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.

Beware using WhatsApp to discuss rental contracts, warns lawyer

Beware using WhatsApp to discuss rental contracts, warns lawyer

News

A property lawyer has warned that landlords might fail to realise their tenant has given notice after a court ruled that a WhatsApp exchange was sufficient to create a contract.

CLAIM: Fees ban has saved tenants £1bn and 'didn't push up rents'

CLAIM: Fees ban has saved tenants £1bn and 'didn't push up rents'

News

Private renters in England have saved nearly £1 billion in letting agent fees since the 2019 Tenant Fees Act, research by Generation Rent has found.

Student HMO landlords face tenancies-in-advance 'crunch' this November

Student HMO landlords face tenancies-in-advance 'crunch' this November

News

One of the UK’s leading student lettings agencies has pointed out a huge ‘crunch point’ for HMO landlords when the Renters’ Rights Bill goes live later this year.

Landlords to raise rents when reform restrictions go live

Landlords to raise rents when reform restrictions go live

News

New poll shows landlords are planning to raise rents in response to new restrictions within the looming Renters' Rights Bil.

BLOG: 'Tenants and landlords will see harder times when section 21 is abolished'

BLOG: 'Tenants and landlords will see harder times when section 21 is abolished'

News

Property lawyer Ian Narbeth takes a detailed but scathing look at Labour's looming Renters' Rights Bill and predicts there is trouble ahead.

London politician calls for action against rogue landlords

London politician calls for action against rogue landlords

News

Comments have been made after residents at a property that was illegally converted into 11 bedsit flats remain worried about its condition.

Landlord trio sell portfolio for £22m citing 'complex renting environment'

Landlord trio sell portfolio for £22m citing 'complex renting environment'

News

Three landlord brothers have had a whopping £22 million pay day after selling their property portfolio to an investment trust.

EXPERT: Renting reforms will make 'horrendous housing crisis' worse

EXPERT: Renting reforms will make 'horrendous housing crisis' worse

News

A leading property expert says the UK is heading for a “horrendous housing crisis” that could worsen with the advent of the Renters’ Rights Bill.

Social housing in crisis as tenants’ complaints go through the roof

Social housing in crisis as tenants’ complaints go through the roof

News

New report from the Housing Ombudsman shows complaints about substandard living conditions in social housing in England are five times higher than they were five years ago

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

Salford to begin huge new £1,085-per-property HMO licensing scheme

Salford to begin huge new £1,085-per-property HMO licensing scheme

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Salford has given the go-ahead to a new licensing scheme for smaller HMOs in response to a rise in safety problems and resident complaints. The scheme covering the entire city - takes effect on 19th July and costs landlords �1,085 to licence shared homes where three or four

Suspended sentence for banned engineer who issued fake Gas Safe certificate

Suspended sentence for banned engineer who issued fake Gas Safe certificate

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A banned boiler engineer has narrowly avoided jail after producing a fake Gas Safe certificate for a landlord. Jeffrey Lewis, 74, of Ashbourne Road, Cheadle, was asked by a landlord to repair a tenants boiler but failed to tell him he had been banned from carrying out gas wor

Plans to outlaw landlords who refuse to rent to tenants with children

Plans to outlaw landlords who refuse to rent to tenants with children

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Jersey has launched a consultation over plans to outlaw landlords who refuse to rent to tenants with children. Social security minister deputy Judy Martin hopes to amend the Discrimination Law 2013 to protect families looking for homes on the island, which currently doesnt pr

LATEST: Liverpool begins huge HMO licensing push

LATEST: Liverpool begins huge HMO licensing push

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Liverpool City Council has clamped down on HMO conversions as it launches a new assault on the private rented sector. Under a new Article 4 direction, any size home in the city centre will need planning permission to be converted into an HMO from 17th</s

BREAKING: Treat Hong Kong arrivals with care when checking Right to Rent, Minister warns

BREAKING: Treat Hong Kong arrivals with care when checking Right to Rent, Minister warns

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The government appears to have admitted it has concerns about landlords discriminating against the potential influx of Hong Kong residents. Home Office Minister Baroness Williams of Trafford advised landlords to be careful when doing Right to Rent checks on inbound Hong Kong res

Forum Q&A: Early termination fees & invoices explained

Forum Q&A: Early termination fees & invoices explained

Information
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The hugely popular LandlordZONE forum is a friendly community where landlords share their experiences, exchange tips and ask for advice. Here we answer a recent question and ask the experts at Hamilton Fraser to give their best answer! The question: <p

REVEALED: Why not all EPCs are created equally

REVEALED: Why not all EPCs are created equally

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Getting a good EPC rating is important for rentals to meet the MEES regulations, and in future even higher ratings will be demanded, but this can be a challenge for some landlords� Since October 2008, rental properties in England and Wales have been required to

How safe are classified sites? Another tenant scammed by fake landlord

How safe are classified sites? Another tenant scammed by fake landlord

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A tenant has been scammed by a Gumtree advertiser who stole more than �2,000, leaving her facing homelessness. Mum-of-four, Shirley Jones, from Coventry, fell for the flat rental scam after answering the advert for a three-bedroom home in Nuneaton that was available to rent on

LATEST: Government's annual housing benefit bill rises to �30 billion

LATEST: Government's annual housing benefit bill rises to �30 billion

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The government is expecting to spend and eye-watering �30 billion on housing benefit for tenants this year, DWP minister Will Quince has told parliament. This figure is �8-10 billion more than the Office for Budget Responsibility https://obr.uk/forecasts-in-depth/tax-

TWO new reports reveal weakening supply of rented property

TWO new reports reveal weakening supply of rented property

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The number of landlords instructing agents to rent properties has declined for a second quarter in a row, fuelling ongoing worries that the Government’s ‘anti-buy-to-let’ mood music is disrupting the market.

'Ignorance of law no excuse' as landlord repays tenants £10,500

'Ignorance of law no excuse' as landlord repays tenants £10,500

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A landlord who blamed her agent and tenants for not telling her about a selective licensing scheme has been hit with a £10,572 rent repayment order.

Tax shock for furnished holiday let owners – how to react while there’s still time

Tax shock for furnished holiday let owners – how to react while there’s still time

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

If you are involved with Furnished Holiday Lets you are probably be aware by now that there are far reaching tax changes coming - what to do about them?

Record fines for London landlords push total to £10 million

Record fines for London landlords push total to £10 million

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Total fines for London’s rogue landlords and agents have topped £10 million since the rogue landlord database launched in 2017.

Big money to spend £17 billion in South and Midlands building rental houses

Big money to spend £17 billion in South and Midlands building rental houses

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Private landlords face a significant increase in competition from corporate operators within the rented sector as investors reveal a £17 billion, 60,000-home building programme concentrated on the South and Midlands.

Court costs for landlords 'will keep on rising' predicts lawyer

Court costs for landlords 'will keep on rising' predicts lawyer

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

It’s almost inevitable that court fees will have to rise considerably, and probably sooner than 2025/6 unless alternative funding is added direct from the Treasury, according to property lawyer David Smith.

Accreditation key to tenant confidence

Accreditation key to tenant confidence

Sponsored
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

As a tenant how do you know your landlord – or agent – is a good one? There are checks renters can carry out – looking at online reviews, the government’s rogue landlord database, or contacting The Property Ombudsman.

Sadiq Khan vows to 'hold landlords to account' as re-election looms

Sadiq Khan vows to 'hold landlords to account' as re-election looms

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

London mayor Sadiq Khan has vowed to build 6,000 new ‘rent control’ homes across London if he’s elected for a third term in next month’s election.

London council goes live with bigger selective licencing scheme

London council goes live with bigger selective licencing scheme

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Redbridge Council has gone live with its big new selective licencing scheme that applies to most private rented properties in 15 of the London borough’s wards.

New visa rules for foreigners 'not damaging student housing market'

New visa rules for foreigners 'not damaging student housing market'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Unite Students is poised to report rental income growth of at least 6% due to sustained demand, despite new visa rules affecting international students.

Wales to follow England's landlord stamp duty reliefs withdrawal

Wales to follow England's landlord stamp duty reliefs withdrawal

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Landlords and property investors who buy privately-held multi-property portfolios in Wales are to lose another tax perk.

Why is Government making investing in PRS more difficult, asks leading landlord

Why is Government making investing in PRS more difficult, asks leading landlord

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A leading landlord in the SW has slammed the Government’s ongoing assault on the private rented sector, saying the efforts of Michael Gove and his predecessors puzzle ‘honourable and decent’ operators like him.

WARNING: Hunt's tax changes will hit landlords AND renters

WARNING: Hunt's tax changes will hit landlords AND renters

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Changes to income and Capital Gains Tax (CGT) that came in over the weekend could mean reduced investment in the PRS and insurance premiums, warns an insurance expert.

TV star reveals London training day for landlords

TV star reveals London training day for landlords

Information
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Paul Shamplina has assembled a panel of experts to run a training day this summer that will advise and coach landlords to navigate the tough economic and regulatory environment facing the privately rented sector.

ENERGY CAP: How much badly-insulated homes will cost tenants

ENERGY CAP: How much badly-insulated homes will cost tenants

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Poorly insulated homes will be sent annual gas bills about £340 – around 50% - higher than those with a C-rated Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) under Ofgem’s latest price cap, new research has found.

Is the staycation-fuelled holiday lets bubble bursting?

Is the staycation-fuelled holiday lets bubble bursting?

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Holiday let owners are facing a significant dip in bookings this year as the sector feels the effects of the cost-of-living crisis, poor weather and an increasingly saturated market.

The dominoes may slowly fall as we head towards a distressed commercial market

The dominoes may slowly fall as we head towards a distressed commercial market

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The UK’s commercial property sector is experiencing challenges: high interest rates, inflation, lower property values, and liquidity problems for lenders and borrowers.

'Rent repayment orders being used beyond their original purpose'

'Rent repayment orders being used beyond their original purpose'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Some build-to-rent developments are increasingly falling foul of Rent Repayment Order (RRO) legislation, in a move away from its original aim to tackle poor HMOs, it has been claimed.

Thinktank battles landlords over evictions ban claims

Thinktank battles landlords over evictions ban claims

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The Social Market Foundation has argued that fears about stricter regulations reducing the supply of rental properties are ‘overblown’.

Tenant's jaw dropping makeover listed after pop star's campaign

Tenant's jaw dropping makeover listed after pop star's campaign

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A rented house which was transformed into a highly ornate classical ‘villa’ by its former tenant has been granted a Grade II listing.

Greens launch manifesto promising 'immediate rent freeze'

Greens launch manifesto promising 'immediate rent freeze'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The Green Party is unlikely to win many votes from landlords after launching its manifesto ahead of a General Election later this year and the May 2nd local elections.

Landlords to repay former tenants £15,000 despite £11,000 rent arrears

Landlords to repay former tenants £15,000 despite £11,000 rent arrears

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A mother and son landlord duo are to repay their former tenants £15,000 in a case highlighting how the rent repayment order system can be very one-sided.

Warning: Are landlords being encouraged to sell too early?

Warning: Are landlords being encouraged to sell too early?

Sponsored
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

By now you’ve probably heard of Landlord Sales Agency, and our articles that suggest the market is in favour of landlords selling.

Official 'local rents' tool launched for landlords

Official 'local rents' tool launched for landlords

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The Government has launched a service that enables landlords to see the rents being charged by other landlords in their area.

Number of 'home alone' renters drops by 8%, new data reveals

Number of 'home alone' renters drops by 8%, new data reveals

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The number of people renting homes by themselves has reduced significantly over the past three years as the cost-of-living crisis has hit many renters’ pockets, new research reveals.