial tenants did not realise this, assigning the lease meant they agreed to be responsible for payment of the rent and performance of all the other covenants
Competition between tenants continues to intensify as the amount of time rental property listings are up for has dramatically reduced, according to new analysis.
High rents are prompting tenants and landlords to choose alternative deposit schemes, according to one provider.
New powers for councils to auction off leases on properties which have stood empty for more than a year will take effect this summer.
As Peers prepare to debate the Government’s Renters (Reform) Bill today, the NRLA has warned that landlords exiting the sector are the ‘biggest threat’ to renters as supply narrows and rents continue to rise rapidly.
Landlords are being asked for their views on whether the Tenancy of Shops (Scotland) Act should be repealed, replaced, or reformed.
The UK has recorded the highest 21-day commercial property rent collection rates since the start of the pandemic
2024 looks set to become a record-breaking year for landlord licensing, with 25 new schemes and consultations launched so far across the UK.
A tenant who claimed she had cancer and masqueraded as a private landlord to swindle would-be tenants out of rental deposits, has been jailed.
NRLA training takes many forms, with in-person, eLearning and eClassroom courses all popular. But what of the webinar? With tens of thousands of landlords signing up - and even the housing minister getting on board - Kitty Ellison, NRLA Head of Training explains more.
A leaked report commissioned by the Labour party into the private rented sector has recommended that rents be capped in England if the party gains power.
Landlords welcome “great news” as clever selling strategies see an increase in profits
Some landlords will be able to continue serving Section 21 notices under the Renters Reform Bill, says one property expert.
A pair who traded fraudulently and defrauded victims out of at least £24,000 through letting and rental scams have been sentenced.
Landlords have been urged to ensure their tenants sign when receiving any important documents ahead of a key court ruling.
