Farm and Land Tenancies Approximately one-third of all agricultural land in England and Wales is covered by agricultural tenancies. Tenancies allow people to farm without being landowners. As agricultural land is expensive, and the acreage now needed to make a viable operati
Landlords sometimes face a dilemma when they want to sell a rental property, or even a portfolio of their rental properties. Sometimes landlords have no choice but to sell as they are being forced to sell for financial reasons.Residential properties, unlike their commercial counterparts, always s
Assignment is when an existing and ongoing tenancy is transferred from one tenant to another. The person who transfers the tenancy is the assignor� and the person who the tenancy is transferred to is the assignee�.The outgoing tenant transfers his rights and obligations under the tenanc
Latest Research Suggests Basement Flats Are Safe As HousesBasement flats in West London have been found to be as secure from intruders as other types of apartments, according to research carried by Basement Flats, a newly-launched London publication.The magazine, which features news and informati
Section 26 Notice - My Commercial (Business Tenancy) Lease Agreement is coming to an end soon and my tenant has served on me a Section 26 Notice. What is this and what should I do?Commercial (Business) Tenancies in England & Wales are regulated by the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 (Part 2).T
Uninhabitable Premises. My tenanted property is flooded. What are my legal obligations in this situation? Am I obliged to re-house my tenant? Must my tenant continue to pay rent?Landlords are under a general obligation to supply property in tenant able condition for the tenant to i
Question: Tenant Blacklists. I've had a very bad experience with a tenant and would like to put him on a black list so that other landlords don't have the same experience that I've had. How do I go about this?Answer: We often get asked this question.Although there have been several attempts by di
Sub-letting leasehold - I want to rent out my leasehold flat but the managing agent says the freeholder wont allow it. I know that other flats in the block are rented out, so what can I do? Landlords usually prohibit sub-letting to safeguard the interest.Landlords usually prohibit sub-letting
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
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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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
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 - 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
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 - 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
Rising cost of living causes tenant referencing pass rates to drop from 35% to 25%, increasing rental risk for landlords, reports Housing Hand.
A Labour MP has called on the government to extend notice periods from two to four months to prevent landlords from unjustly evicting tenants. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type- " data-rt-type="" data-rt-align=""><div><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63bef2f3c329eff8e3
Only one-third of Oxfords private rental properties have been registered for its city-wide selective licensing scheme and could soon face steeper fees or a hefty fine. The scheme, which launched last September, has received more than 10,500 licence applications from the 3
An https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/braverman-under-pressure-to-reverse-outrageous-new-hmo-rules-for-asylum-seekers/" HMO landlord says desperate new tenants are moving in hours after the previous tenants leave due to a dearth of available properties. In he
A letting agent who ripped off dozens of landlord clients has been banned from being a company director for eight years. https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/letting-agent-who-stole-80000-from-dozens-of-landlords-admits-fraud/" Frank Smart , 46, the owner of Sma
In a market where interest rates are sky high, tax bills are extortionate and mortgage payments are higher than rents, coupled with a backlog of refurb costs and difficult tenant situations, landlords are rushing to cash in and sell their property portfolios. If you were a landl
With one in five households now renting, the private rented sector is an essential part of the housing market. As the government has reduced its housebuilding strategy for all local authorities from mandatory to advisory, with some councils scrapping targets all together, the ho
A European lettings portal has launched in the UK aimed at globe-trotting students and young professionals. Rotterdam-based https://housinganywhere.com/" HousingAnywhere , which specialises in mid- to long-term rentals, now covers London,
Over the last 15 years, the HMO market has been transformed and there has been a boom. The reason for the boom was, quite simply, that HMOs could generate far better returns than single home lets. But as the market grew, regulations tightened. On top of the extra du
Figures across the private rented sector including TV star Paul Shamplina have warned that both tenants, landlords and letting agents need to know when the Section 21 eviction ban is going to take place.
Conservative MP Anthony Mangnall voted against the Renters Reform Bill, warning that removing fixed-term tenancies could reduce housing supply.
Abolishing section 21 as soon as the Renters Reform Bill gains Royal Assent would cause chaos in the sector and leave the statute book a “confusing mess”, according to the government.
Conservative MP Natalie Elphicke failed to convince the government to include relocation payments for tenants and to restrict tenancy grounds in its Renters (Reform) Bill.
Environmental health officers have won a concession from the Government after it agreed not to stop councils using selective licencing schemes once England’s national property portal launches.
The Renters (Reform) Bill has been voted through its final stage in the Commons and, much to some MP's annoyance, containing several new concessions to landlords.
Animal welfare charity Battersea has called for more details on what constitutes ‘reasonable grounds’ for refusing a tenant’s request to keep a pet, in the Renters Reform Bill.
A leading build-to-rent firm boss has urged the government to approve an amendment in the Renters Reform Bill preventing tenants from ending contracts in the first six months – or face disrupting the market.
Tell the politicians whether you agree with their plans to give tenants more rights to have a pet in a rented property.
Blackpool Council has been accused of deliberately disguising the results of its selective licensing consultation report to help it push through a new scheme.
While most tenant campaigning groups have criticised the Renters (Reform) Bill for being too ‘watered down’, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has said it represents in its current form a fair deal for tenants and landlords.
The Renters Reform Bill will be a failure in its current form unless ministers urgently table amendments that better protect renters, a tenant group has warned.
A crowd of angry residents have clashed with councillors during a protest against burgeoning HMOs within the London borough of Ealing.
Tenants living in Liverpool footballer Cody Gakpo’s flats have complained of disrepair, structural problems and vermin infestations.
The final list of amendments to the Renters (Reform) Bill has been published by parliament ahead of tomorrow’s third reading of the legislation, during which each will be discussed and voted on.
Survey reveals 80% of landlords proactively maintain properties to prevent issues, with spring deemed ideal for property health checks.
It’s a mixed bag for landlords at the moment, with previous uncertainties around EPC regulations and the stress of mortgage repayments
Student landlords have won some concessions on evictions within a government amendment to the Renters Reform Bill.
The Scottish government wants landlords’ views on its new Housing Bill, which focuses on rent control and tenants’ rights.
A leading landlord has warned that Labour’s radical plans for the private rental sector are deeply worrying and could easily lead to a wholesale exit from the sector.
A landlady in London faces prison unless she pays a Proceeds of Crime Act Confiscation Order totalling £51,983.
Leaseholders who pay ground rents are to have their levy capped at a maximum amount of £250 as Gove is forced to water down his radical proposals
An appeal court judge has granted 134 property investors leave to contest a single ‘class action’ claim against a solicitor which is alleged to have provided negligent professional advice on an investment scheme.
In this post, Tom Entwistle sets out the principles that he has used over his successful 50-year landlording career.
Landlords travelling by London Underground might be shocked to find themselves as the butt of a joke used to sell coffee.
