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'Discriminatory' HMO licensing scheme rules slammed by landlords

'Discriminatory' HMO licensing scheme rules slammed by landlords

News

Two out of three HMO landlords in Portsmouth plan to call it quits this year, largely prompted by the launch of an additional licensing scheme in September. Portsmouth & District Private Landlords Associations survey found that this would mean a loss of 348 rooms which, e

Damp and mould investigation reveals 1000s of homes affected

Damp and mould investigation reveals 1000s of homes affected

News

A Government investigation into damp and mould in the social housing sector has disclosed initial findings which show a significant number of homes in the social sector are affected by this problem. On Thursday (2 February) the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) published a <a hr

Up for a fight? Fundraiser seeks property people to step into the ring

Up for a fight? Fundraiser seeks property people to step into the ring

News

The property industrys Rumble with the Agents charity event is to host its eighth evening of boxing and fund-raising in North London on Thursday 22nd June, it has been announced. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type- " data-rt-type="" dat

MORTGAGE SHOCK: Bank of England hikes base rate by 0.5% to 4%

MORTGAGE SHOCK: Bank of England hikes base rate by 0.5% to 4%

News

The Bank of England has raised interest rates for the 10th consecutive time as it battles inflation - a move likely to hit thousands of investors with variable rate mortgages and those forced to renew fixed-rate deals. The base rate has gone up by half a percent to 4%, the highe

Councils' frosty reception for HMOs sees number decline in key regions

Councils' frosty reception for HMOs sees number decline in key regions

News

Englands HMO market has shrunk by more than 21,000 properties in the last two years as local councils ramp up planning rules and licensing schemes. Numbers were down by -2.4% to 489,701 last year, having already seen a -1.7% drop in 2021, according to figures from Octane Capi

EXCLUSIVE: Online boss talks candidly about landlords' reluctance to 'go digital'

EXCLUSIVE: Online boss talks candidly about landlords' reluctance to 'go digital'

News

The boss of online lettings platform lettingaproperty.com is determined to overcome landlords inertia to switch from using high street agents. Jonathan Daines admits its a challenge as 95% of landlords still use agents, with the ingrained belief that the online process wil

MARKET: Average house price down 3.2% since August 2022

MARKET: Average house price down 3.2% since August 2022

News

House prices have fallen for the fifth month in a row, with the average property now worth �258,297, almost �4,000 less than in December, reports Nationwide. January saw a -0.6% monthly dip which left prices 3.2% lower than their August peak, while annual house price growth al

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax on hold, again!

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax on hold, again!

News

If you were due to submit a self-assessment tax return and pay your dues by yesterdays deadline and you missed it you should do so now without delay, otherwise you will face a penalty. Anyone with rental income must submit a self-assessment income tax return, completing the property inco

Looming Vic & Bob movie to portray landlords as 'obnoxious'

Looming Vic & Bob movie to portray landlords as 'obnoxious'

News

Landlords are to get their latest outing on the silver screen within the first movie by comedians Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, it has been reported. But predictably its not the image many would prefer to see the comedy pair promote. After nearly two decades of dev

Landlord to pay tenants �10,000 after losing RRO legal appeal

Landlord to pay tenants �10,000 after losing RRO legal appeal

News

A London landlord has been hit with a �9,880 rent repayment order after failing to convince a tribunal that his tenants application was not legal. The landlord admitted that he had held a selective licence which limited occupation to five people from one household but hadn

Landlords are taking action as tax bills and refurb costs rise above rent yields

Landlords are taking action as tax bills and refurb costs rise above rent yields

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Rising number of tenants forced to leave Scottish private rental sector

Rising number of tenants forced to leave Scottish private rental sector

News

The number of households becoming https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/new-minister-reveals-millions-more-to-fund-prs-support-schemes-for-homeless/" homeless from private rented tenancies in Scotland is now higher than it was pre-pandemic, according to new government data.

Private rented sector is not 'broken' as campaigners claim, says new report

Private rented sector is not 'broken' as campaigners claim, says new report

News

Ministers and campaigners who claim that tenants are trapped in a 'broken' private renters sector are wrong, a new independent report commissioned by the NRLA has claimed, highlighting how three quarters of tenants think their rent fair or excellent value for mo

Podcast: Should landlords invest or divest?

Podcast: Should landlords invest or divest?

Podcast

In the latest episode of The Property Cast , now available to https://www.totallandlordinsurance.co.uk/knowledge-centre/investing-in-buy-to-let-2023?utm_source=landlordzone&utm_medium=investment+podcast+article&utm_campaign=landlordzone+january+2023" <st

Peterborough expands selective licensing after success of pilot

Peterborough expands selective licensing after success of pilot

News

Peterborough's new selective licensing scheme requires landlords in designated areas to obtain a £908 licence, aiming to improve housing standards.

Capital gains for landlords as tenants flock back to London

Capital gains for landlords as tenants flock back to London

News

Landlords with properties in central https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/rent-rises-hit-20-in-london-last-year-reports-leading-lettings-agency/" London saw the highest levels of tenant demand across England and Wales in the last quarter of 2022. After falling

NEW: Gove sets sights on scrapping leasehold ownership

NEW: Gove sets sights on scrapping leasehold ownership

News

Housing Secretary Michael Gove has promised to scrap most leaseholds in England this year. The government will make it much easier for leaseholders in flats to take over their buildings and bring them into common ownership, avoiding high management fees and ground rents. <p

Labour pledges big review of private rented sector

Labour pledges big review of private rented sector

News

Labour's Lisa Nandy pledges a comprehensive review of the private rented sector, aiming to empower tenants and introduce a new Renters' Charter.

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Rent Review

Rent Review

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Question - Rent Review - my landlord is asking for far more rent than I expected on review. Am I obliged to pay this?Answer - Commercial leases are contractual - the parties agree to and are bound by its clauses and that includes rent review provisions.The rent review process is a way of periodic

Re-selling Energy

Re-selling Energy

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Re-selling Energy - As a landlord am I able to make a profit by re-selling electricity or gas?</h2>Resale of Gas and ElectricityThe maximum amount that Residential Landlords or resellers� are permitted to charge for gas or electricity is the amount they

Providing a Reference

Providing a Reference

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Providing a Reference - I have been asked to provide a reference for one of my tenants who is moving on. What is my legal position in this and am I putting myself at risk if I say he was a bad tenant?</h2> Referencing (seeking verification of a tenants past performance) is an increasi

Misrepresentation

Misrepresentation

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Misrepresentation - We recently rented out our rural cottage to a couple. As they wanted to use their computers I said it was possible to get high-speed broad-band. I thought this would be possible but it seems it is not at this time. The couple are now claiming that I misled them and that

Mail for Previous Tenants

Mail for Previous Tenants

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I'm receiving mail for previous tenants and some of them are from debt collectors. Will this get my property black listed and cause problems for my current tenants and myself in the future?</h2> It's fairly common to have mail arriving for months and even years after residents have left,

Long Term AST

Long Term AST

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Long Term AST - My prospective tenant has asked for a tenancy term of 6 years. Can I use the usual Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement for this?</h2> The Assured Shorthold Tenancy is the default tenancy for residential lettings and since October 2010 this applies to rents up to �100,000

How long should accounts be kept

How long should accounts be kept

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Question: How long should accounts be kept to satisfy the authorities, things like accounting files, invoices and tax records, as a property landlord?Answer: You must keep your records for 6 years after the tax year to which they apply, whether or not you complete a tax return.It's a good idea, a

Expiry of Section 21 Notice

Expiry of Section 21 Notice

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Expiry of Section 21 Notice - I have served a Section 21 (s21) Notice on my tenant but don't wish to start proceedings immediately. Can I wait without the notice expiring?Once a Section 21 notice has been served correctly it continues indefinitely, until such time as the tenancy is ended, either

Covenant and Covenant Strength

Covenant and Covenant Strength

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Covenant and Covenant Strength - What is a legal covenant and what is the significance of the terms in relation to rental property and lettings ?</h2>The term covenant can have several meanings and has biblical origins but it is of particulalry significance

Landlord profits rises despite costs of maintenance, evictions and arrears

Landlord profits rises despite costs of maintenance, evictions and arrears

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A new poll of landlords has found that 87% make a profit on their properties despite spending a fifth of their gross rental income on property repairs

'Housing minister's resignation proves Labour's renting reforms not rational'

'Housing minister's resignation proves Labour's renting reforms not rational'

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A thinktank director has said Labour's renting reforms will put many landlords off investing in the private rented sector.

'Landlords should be free to set their own rents', says leading Tory figure

'Landlords should be free to set their own rents', says leading Tory figure

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Senior Tory figure David Gauke says Government should be concentrating on building more homes to rent, and ignore calls for rent controls.

New spate of 'fake landlord' scams revealed by Trading Standards

New spate of 'fake landlord' scams revealed by Trading Standards

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Criminals presenting as landlords are conning would-be tenants across London out of thousands of pounds a day.

Total Landlord launches pet damage protection insurance

Total Landlord launches pet damage protection insurance

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A pet damage insurance policy has launched for landlords offering a unique dual coverage.

Landlord launches petition over 'unfair and ineffective' EPC upgrade rules

Landlord launches petition over 'unfair and ineffective' EPC upgrade rules

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Landlords have been urged to sign a petition calling for the government to play fair when raising energy efficiency standards in the PRS.

Landlords 'must be given right to ask for pet damage insurance'

Landlords 'must be given right to ask for pet damage insurance'

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Campaign mounted to reverse Labour's strange pet damage insurance omission.

Landlord duo to pay huge fine over dangerous properties in Midlands

Landlord duo to pay huge fine over dangerous properties in Midlands

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A landlord couple in Nottinghamshire have been given one of this year’s largest fines for operating unsafe rental properties.

UPDATED: consider these things before you increase your tenant’s rent

UPDATED: consider these things before you increase your tenant’s rent

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With costs increasing, landlords are being forced to contemplate rent increases. If you go down this road you need to be aware and follow the rules.

COMMENT: when a minister acts like a landlord, the house comes tumbling down

COMMENT: when a minister acts like a landlord, the house comes tumbling down

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What does Rushanara Ali’s tale tell us about the current state of landlording, about buy-to-let ethics, evictions and the Renters’ Rights Bill?

Welsh holiday lets landlords face huge 'retrospective' tax bills

Welsh holiday lets landlords face huge 'retrospective' tax bills

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Owners of holiday lets in North Wales have been handed huge council tax demands after failing to realise the country’s new occupancy targets were retr

Professional landlords 'the future of privated rented sector' claims tech boss

Professional landlords 'the future of privated rented sector' claims tech boss

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Larger, professional landlords are best placed to take the private rented sector says Sam Humphreys.

Million rented homes won't pass upgraded Decent Homes Standard

Million rented homes won't pass upgraded Decent Homes Standard

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More than one in five private rented homes in England would be illegal to rent once proposed changes to the Decent Homes Standard take effect.

Minister resigns after controversial eviction but says she did 'nothing wrong'

Minister resigns after controversial eviction but says she did 'nothing wrong'

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After a barrage of criticism over the way she evicted tenants from her property, Rushanar Ali has stepped down.

Minister's controversial eviction 'will not be possible under her own rental reforms'

Minister's controversial eviction 'will not be possible under her own rental reforms'

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TV star Paul Shamplina has pointed out the difficult position homeless minister Rushanara Ali has put herself into.

Landlord pays VERY heavy price for ignoring licensing scheme

Landlord pays VERY heavy price for ignoring licensing scheme

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Rogue operator Shamsua Huda has been handed a whopping £33,698 fine for ignoring orders to license his HMO.

Landlord money moving 'out of homes and into offices'

Landlord money moving 'out of homes and into offices'

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Some residential landlords quitting the PRS appear to have moved their investments into the commercial sector, particularly offices.

Base interest rate cut by Bank of England monetary committee

Base interest rate cut by Bank of England monetary committee

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Monetary Policy Committee decides time is to take the breaks off the economy.

Welsh Government to go ahead with HMO council tax changes

Welsh Government to go ahead with HMO council tax changes

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Comments following 12-week consultation show, despite some reservations, HMOs will be counted as one property.

Unwanted residents that don’t pay any rent… 

Unwanted residents that don’t pay any rent… 

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Rats and other vermin can cause endless damage to your property, give you legal nightmares and trash your reputation as a responsible landlord

EXCLUSIVE: Fergus Wilson says he's a fair landlord, not 'Britain's worst'

EXCLUSIVE: Fergus Wilson says he's a fair landlord, not 'Britain's worst'

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Landlord Fergus Wilson has rejected his label as the ‘most hated landlord’ in Britain and insists his policy of vetting tenants has always been fair.

EXPERT: Why landlords and agents must now check every tenant's identity

EXPERT: Why landlords and agents must now check every tenant's identity

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Landlords and letting agents now face substantial fines if they don't check prospective tenants' identities before they move in.

Shock survey of letting agents reveals smaller landlords quitting in droves

Shock survey of letting agents reveals smaller landlords quitting in droves

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Letting agents have warned that the Renters’ Rights Bill could gut the private rental sector of one- and two-property landlords.

Landlords advertising HMO rooms 'far in advance of start date'

Landlords advertising HMO rooms 'far in advance of start date'

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HMO landlords are increasingly advertising rooms to rent way in advance of tenants moving out, new research shows.

Demand spikes for freehold houses from first time buyers - Landlords cash in before the crash

Demand spikes for freehold houses from first time buyers - Landlords cash in before the crash

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Landlords are cashing out fast as demand from first-time buyers spikes. Freehold homes are hot—now’s the time to sell.