Date

Library

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

OPINION: The EPC ratings system is 'not fit for purpose'

OPINION: The EPC ratings system is 'not fit for purpose'

Opinion

Ever since I started to market one of my commercial buildings around 10 years ago now, I began to doubt the efficacy of the EPC rating system. The guy that came along to do the inspection told me himself he had just completed a 6 week course, or whatever it was, to train to be a

BREAKING: Government toughens up smoke and C0 alarm regulations

BREAKING: Government toughens up smoke and C0 alarm regulations

News

Social and private landlords are to face tougher new rules which make it mandatory to fit smoke alarms in all rented accommodation regardless of tenure, and widen the conditions under which they must be fitted. Revisions to the smoke and carbon monoxide detector regulations also

ANALYSIS: Does buy-to-let still beat the stock market?

ANALYSIS: Does buy-to-let still beat the stock market?

News

If you had �50k to invest right now, where would you put it, buy-to-let property or stocks and shares? Certainly leaving it in a traditional savings account, with interest rates as they are at rock bottom, thats out of the question. And with the threat of rising inflation ea

EXCLUSIVE: Costliest and most common landlord insurance claims

EXCLUSIVE: Costliest and most common landlord insurance claims

News

Research carried out by LandlordZONEs insurance partner, Hamilton Fraser Total Landlord Insurance, revealed that the vast majority of landlords, https://hamiltonfraser.co.uk/knowledge/good-landlord-quiz-results/?utm_source=landlordzone&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=lz_november

Opinion: Should landlords dive into heat pumps?

Opinion: Should landlords dive into heat pumps?

Opinion

The move to provide home heating and hot water by this method is part of a Government strategy aimed at making deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonizing the UK's power sector by 2035. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the scheme was designed to bring low-carbon hea

UPDATED: Bailiff evictions to be suspended over Xmas and New Year for a month

UPDATED: Bailiff evictions to be suspended over Xmas and New Year for a month

News

Tenants facing eviction in England are to be protected from losing their homes during the Christmas and New Year period, HM Courts and Tribunal has confirmed. Between 13th December and 10th January no evictions should be s

Tax changes for Airbnb landlords 'in the pipeline' to stop gaming of the rates system

Tax changes for Airbnb landlords 'in the pipeline' to stop gaming of the rates system

News

Some holiday lets owners are gaming the system to claim business rate relief, comments made by the Housing Minister Lord Greenhalgh suggest, who has promised action to clamp down on the practice. In a Lords debate on second homes, peers voiced concerns that second homeo

Asylum seeker HMO operator fined �60,000 for running house without licence

Asylum seeker HMO operator fined �60,000 for running house without licence

News

A company that houses asylum seekers has been fined more than �60,000 for HMO offences in Newport. Clearsprings Ready Homes, which has the contract for operating accommodation for asylum seekers in Wales, was found guilty of letting an HMO in Redland Street (pictured), in the B

Bill to make EPC rules mandatory early 'unlikely to become law' after stabbing

Bill to make EPC rules mandatory early 'unlikely to become law' after stabbing

News

The Minimum Energy Performance of Buildings Bill, which aimed to advance the governments energy efficiency commitments, is in doubt following the tragic death of David Amess MP. He was the presentation bills main sponsor in the Commons, launching it at the same time as Lor

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Council moves to ban 'To Let' boards in central London

Council moves to ban 'To Let' boards in central London

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Letting agents have warned Westminster Council that its plan to ban advertising boards outside landlords' properties borough-wide could cause delays for renters.

Tenants in England now pay half their income in rent

Tenants in England now pay half their income in rent

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Rightmove says the average rent in the UK now eats up 50% of the net income of those living within the private rented sector where the monthly rent per property is now £1,526.

Housing quality in rented sector rising - but so's damp

Housing quality in rented sector rising - but so's damp

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Numbers of non-decent homes and Category 1 hazards in the PRS have fallen in recent years, although problems with damp are on the rise.

Rent controls in Scotland 'favour landlords' says Generation Rent

Rent controls in Scotland 'favour landlords' says Generation Rent

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The Scottish government’s proposed rent control formula is generous to landlords but would leave tenants vulnerable to unaffordable rent rises, says Generation Rent.

Big council urges public to report rogue HMO landlords

Big council urges public to report rogue HMO landlords

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Croydon Council is calling on local residents to report concerns about unauthorised HMOs as it ramps up action against errant landlords.

Landlords 'bewildered and frustrated' by Scotland's latest rent controls

Landlords 'bewildered and frustrated' by Scotland's latest rent controls

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

There is still widespread frustration and bewilderment among landlords and agent that rent controls are the only policy intervention to help tackle affordability in Scotland

CLAIM: Investors 'moving out of residential into commercial'

CLAIM: Investors 'moving out of residential into commercial'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Investors have started buying up shops and offices in London rather than houses in order to turn a profit.

Midlands landlord to pay £20,000 after ignoring improvement notice

Midlands landlord to pay £20,000 after ignoring improvement notice

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A landlord in Telford is to pay a huge fine after his local council took him to court over a substandard property he rented out within the town.

Landlords caught up in latest cladding remediation problems

Landlords caught up in latest cladding remediation problems

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A Lib Dem MP has highlighted what he describes as an unfolding EWS1 form scandal after a fire safety consultant was sanctioned for unprofessional conduct.

Rogue landlord fined thousands after refusing to fix broken stairs

Rogue landlord fined thousands after refusing to fix broken stairs

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A rogue landlord who failed to repair serious safety hazards in his property has been ordered to pay more than £3,000.

'More carrot' for landlords to improve energy efficiency urges mortgage boss

'More carrot' for landlords to improve energy efficiency urges mortgage boss

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The Government must use ‘carrot’ as well as ‘stick’ policies as it attempts to improve the energy efficiency of the private rented sector, a leading mortgage broker as claimed.

Could you win through in the ultimate landlord knowledge quiz?

Could you win through in the ultimate landlord knowledge quiz?

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

How often do a property’s electrical tests have to be completed? What’s the minimum EPC level for a property to legally rented out? What’s the difference between a large and small HMO?

Landlord to pay tenants £10,000 in unusual licencing case

Landlord to pay tenants £10,000 in unusual licencing case

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A landlord who claimed unsuccessfully that he had been deceived by his tenants has been handed a £9,745 rent repayment order.

Council widens £695 selective licencing for landlords

Council widens £695 selective licencing for landlords

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

All private landlords in parts of Scarborough will have to get a selective licence from 1st June under council plans to tackle poor quality accommodation and anti-social behaviour.

Landlords in NI told to renew national licence or face big fine

Landlords in NI told to renew national licence or face big fine

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Landlords in Northern Ireland are being reminded to renew their registration or face a heavy fine. 

MP slams Airbnb for 'clearing out' longer-term lets

MP slams Airbnb for 'clearing out' longer-term lets

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Former Lib Dems leader Tim Farron has slammed Airbnb and other holiday lets platforms for creating a ‘clearance’ of long-term rental homes from his Lakeland constituency.

Landlords urge caution as new housing minister plans reforms

Landlords urge caution as new housing minister plans reforms

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Jersey’s private landlords have urged the island’s new Housing Minister to find the right balance when he revives stalled protections for landlords and tenants.

Labour landslide 'best outome for PRS' says landlording expert

Labour landslide 'best outome for PRS' says landlording expert

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A Labour landslide could be a better outcome for buy-to-let landlords than if the party wins the next election by a small majority, according to a leading property guru.

Interest rate hold: Will landlord mortgage costs now go down?

Interest rate hold: Will landlord mortgage costs now go down?

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The base interest rate used by many lenders to determine mortgage costs for landlords is to be held at 5.25% for the fourth time in a row, the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee has decided today.

Council reassures landlords over problems with licence system

Council reassures landlords over problems with licence system

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Southwark Council has reassured landlords that they won’t be lose out on an early bird discount after they reported problems accessing its updated online licensing system.

Support landlords with tax breaks says leading estate agent

Support landlords with tax breaks says leading estate agent

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A leading agent has urged the government not to rely solely on private landlords’ resilience if it wants to stop more from quitting the sector.

Labour vows to make private landlords adopt 'Awaab's Law'

Labour vows to make private landlords adopt 'Awaab's Law'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Labour will extend ‘Awaab’s Law’ into the private rented sector if it wins power at the next General Election, its Deputy Leader Angela Rayner has revealed.

Legal case: the largest ever service charges dispute

Legal case: the largest ever service charges dispute

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The exact wording in leases is so very important when it comes to landlord - tenant disputes with commercial and residential property leases

Government to spend £70bn housing benefit tenants in private rented homes

Government to spend £70bn housing benefit tenants in private rented homes

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The extent of the Government’s reliance on private landlords to provide housing for those on benefits after years of under-investment in affordable homes has been revealed.

BREAKING: Government to bar problem tenants from social housing

BREAKING: Government to bar problem tenants from social housing

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A proposed shake-up of social housing would tighten allocation rules and allow landlords to get tougher on anti-social tenants.

Will landlords get some (tax) relief during the Spring budget?

Will landlords get some (tax) relief during the Spring budget?

Opinion
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Signs that landlords may see their tax bill reduced during the Spring Budget on March 6th have emerged from parliament following a question in the Lords.

Half of councils don't talk to local landlords, probe reveals

Half of councils don't talk to local landlords, probe reveals

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A lack of council-organised landlord gatherings could hamper the Renters Reform Bill’s ambitions, according to Propertymark.

UPDATED: Anti-social behaviour is a nightmare for landlords to deal with

UPDATED: Anti-social behaviour is a nightmare for landlords to deal with

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Problem tenants are difficult to deal with for landlords at the best of times. The government's promise to introduce a fast-track process to deal with anti-social behaviour sounds promising, but can it work in practice?

Tenants warned over using 'no-win, no-fee' legal firms against landlords

Tenants warned over using 'no-win, no-fee' legal firms against landlords

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Tenants have been urged to be wary of ‘no-win, no-fee’ solicitors who deal with private rental sector cases after an almost farcical case in London.

New rental property portal 'must include accessibility info' say campaigners

New rental property portal 'must include accessibility info' say campaigners

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Disability rights groups have called on the government to include information about accessibility for disabled people on its new property portal due to go live next year.

NRLA and property fraud service reveal partnership

NRLA and property fraud service reveal partnership

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A service that alerts landlords when fraudulent tenants try to ‘steal’ their properties via title fraud has struck a deal with the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA).

City claims aggressive licencing scheme has cost landlords £250,000

City claims aggressive licencing scheme has cost landlords £250,000

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Sheffield Council has boasted that up to 800 people have been protected from risky buildings thanks to its selective licensing scheme after landlords were told to spend £250,000 doing up properties.

Leading education thinktank slams Government's rental reforms

Leading education thinktank slams Government's rental reforms

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The Renters (Reform) Bill will reduce rather than enhance housing rights for students, according to the former CEO of student housing charity Unipol.

Big council to spend £19m finding benefit tenants private rental homes

Big council to spend £19m finding benefit tenants private rental homes

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Liverpool Council aims to source 400 private sector properties in a bid to house growing numbers of homeless people in the city.