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MP to stop holiday let owners dodging council tax via Bill

MP to stop holiday let owners dodging council tax via Bill

News

A Cornwall MP has launched a bid to ban short-let and holiday let landlords from switching to business lets.

Scotland moves closer to inflation-linked rent controls in 'hotspots'

Scotland moves closer to inflation-linked rent controls in 'hotspots'

News

Scotland's parliament has finished scrutiny of its Government's plans to restrict how landlords can raise rents, and much more.

Commercial tenants may reclaim millions after landmark ruling

Commercial tenants may reclaim millions after landmark ruling

News

Commercial landlords are now on high alert following a recent high court ruling over insurance commissions

Timetable for landlords to upgrade rental homes to minimum EPC band 'unachievable'

Timetable for landlords to upgrade rental homes to minimum EPC band 'unachievable'

News

The UK’s largest landlord association has called out the Government’s plans to make rental properties reach a minimum EPC ‘C’ band by 2028 as ‘unachievable’.

'Immigration and too few landlords real reason for high rents'

'Immigration and too few landlords real reason for high rents'

News

Rising immigration is likely to push rental demand to new heights, a banking boss has warned.

40 landlords join agent's fight-back against 'extortionate' licensing fees

40 landlords join agent's fight-back against 'extortionate' licensing fees

News

Landlords have been urged to join a legal action to challenge Leicester Council’s “unreasonably extortionate” selective licensing fees.

Senior letting agent slates 'too few' amendments to Renters' Rights Bill

Senior letting agent slates 'too few' amendments to Renters' Rights Bill

News

A leading letting agent has criticsed the progress of the Renters’ Rights Bill which left the House of Lords with few amendments.

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.

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Renting to a 17 year old

Renting to a 17 year old

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What are the implications of renting to a 17 year old or someone who is under the age of 18? We have an application from a 17-year old that is keen to rent but Im not sure this would be legal?</h2> Many landlords and housing providers would be concerned and therefore refuse to let to

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

Polystyrene Ceiling Tiles

Polystyrene Ceiling Tiles

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Polystyrene Ceiling Tiles - is it legal to have these tiles in the kitchen of a rental property?</h2> There are currently no regulations specifically banning the use of polystyrene ceiling tiles in existing rented property.However, it is unlikely that local authority fire officers and en

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

Lodgers Limits

Lodgers Limits

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Lodgers Limits - Is there any limit to the number of rooms I can rent out to lodgers, and are there any planning implications ?</h2> There are several parts of legislation in England and Wales that affect this question. Perhaps four main ones apply: Health &amp; Safety (HHSRS), HMO, Over

Tenant pockets £5,000 from Tribunal after realising HMO was unlicenced

Tenant pockets £5,000 from Tribunal after realising HMO was unlicenced

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A tenant who discovered that his landlord had not licenced the HMO in which he lived is to pocket £5,000 after winning a rent repayment order (RRO) during a Tribunal hearing.

Spring Budget shortfalls: What was missing for landlords?

Spring Budget shortfalls: What was missing for landlords?

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In what was likely his last Budget Statement before the next General Election, Jeremy Hunt announced his plans for tax, housing, and cost-of-living measures. Where did the Budget fall short for the private rented market (PRS)?

Murder conviction bars landlord from running rental properties

Murder conviction bars landlord from running rental properties

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A landlord who was jailed for culpable homicide in 2008 has been refused permission to rent out flats in Glasgow, despite claiming he has taken ‘responsibility for his actions’ and moved on.

Escalating 'housing emergencies' are Government's fault, say Scots letting agents

Escalating 'housing emergencies' are Government's fault, say Scots letting agents

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Letting agents have blamed poor Scottish government policies for the growing number of councils declaring ‘housing emergencies’.

Heat pumps still 'too expensive' warns national spending watchdog

Heat pumps still 'too expensive' warns national spending watchdog

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Heat pump sales continue to be hampered by high costs, lown awareness and a lack of long-term financial support, the government’s spending watchdog has warned.

90% of landlords reject Scottish rent control plans, official poll reveals

90% of landlords reject Scottish rent control plans, official poll reveals

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Vast majority of landlords have flatly rejected future widespread rent control across Scotland, in a new Holyrood survey.

Landlord fined after tenant harrassment revealed in court

Landlord fined after tenant harrassment revealed in court

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A landlord has been ordered to pay £2,500 in fines, compensation and costs after he admitted harassing two of his tenants.

Will landlord MPs stymie the Rental (reform) Bill?

Will landlord MPs stymie the Rental (reform) Bill?

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Momentum appears to be growing to torpedo the controversial legislation as evidence emerges that the Bill is ‘close to collapse’ in Parliament.

Should a good rent payment record count towards a mortgage application

Should a good rent payment record count towards a mortgage application

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It used to be the case that renting was a temporary phase in a young persons life. It gave flexibility until their career settled down to a fixed employer and a fixed location. But todays property prices mitigate against this pattern. Many people are locked into renting fa

Generation Rent calls for big landlord regulation push in Wales

Generation Rent calls for big landlord regulation push in Wales

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Generation Rent has urged the Welsh government to introduce an ombudsman for the PRS along with more grounds for rent repayment orders (RROs) in order to improve tenants’ lives.

80% of landlords say banning Section 21 evictions 'a mistake'

80% of landlords say banning Section 21 evictions 'a mistake'

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The vast majority of landlords and letting agents view the Government’s plans to abolish Section 21 evictions as a mistake, a new report has revealed.

Hunt's Spring Budget hid 'stealth' tax grab on landlords via CGT rules

Hunt's Spring Budget hid 'stealth' tax grab on landlords via CGT rules

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Jeremy Hunt’s recent Spring Budget hid a ‘steal tax’ on landlords seeking to sell properties after April 1st, it has been claimed.

Time ticking away for Bill prompts fresh concerns

Time ticking away for Bill prompts fresh concerns

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Fears are growing that the government is going soft on its commitment to the Renters Reform Bill.

Surge in fines for Right to Rent non-compliance

Surge in fines for Right to Rent non-compliance

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An increasing number of landlords and letting agents are falling foul of Right to Rent rules, with a big rise in fines handed out last year.

Landlord turns up heat on TV show with winning pitch

Landlord turns up heat on TV show with winning pitch

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An HMO landlord and entrepreneur has secured £80,000 worth of funding on Dragons' Den for his thermostat business.

Landlords fail to avoid London borough's HMO clampdown

Landlords fail to avoid London borough's HMO clampdown

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Haringey Council is launching a new additional HMO licensing scheme despite limited backing from landlords and tenants.

Renters face growing struggle to pay rising rents

Renters face growing struggle to pay rising rents

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Rent-to-income ratios in the UK have reached unsustainable new highs, forcing renters to spend a third of their wages on rent.

One council goes against the grain with short-term lets

One council goes against the grain with short-term lets

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Northumberland council has refused owners consent to convert their short-term holiday let cottages into permanent private residences.

AI firm urges landlords to embrace 'snooping' sensors

AI firm urges landlords to embrace 'snooping' sensors

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Landlords in the South West are being encouraged to access technology that detects heat loss, draughts, damp and mould.

Landlord to pay £220,000 after illegally converting flat

Landlord to pay £220,000 after illegally converting flat

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A rogue landlord firm which illegally converted a property into six flats and ignored an enforcement order has been ordered to pay more than £220,000.

Big London council reveals carrots and sticks for landlords

Big London council reveals carrots and sticks for landlords

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Hackney Council has promised landlords financial support to stay in the PRS while beefing up licensing and getting tough on short-term lets.

Record number of landlords taking courses, says NRLA

Record number of landlords taking courses, says NRLA

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Rising levels of national and local regulation across the UK have persuaded some 10.500 landlords to sign up for NRLA training, whether it’s technical safety knowledge, or how to deal with an anti-social tenant

Chancellor's tax grab set to make housing crisis worse - claim

Chancellor's tax grab set to make housing crisis worse - claim

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Abolishing Multiple Dwellings Relief will intensify problems of chronic undersupply in the property market, according to one tax expert.

Landlords reprieved from new empty homes crackdown

Landlords reprieved from new empty homes crackdown

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Landlords who are preparing a property to let or waiting to find a tenant will get a reprieve from empty homes council tax premiums.

Landlords begin returning to market in London

Landlords begin returning to market in London

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Landlords appear to be returning to the capital, with new instructions in February up 19% year-on-year, according to London agent Foxtons.