Tax Relief: Starting from 6th April 2017, those landlords with mortgages will have tax relief on their buy-to-let mortgage costs gradually reduce over a 4-year period.Many landlords dont have a mortgage (up to 50% it is said), so this change does not affect them, but many
Rent Arrears: At this time of year, soon after the Christmas spending spree, inevitably rent payments begin to suffer. If you are having problems with rent arrears, this article should help.As in most areas of life,prevention is better than cure . To re
Tax Return 2016-2017: As a general rule, and as outlined in the previous articles in this series on tax returns, landlords can claim the expenses of running and maintaining their rental properties.If the rent you charge includes additional services like water, or council tax
Tax Return 2016-17: With some costs its very easy to decide: a repair to a drain, downspout or roof tile are all allowable expenses, but what about replacing a broken single glazed window with a new plastic frame and double glazing, what about decorating and installing a
Penetrating damp, just as its name implies, is where water leaks into a building from outside the structure, through the walls or roof. Less common is where an internal leak from a water or drain pipe leaks into the structure of the building.Common causes of penetrating damp are: <ul <l
Fire Regulations in Rentals: There are several regulations relating to fire safety within rental dwellings; some affect all dwellings whereas others apply mainly to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO).This looks complicated, but fire safety management in reality boils down t
Damp & Mould: You may have seen or heard of the 1970s TV series Rising Damp, which featured a landlord and his tenants (lodgers in this case) which rather implies that all rental properties are troubled with this kind of damp.Far from the case, but some are. In fact the
Renting Standards: Specialist residential property solicitor Amanda Sutcliffe of Bray & Bray looks at the importance of keeping a rental property in good condition.Research conducted by Endsleigh Insurance and TrustMark claimed that over 75% of landlords s
Sub-Letting Licenses: (SOLITAIRE) LIMITED Appellant and CHERRY LILIAN NORTON and other cases [2012]Landlords of leasehold buy-to-let flats are often asked to pay a fee (sub-letting licence or registration fee) to the freeholder when seeking permission to sub-let their flat,
Validity of Section 21 Notice: Amak Property Investments v Laura Sonny [2016]This case was an appeal by the tenant following a county court judgement relating to the validity of a s21 notice on the basis that the landlord had not complied with the deposit protection (MyDepo
Essential guide to rent reviews: why reading the lease is crucial for landlords and tenants to navigate rent adjustments effectively.
Tenant Agreement: The Law of Property Act 1925 talks about having a maximum of 4 tenants on an agreement. So what to do when you have 5, 6 or more tenants sharing a house?There is a common misunderstanding of the rules here. Landlords and agents sometimes think or have heard
Advance Rent: Piggot v Slaven and Johnson v. OldThere are two important cases which clarify (though not necessarily decisively) the position on landlords accepting rent payments in advance. One concerns the accepting of the final two months rent in advance, a common devi
Following some confusion and debate about a deferral for the new standards following the MEES* deadline in April 2018, the new government has confirmed that changes to the EPC rules, preventing landlords from renting out homes below rating E, will definitely be introduced from April 2018.Accordin
Responsibility for Repairs: Who is responsible and who is obliged to pay for repairs to leasehold blocks and flats? What is the procedure if repairs are unnecessarily delayed or not carried out to the leaseholders satisfaction? What is the Section 20 procedure?T
Essential guide on how to conduct a rent review, covering key clauses and best practices to protect landlord and tenant interests.
Test Case Yeomans v Newell [2016]:When a landlord is in breach of the tenancy deposit rules he or she is prevented from serving a valid s21 notice for possession proceedings. Despite the fact that the tenancy deposit legislation has been in force since April 2007, landlords
Test Case: Superstrike Ltd v Marino. RodriguesThe case involved a landlord who had taken a deposit from the tenant before the deposit protection rules came into force in April 2007, since changed by the Deregulation Act 2015 see below. When the tenancy later became a st
Letting agents and their landlords who advertise properties as 'no children' face being accused of breaking discrimination rules, it has been claimed following a campaign by Shelter. The organisation says agents who advertise properties as no children are now breaking The
Eviction expert Paul Shamplina warns of a social housing crisis post-Section 21 abolition, citing court delays and landlord uncertainty.
Short-term holiday lets platform Your.Rentals is raising on the crowdfunding site Seedrs as it seeks to expand its reach in the UK, raising some £1.3 million so far. The Copenhagen-based company, which is headed up by founder Andrew Martyn (main picture),
It has been reported this week that housing minister Rachel Maclean (main picture) told a meeting in Westminster that fellow Conservative MPs and the property sector (i.e. the NRLA and other trade associations) are wrong to claim that landlords are leaving the sector. This
Manchester students occupying a university-owned building in a protest over rent costs and living conditions have been ejected by bailiffs. Manchester University says their action was illegal and that it was granted a possession order by the High Court. When the 20 strikers refu
Housing Secretary Michael Gove has dropped a hint that he could be willing to consider tax concessions for landlords. Speaking in the Commons during a Budget debate, he told MPs that the government needed to make sure there was fairness in the tax treatment of landlords before l
Tax changes in the private rented sector have lost the Treasury �1.5 billion in revenue, according to new research commissioned by the NRLA. https://www.capitaleconomics.com/" target="_blank" Capital Economics fou
A landlord in Derby has been convicted of an illegal eviction and ordered by a court to pay a �1,600 fine. After initially agreeing a 12-month rental for an unfurnished house with a young family, landlord Grace Young of Pear Tree Street, Derby then attempted to illegally evict
A new devolution deal will give the 10 Greater Manchester councils powers to approve larger selective licensing schemes. The pact, signed by Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison (pictured, below), Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham (main pic) and the council leaders, will al
Unite Students is poised to report rental income growth of at least 6% due to sustained demand, despite new visa rules affecting international students.
Landlords and property investors who buy privately-held multi-property portfolios in Wales are to lose another tax perk.
A leading landlord in the SW has slammed the Government’s ongoing assault on the private rented sector, saying the efforts of Michael Gove and his predecessors puzzle ‘honourable and decent’ operators like him.
Changes to income and Capital Gains Tax (CGT) that came in over the weekend could mean reduced investment in the PRS and insurance premiums, warns an insurance expert.
Paul Shamplina has assembled a panel of experts to run a training day this summer that will advise and coach landlords to navigate the tough economic and regulatory environment facing the privately rented sector.
Poorly insulated homes will be sent annual gas bills about £340 – around 50% - higher than those with a C-rated Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) under Ofgem’s latest price cap, new research has found.
Holiday let owners are facing a significant dip in bookings this year as the sector feels the effects of the cost-of-living crisis, poor weather and an increasingly saturated market.
The UK’s commercial property sector is experiencing challenges: high interest rates, inflation, lower property values, and liquidity problems for lenders and borrowers.
Some build-to-rent developments are increasingly falling foul of Rent Repayment Order (RRO) legislation, in a move away from its original aim to tackle poor HMOs, it has been claimed.
The Social Market Foundation has argued that fears about stricter regulations reducing the supply of rental properties are ‘overblown’.
A rented house which was transformed into a highly ornate classical ‘villa’ by its former tenant has been granted a Grade II listing.
The Green Party is unlikely to win many votes from landlords after launching its manifesto ahead of a General Election later this year and the May 2nd local elections.
A mother and son landlord duo are to repay their former tenants £15,000 in a case highlighting how the rent repayment order system can be very one-sided.
By now you’ve probably heard of Landlord Sales Agency, and our articles that suggest the market is in favour of landlords selling.
The Government has launched a service that enables landlords to see the rents being charged by other landlords in their area.
The number of people renting homes by themselves has reduced significantly over the past three years as the cost-of-living crisis has hit many renters’ pockets, new research reveals.
Landlords who own leasehold apartments in tower blocks are being urged to complete an official questionnaire or face being excluded from the protections afforded by the Building Safety Act (BSA).
A community of landlords launched in the North of England six years ago has revealed that it is now going national after being given a new name.
Landlords taking tenants to court to repossess properties face a significant hike in the fees they are charged by the courts to process their cases, it has been revealed.
A rental property compliance service has pitched into the debate over whether the nation’s landlord licencing schemes are fair or, given the looming Renters (Reform) Bill proposals, needed.
There is a growing consensus that mortgage interest rates will soon be heading south as house sales show signs of gaining momentum.
A would-be student tenant has accused a landlord of making homophobic rules before agreeing to a house viewing.
Rebel Tory MPs who lobbied for amendments to the Renters (Reform) Bill have received £450,000 in donations and earnings linked to landlords since the last general election, according to an investigation by the i newspaper.
Landlords in a big Midlands city have been warned that they must apply for a licence for their properties by April 9th or face an additional £200 hike in the £1,090 cost of each three-year licence.
Here Tom Entwistle digests some of this argument and makes a few comments of his own - join in the argument
