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Book Review: Carl Bayley’s book, Shelter your Family from the Taxman: How to Save Inheritance Tax

Book Review: Carl Bayley’s book, Shelter your Family from the Taxman: How to Save Inheritance Tax

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Carl Bayley is the author of more than twenty ‘Plain English’ TaxCafe published tax guides designed for the layperson and the non-specialist

Expert sounds alarm over rent arrears court decision

Expert sounds alarm over rent arrears court decision

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Court ruling lets tenants challenge rent arrears from Universal Credit, risking landlords avoiding tenants on benefits, expert warns.

Big East of England town rushes in anti-HMO rules

Big East of England town rushes in anti-HMO rules

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Fenland Council has introduced an immediate Article 4 Direction before its consultation in a bid to clamp down on burgeoning HMOs in Wisbech.

Northern council heralds landlord fines of £1.38 million... so far!

Northern council heralds landlord fines of £1.38 million... so far!

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Landlords in County Durham have had to fork out fines totalling £1.38 million in the three years since selective licensing was introduced.

Dozens of new amendments proposed for Renters' Right Bill

Dozens of new amendments proposed for Renters' Right Bill

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Peers have tabled amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill which, if approved, would shape the legislation into a version of the previous Renters’ Reform Bill.

'Chancellor must boost rental homes supply or risk economy'

'Chancellor must boost rental homes supply or risk economy'

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Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been warned that unless more rental properties are built her recent promise to ‘attract the best talent to the UK’ and boost economic growth will fall flat.

Build-to-rent giant celebrates as landlords exit student sector

Build-to-rent giant celebrates as landlords exit student sector

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Private HMO landlords leaving the sector have created a shortage of student housing, according to Unite Students, which boasts that it can help fill the gap with purpose-built student accommodation.

Labour rejects new calls for rent controls

Labour rejects new calls for rent controls

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The government has repeated its rejection of “heavy handed” rent controls despite pressure from peers in the House of Lords.

Northern city to clamp down on 'too many' HMOs

Northern city to clamp down on 'too many' HMOs

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Preston Council has proposed new powers to reject HMO applications amid fears that the city is already being over-run by shared homes.

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NEW: Competition watchdog to probe 'consumer rights' within rental market

NEW: Competition watchdog to probe 'consumer rights' within rental market

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The UKs competition watchdog is to launch an investigation into consumer rights for those rent their homes and the activities of landlords and letting agents. This announcement, which has been made by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), reveals that it intends to she

MPs say landlords who don't upgrade homes should pay higher mortgages

MPs say landlords who don't upgrade homes should pay higher mortgages

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A cross-party group of MPs and peers has suggested that landlords who dont upgrade their properties should be liable for mortgage penalties. The All-Party Group on a Green New Deal believes there should be a 1% mortgage interest rate premium levied on all buy-to-let propertie

Government adds thousands of HMOs to energy bills support scheme

Government adds thousands of HMOs to energy bills support scheme

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The government has announced support for thousands more households including tenants living in HMOs - to help pay their energy bills. Households without a direct relationship to an electricity supplier are covered by thehttps://www.gov.uk/get-help-energy-bills/getti

Council wins �1m funding for HMO improvements

Council wins �1m funding for HMO improvements

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As part of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) levelling up� fund the money is to be used by the council to work proactively and engage with landlords�, in particular with those landlords who rent out houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) and own con

Bailiffs accused of confusing vulnerable tenants with 'lookalike' police outfits

Bailiffs accused of confusing vulnerable tenants with 'lookalike' police outfits

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Private bailiffs dressed in stab vests, wearing bodycams and driving white vans covered in fluorescent police-style trim have been accused of confusing vulnerable tenants, a housing charity warns. Safer Renting is worried it is becoming a growing problem after stepping in during

'Why won't Government regulate agents like it does social housing managers?'

'Why won't Government regulate agents like it does social housing managers?'

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Property expert Kate Faulkner (main pic) says new rules to introduce professional qualifications for social housing managers are a slap in the face for the PRS� after years of lobbying for similar standards. The government has a

Rent cap in Scotland could cut supply and raise rents

Rent cap in Scotland could cut supply and raise rents

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Scottish rent cap removal and Gwynedd's Article 4 Direction spark landlord concerns over housing supply and market stability.

Official �3 million evictions mediation service 'offered too late' to landlords

Official �3 million evictions mediation service 'offered too late' to landlords

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A paltry nine cases were mediated in the governments pilot Rental Mediation Service - nowhere near the 3,000 cases it expected, it has been revealed. The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Minister of Justice had hoped that the pilot, which offered te

Half of landlords unaware of boiler upgrade scheme, expert warns parliament

Half of landlords unaware of boiler upgrade scheme, expert warns parliament

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Landlords and letting agents need more information and financial help if the Boiler Upgrade Scheme is to succeed, according to Propertymark. In its evidence to the Lords Built Environment Committee inquiry into the scheme, the group says 48% of Propertymar

Letting agents call for radical action to solve rental housing crisis

Letting agents call for radical action to solve rental housing crisis

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A group representing letting agents has slammed the chaotic growth of the private rented sector in recent years, calling for radical changes to solve the rental housing crisis this has created.

Jersey launches island-wide selective licencing scheme

Jersey launches island-wide selective licencing scheme

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All Jersey’s landlords will need a licence from the beginning of next month after the Island’s government launched a scheme to improve standards in the PRS.

Average rent arrears jump 27% to £1,800 in a year

Average rent arrears jump 27% to £1,800 in a year

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Average rent arrears owed by tenants to landlords have climbed by 27% so far this year, new data reveals.

Minister slams gas boiler suppliers over price rises

Minister slams gas boiler suppliers over price rises

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The government has urged the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to review the boiler supply market amid fears that a lack of competition is leading to higher prices.

Evictions expert calls for national 'rogue tenant' database

Evictions expert calls for national 'rogue tenant' database

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Evictions expert Paul Shamplina has called for a rogue tenant database to be established, pointing out that bad letting agents and landlords face being named and shamed via official schemes, but tenants do not.

Protestors slam 'landlord lobby' outside Gove's London home

Protestors slam 'landlord lobby' outside Gove's London home

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Rental reform campaigners have staged a protest outside Michael Gove’s official residence in central London, calling on the housing secretary to implement his promised Section 21 evictions ban.

Campaigners blame Section 21 evictions for homelessness rise

Campaigners blame Section 21 evictions for homelessness rise

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More than 84,000 households have been put at risk of homelessness due to no-fault evictions since 2019, renting campaigners have claimed.

Landlords: we’ll sell your buy-to-let properties, fast, for the best price

Landlords: we’ll sell your buy-to-let properties, fast, for the best price

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As we enter April it’s been a mixed bag for landlords, with many “nervous" landlords looking to sell amidst a growing apprehension of market conditions and general elections.

Tycoon urges ALL rental homes to be inspected regularly

Tycoon urges ALL rental homes to be inspected regularly

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A leading businessman has entered the political fray with a book in which he lays out his ideas on how to solve the housing crisis including planning and rental market reform.

HMO landlord to pay £26,000 after adding storey to house

HMO landlord to pay £26,000 after adding storey to house

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An HMO landlord who added another storey on his property to squeeze in more tenants has been ordered to pay £26,535 for breaching numerous safety rules.

More landlords turn to 'safer' HMOs as economy remains tough

More landlords turn to 'safer' HMOs as economy remains tough

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HMOs are becoming more popular among landlords as many turn to them as a ‘surer bet’ than other types of rental property in a time of economic uncertainty, it has been claimed.

Housing crisis tops voters' list of key issues to solve

Housing crisis tops voters' list of key issues to solve

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Voters say the ongoing housing crisis tops the list of key priorities that need to be addressed by the current and incoming government, according to renters in a SpareRoom poll.

Property portal: Can tech free up cash to tackle criminal landlords?

Property portal: Can tech free up cash to tackle criminal landlords?

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With the abolition of Section 21 stealing the headlines Government proposals for a property portal have largely flown under the radar. Here James Kent, the NRLA’s chief innovation officer and founder of property compliance platform Safe2, explores what it could – and should – look like

Half of landlords thinks pets and eviction reforms 'bad idea'

Half of landlords thinks pets and eviction reforms 'bad idea'

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New research among landlords reveals that although a majority are adopting a ‘wait and see’ approach to the Government’s looming renting reforms, it’s the changes to pets rules and evictions that are troubling them the most.

NRLA backs platform that helps landlords move to limited company status

NRLA backs platform that helps landlords move to limited company status

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Private landlords considering a move to limited company ownership of their rented properties are being urged by the NRLA to use its latest partner service.

Landlord fined £8,471 over hazardous HMO wiring

Landlord fined £8,471 over hazardous HMO wiring

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A landlord has been handed a £8,471 bill for allowing his tenants to live in a property with serious structural issues, dangerous wiring and a lack of fire safety measures.

Fake tenancies at heart of Bulgarian's gang's £53m scam

Fake tenancies at heart of Bulgarian's gang's £53m scam

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Five fraudsters who stole £53.9 million in a huge benefits scam used false tenancy agreements to help them make claims.

Councils lobby Ministers not to scrap selective licencing schemes

Councils lobby Ministers not to scrap selective licencing schemes

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The Local Government Association (LGA) has urged Minister to ignore rebel MPs’ calls for selective licencing to be replaced by the looming Landlord Portal.

TWO new reports reveal weakening supply of rented property

TWO new reports reveal weakening supply of rented property

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.