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
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
Scores of housing groups and legal centres have called for ministers to abandon plans to remove licensing requirements for HMOs used as asylum accommodation. In anhttps://www.jcwi.org.uk/safe-homes-for-all" target="_blank" open letter t
The number of landlords selling up has hit record levels, leading property buying firm National Residential has reported. The company says this has been prompted to a significant degree by the long-standing uncertainty within the private rented sector created by the Government
Despite the fall in inflation, The Guardian is reporting https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/may/24/uk-inflation-falls-cost-of-living-crisis" the financial markets are betting on an interest rate rises to 4.75% in June and 5.4% by the end of the year , the Office fo
A Conservative MP has called for tenants to be offered affordable homes in tourist hot spots if they can prove theyre local. During a Commons debate on short-term holiday lets, East Devon MP Simon Jupp (pictured) suggested that councils could be allowed
The NRLA says Government measures to abolish Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) will decimate the student housing sector if they go ahead unchanged. Featured within the Renters (Reform) Bill, this will see ASTs replaced with more flexible open-ended periodic tenancies
Commercial property is an important part of the UK economy, but the retail and office sectors as still suffering and rising interest rates present a real threat. A recent https://bpf.org.uk/media/6294/cl16688-01-bpf-economic-footprint-may23-v5-hi-res-single-pages.pdf" t
Electric vehicle charging expert Matthew Gibbons (main picture) explores the pros and cons of installing the different equipment at rental properties. Rented properties with EV charge points are a rare thing, so installing one makes a home more desi
In the Spring Budget, the Chancellor announced a raft of measures that the Government intends to help level up the UK. Specifically, they're pledging to prioritise employment, education and enterprise
Better transport links to the capital have boosted the number of Londoner commuters happy to spend time on the tube or bus. Renters are living further away from the office than they did seven years ago because this doesnt necessarily equate to longer journey times due to impr
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.
An HMO landlord and entrepreneur has secured £80,000 worth of funding on Dragons' Den for his thermostat business.
Haringey Council is launching a new additional HMO licensing scheme despite limited backing from landlords and tenants.
Rent-to-income ratios in the UK have reached unsustainable new highs, forcing renters to spend a third of their wages on rent.
Northumberland council has refused owners consent to convert their short-term holiday let cottages into permanent private residences.
Landlords in the South West are being encouraged to access technology that detects heat loss, draughts, damp and mould.
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.
Hackney Council has promised landlords financial support to stay in the PRS while beefing up licensing and getting tough on short-term lets.
Record numbers of landlords pursuing training, says NRLA—upskilling on the rise.
Abolishing Multiple Dwellings Relief will intensify problems of chronic undersupply in the property market, according to one tax expert.
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 appear to be returning to the capital, with new instructions in February up 19% year-on-year, according to London agent Foxtons.
North East Landlords has rebranded as GB Landlords as it expands its reach into the capital ahead of its first London event.
I received 84 private messages in 24 hours to one advert for my property in the northeast - it's a stark indication of how demand is outstripping supply.
A young landlord from London has won the first heat of Paul Shamplina’s Mastermind-style competition at the National Landlord Investment show.
Owning a furnished holiday let (FHL) or second home in the country has long been the dream for many people - has the Government just ended that dream?.
North Lincolnshire Council plans to introduce a selective licensing scheme in Scunthorpe to improve housing standards and protect communities from rogue landlords and anti-social tenants.
Landlords in Gloucester face a council crackdown if they fail to properly look after their properties.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has promised to pay the previous top rate of capital gains tax (CGT) when he sells his seven rental properties.
The Tories’ flagship rental housing sector reforms are on the ‘brink of collapse’, it has been claimed.
An infamous rogue landlord has been ordered to pay £39,000 for renting out a dangerous, rodent-infested HMO.
Holiday let owners are bracing themselves for the impact of an end to the Furnished Holiday Lettings (FHL) tax regime.
Two landlords have been ordered to pay a whopping £597,000 bill following a long-running legal battle with Camden Council.
Safe as houses: exploring landlord responsibilities and best practices for secure, compliant rental properties.
The Government wants more private landlords to sell their properties and exit the market, commentary within Jeremy Hunt’s Spring Statement briefing document has revealed.
