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Tenancy Deposit Documentation

Tenancy Deposit Documentation

Information

What do I need to do when I protect my tenant/s deposit? If you take a deposit from your tenant/s you MUST protect the deposit and serve your tenants with the correct documentation within 30 days or face having to pay a fine and the prospect that you cannot use the s21 evict

ITZA revisited

ITZA revisited

Information

A clear explanation of ITZA and rent review zoning — why old ITZA measurements may not always apply in new rent reviews.

Dispute Resolution Procedure at Rent Review - Calderbank offer

Dispute Resolution Procedure at Rent Review - Calderbank offer

Information

Learn how a Calderbank offer can help landlords settle disputes and avoid costly rent review referrals.

Should I set up a company to pay less tax?

Should I set up a company to pay less tax?

Information

According to research from the NLA, 4 in 10 landlords are either seriously considering forming a limited company or looking into the option in the coming months.Can you - and more importantly should you - set up a company to pay less tax? Heres my complete guide on becoming incorporated.<stron

What heating system for Rental Property?

What heating system for Rental Property?

Information

What heating system should you use in your rental property? Is there a heating system that could solve landlords condensation claims problems?Its one of the most important questions to ask when letting a property for the first time. Whatever system you choose carries implications for the ef

Warnings about Gumtree advertised letting scams

Warnings about Gumtree advertised letting scams

News

The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) and the National Landlords Association (NLA) have called on the classified online listings service Gumtree to issue clear guidance over possible scams involving bogus letting scams.The warning has been issued to Gumtree by the NLA and the RLA after f

Dispute Resolution Procedure at Rent Review

Dispute Resolution Procedure at Rent Review

Information

At rent review, the phrase 'going to arbitration' is often bandied about during negotiations as a means for one party to get its own way. Whether or not the parties can agree the rent without involving the dispute resolution procedure, it is common for a represented or experienced party to inv

Government releases 'How to Rent'� guide

Government releases 'How to Rent'� guide

News

From the 1st of October 2015 it became a statutory requirement that landlords issue all new tenants after that date with the latest edition of a Government publication The How to Rent Guide�, along with a current Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and a current Gas Safety

Doing Right to Rent - Immigration Checks

Doing Right to Rent - Immigration Checks

Information

From 1st February 2016 all new tenants in England must be given Right-to-Rent (Immigration) Checks to determine their "right-to-rent" or "right-to-reside" in the country, BEFORE they can be given a tenancy. Landlords or letting agents must do the checks - letting agents where the

Tax Deductible Letting Expenses

Tax Deductible Letting Expenses

Information

This is a Guide to Tax Deductible Letting Expenses for Landlords under the new tax rules following the Summer Budget 2015. These may be subject to change and you are advised to consult a tax specialist before making any decisions.From April 2016 landlords will no longer be able to automatically d

Landlord uses hidden cameras to spy on tenants

Landlord uses hidden cameras to spy on tenants

News

An Edinburgh landlord set-up hidden cameras in the bedroom and bathroom of his flat, to film people in bed and in the shower.The cameras were discovered by a young couple, friends of the landlord who allowed them to use the accommodation. The couple found a box on the living room table with a cam

Comparable Evidence

Comparable Evidence

Information

Amongst the ways to agree or ascertain the (open) market rent at rent review or on renewal of a lease, (per s.34-s35 Landlord and Tenant Act 1954), is the use of comparable evidence.At rent review, the market rent for the premises is not what rent the actual tenant would agree or could afford, bu

What is a Section 20 Notice ?

What is a Section 20 Notice ?

Information

There are two instances of section 20 notices in property in England:(1) is the notice served in relation to early shorthold tenancies under the Housing Act 1988, and the other,(2) refers to section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, as amended by the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act (CLR

Who Pays for Maintenance and Repairs

Who Pays for Maintenance and Repairs

Information

Who pays for maintenance and repairs in a residential letting, landlord or tenant?Is it, for example, a tenants responsibility once they occupy my building to look after most of the regular house maintenance items? If the fridge stops working does the tenant or the landlord need to repair it?Y

Inflation (RPI) and Rent

Inflation (RPI) and Rent

Information

With commercial property, rent reviews are generally to the open market rent, but sometimes the rent would be adjusted to the Retail Price Index (RPI). RPI is generally considered more favourable to landlords than CPI or other methodologies.There is no link between open market rent and inflatio

Commercial Property Insurance - part 1

Commercial Property Insurance - part 1

Information

Amongst the thorny issues in the relationship between landlord and tenant is the building insurance premium. Unlike residential property where the landlord has a vested interest in making sure the premium is competitive, because more than likely the premium would not be recoverable from the tenan

Can Landlords Discriminate when Selecting Tenants?

Can Landlords Discriminate when Selecting Tenants?

News

Theres recently been a spate of press reports and political wrangling about the existence of Zero-Hour Contracts. This has become something of a hot political issue as we approach a general election, and one surprising development is recent attempts to embroil landlords in the issue, as if the

User Clauses - in Commercial (Business) Leases

User Clauses - in Commercial (Business) Leases

Information

Traditionally, with commercial (business) leases, a contractual provision within the lease specifies the use, or uses to which a property may be put and the uses which are prohibited.The formal classification of Uses� are set out in the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 as a

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Less that 20% of PRS homes within LHA rates reveals shocking research

Less that 20% of PRS homes within LHA rates reveals shocking research

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
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Fewer than one in five private rental properties in England were within the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates last year, according to new joint research by the Chartered Institute of Housing and Shelter . The groups say the average

Leading property figure calls for 'tenancy register' in England and Wales

Leading property figure calls for 'tenancy register' in England and Wales

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News
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Opinion
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The government has missed a trick by not introducing a tenancy register instead of an anti-landlord landlord register, one property consultant has claimed. Blackbird Real Estate founder https://www.richard-berridge.co.uk/" target="_blank" Richa

EXCLUSIVE: Conveyancer reports big drop in landlords buying BTL properties

EXCLUSIVE: Conveyancer reports big drop in landlords buying BTL properties

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
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The number of BTL investors buying properties has plummeted in the last six months while long-term landlords are selling up, according to one large conveyancing firm. Basildon-based https://pcslegal.co.uk/" PCS Legal

Business ratepayers will have to report any changes, and annually, under new bill...

Business ratepayers will have to report any changes, and annually, under new bill...

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
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Information

The Non-Domestic Rating Bill going through Parliament (House of Lords) will require business ratepayers to report any changes and also report annually to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). These changes to the operation of business rates will apply to all organisations responsib

BLOG: Why abolishing Section 21 isn't all bad news for landlords

BLOG: Why abolishing Section 21 isn't all bad news for landlords

Opinion
News
Podcast
Opinion
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Yesterday I spoke to a room of 200 anxious landlords.&nbsp;The uncertainly surrounding the Renters (Reform) Bill really has whipped the housing market into a frenzy with landlords serving notices, selling up and exiting the sector in their droves.&nbsp; The mere thought of Sect

TURMOIL: NatWest reveals rate rises for fixed-rate landlord mortgages

TURMOIL: NatWest reveals rate rises for fixed-rate landlord mortgages

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
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��Lender NatWest has been called out by commentators after it announced significant increases to its landlord mortgages. The bank, which is till 38% Government owned, announced late yesterday that it was increasing the interest rates it charges on a range of home loans, includ

Report reveals unstoppable march of BTR into private rented sector

Report reveals unstoppable march of BTR into private rented sector

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News
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Report finds London has 38,600 Build‑to‑Rent homes plus 34,100 more in pipeline, transforming the capital’s rental market.

Landmark rental deposits case reveals world of 'fake' short-lets

Landmark rental deposits case reveals world of 'fake' short-lets

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
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Tenant groups in Scotland have called for councils to clamp down on landlords who rent out properties under the guise of holiday lets. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type- " data-rt-type="" data-rt-align=""><div><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63bef2f3c329eff8e3a4af45/6

Investors rush to convert office space as homeworking re-shapes the marketplace

Investors rush to convert office space as homeworking re-shapes the marketplace

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
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According to the Financial Times (FT), property investors have pumped around �2bn into converting under-used and unwanted London office space as the trend to Working from Home (WfH) continues, and as it looks like becoming an embedded employment practice in many inner city o

Gove’s ambitious plan to reform leasehold is quietly being sidelined

Gove’s ambitious plan to reform leasehold is quietly being sidelined

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
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Abolishing leasehold is far from the easy process some of our politicians would have us believe – there are some powerful forces ready to counter the move.

Former housing minister facing questions over rented property

Former housing minister facing questions over rented property

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News
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Opinion
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Former Housing Minister Esther McVey has been claiming tens of thousands of pounds in Parliamentary expenses for renting a London flat, despite her husband owning a property a mile away, it has been claimed.

MPs tell Government to protect landlords from rogue agents

MPs tell Government to protect landlords from rogue agents

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News
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The government has been urged to stop “sitting on its hands” and bring forward changes to protect tenants, leaseholders and landlords from poor practices in the lettings industry.

DIY lettings service for landlords launches with big promise

DIY lettings service for landlords launches with big promise

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News
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Opinion
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A new DIY lettings service for landlords should help Hello Neighbour fulfil its ambition of becoming the biggest letting agent in England, according to co-founder Richard Jenkins.

Council closes HMO after surprise visit reveals nightmare property

Council closes HMO after surprise visit reveals nightmare property

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
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A landlord who rented out his unlicensed, seven-bedroom HMO to 13 tenants has been ordered to pay £3,000.

Rent rises reflect cost tracking, not profiteering

Rent rises reflect cost tracking, not profiteering

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News
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Opinion
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Landlords' rent increases reflect rising mortgage rates and operational costs, not profiteering, amid a challenging property market.

MPs urge Ministers to 'sort out' Local Housing Allowance rises

MPs urge Ministers to 'sort out' Local Housing Allowance rises

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News
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Landlord and tenant groups have welcomed proposals by MPs on the Work and Pensions Select Committee to introduce an annual ‘uprating guarantee’ to the Local Housing Allowance (LHA).

REFORMS: Many landlords have 'no idea what's about to hit them'

REFORMS: Many landlords have 'no idea what's about to hit them'

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News
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Propertymark poll reveals only 18% of landlords understand the Renters (Reform) Bill; 52% find official guidance insufficient.

Landlord warns: "sell now” as Government urged to further reduce PRS

Landlord warns: "sell now” as Government urged to further reduce PRS

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News
Podcast
Opinion
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The Guardian suggests that Government may start to veer towards a “surprisingly simple solution to the UK housing crisis” which could see them squeeze landlords further, blaming them for the current housing crisis affecting home-buyers.

Report reveals £45 billion contribution landlords make to economy

Report reveals £45 billion contribution landlords make to economy

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News
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A new report published today claims that 390,000 jobs rely on the private rented sector as critics of the sector, including the Guardian newspaper, have called for it to be shrunk or abolished entirely.

UK's only city-wide licencing scheme 'gets tough' on landlords

UK's only city-wide licencing scheme 'gets tough' on landlords

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News
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Landlords in Oxford who fail to sign up to the city’s licensing scheme are being threatened with fines and enforcement action after a year of relative ‘grace’.

REPORT: Will lower inflation lead to lower BTL mortgage rates?

REPORT: Will lower inflation lead to lower BTL mortgage rates?

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News
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Opinion
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Falling UK inflation could herald some good news for BTL landlords over the coming months, according to mortgage experts.

A reminder for landlords that electrical safety checks are mandatory

A reminder for landlords that electrical safety checks are mandatory

Information
News
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Until recently landlords only had to concern themselves gas safety checks - but now all residential landlords or their agents must arrange for regular electrical safety checks (every 5 years)

Court approves tough bankcruptcy limits on 'property guru'

Court approves tough bankcruptcy limits on 'property guru'

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News
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Infamous property guru Glenn Armstrong, who misled dozens of investors by promising to make them rich, has been handed tough bankruptcy restrictions lasting 12 years.

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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News
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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?

Opinion
News
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Opinion
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Budget fails buy-to-let landlords – tax reliefs slashed and housing crisis ignored, despite CGT cut and NI tweaks.

Murder conviction bars landlord from running rental properties

Murder conviction bars landlord from running rental properties

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News
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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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News
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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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News
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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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News
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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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News
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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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News
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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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News
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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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News
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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.