Many landlords have long suspected that the DCLG approved national calculation methodologies and software programs were seriously flawed when they produced EPC ratings for buildings following energy assessments.So news that new software is being introduced which is claimed to be more accurate is
Serving Notices: Landlords and agents often get confused as to how they should serve Notices on their tenants.Ordinarily it wouldnt matter what method is used, but if you end up in court with a possession or money claim, or some such court action, then what and how you se
Tenant are Consumers: The UK Consumer Protection law applies to letting agents and landlords alike when they advertise a property to let or create a new tenancy. It also applies to most private landlords when they deal with letting agents, unless they operate as a company.
Obtaining Possession Using Section 21 Notices Updated October 2016This article explains how to gain possession of your residential rental property in the most efficient way possible. You may just want your property back for your own use, or to sell, or you may be having prob
Winter Condensation: Its that time of year again, a time when tenants are most likely to complain about the mould appearing in those corners of the property where the walls and ceilings are really cold, and hot air with moisture always rises to the top. If its black mo
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
Scottish landlords exit amid stringent regulations and taxation; experts warn of worsening housing shortages and increased homelessness risk.
The Property Redress Scheme's (PRS) advisory panel has chosen experts from across the sector to join its new member panel. The UKs largest lettings redress scheme, covering more than 13,250 letting agency branches, launched the panels as new, open, and transparent forums to b
MPs have voted against an amendment to prevent a tax cut from applying to buyers of second and additional homes. During a debate on the Stamp Duty Land Tax (Reduction) Bill, Opposition Treasury Secretary Abena Oppong-Asare said that a clause which increases the threshold for peo
According to a new report just out by the Resolution Foundation (RF), UK households face a torrid time in the coming months in what is going to be the worst cost-of-living crisis in living memory. Its the aftermath of a Covid pandemic that involved massive Government borrowin
https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/judge-slams-arrogant-landlord-after-illegal-eviction-of-tenant-during-covid/" Rent Repayment Order (RRO) applications dropped significantly last year as tenants were put off by more restrictive Upper Tribunal and Court of Appeal decisio
Housing groups across Greater https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/latest-manchester-landlords-given-last-chance-to-comment-on-licensing-expansion/" Manchester have urged MPs and local policymakers to step in and protect tenants from eviction, warning that the system is no
Commercial capital property values fell 13% last year as rising interest rates impacted the sector, with industrial units taking the biggest hit. https://www.cbre.co.uk/" CBRE s monthly figures show values down 3% in December and annual total returns down by
Private renters are facing an increase in housing costs, with rental price growth at its highest rate in the UK since records began in 2016. About a quarter (26%) of all renters (both private and social) surveyed between 7th and 18th December reported that their rent payments ha
As landlords, we all know there is a wealth of legislation that we need to wrap our heads around to maintain compliance throughout the lifespan of a tenancy. Gas safety, energy efficiency, electrical safety, legionella risk assessments, insurances, prohibited payments, How to Rent, Right to
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.
Generation Rent has called for even stronger action to be taken against holiday lets which it says have been “making life a misery” for renters in the UK’s most popular tourist destinations.
As the UK government struggles to help landlords facing tough financial situations, landlords have rallied together to help themselves.
Landlords received a surprise hand-out from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt when he cut the higher rate of Capital Gains Tax from 28% to 24% in today's Spring statement.
Labour’s shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has backed the expansion of a selective licencing scheme within her local constituency.
Since October 2003 tenants have been obliged, as a tenant of a commercial or residential leasehold property, to formally register the lease with the Land Registry
Short-let property owners in Cornwall, Edinburgh and Westminster had the most bookings in the UK last summer.
Smaller landlords need as much protection as tenants, a Lords committee inquiry into the regulation of property agents has been told.
Holiday let owners are being unfairly scapegoated in the guise of controlling rising house prices and availability, according to one holiday rental agency.
Liverpool City Council and Merseyside Police have stepped in to help a landlord evict his nightmare tenant.
The Government is doing too little to support the student landlords and many places are short of accommodation for second- and third-year graduates, a new poll has found.
Almost 22,000 homes may have been lost in Scotland during the last year due to perceived hostility towards landlords and concerns over increasing regulation.
An absentee landlord who used the excuse of not speaking good English and delegated property management to a family member has been stung with a £20,700 rent repayment order.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has increased his funding to support and advise private renters exploited by rogue landlords and facing illegal eviction.
The number of buy to let (BTL) landlords falling into arrears climbed significantly in recent times
The UK’s leading HMO management software for landlords, COHO, has bought rival Go Tenant for an undisclosed sum.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is considering a tax raid on holiday let owners, it emerged over the weekend.
The NRLA has urged Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to definitively fix the broken housing benefit system by tackling the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) funding gap.
Rents increased in February for only the second time in the last six years as the market continues to run hot.
The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has voiced concern about a new property portal threatening the future of selective licensing.
An advert on Spareroom.com has sparked a debate about the unusual nature of ‘lodgers’ versus ‘tenants’ after a family in London advertised for someone to look after their children, pay rent but only live there during the weekdays.
Rightmove has called for more green home incentives for the private rented sector after its poll showed a big fall in landlords planning to make improvements to their properties.
Michael Gove has voiced his support for landlords and insists he wants to make the Renters (Reform) Bill work for them.
The Scottish government has urged tenants to tackle unfair tenancies before the emergency rent cap and additional evictions protections end on 31st March.
