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Property licensing system needs big overhaul says leading landlord

Property licensing system needs big overhaul says leading landlord

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A high-profile landlord has called the property licensing system ‘clunky’ and in need of simplification.

Sceptical landlord joins pioneering green rental homes scheme

Sceptical landlord joins pioneering green rental homes scheme

News

A sceptical landlord has become a ‘guinea pig’ and spent considerable sums on making her Victorian four-bedroom rental property 'Let Zero'.

Northern city launches plan to begin selective licensing

Northern city launches plan to begin selective licensing

News

Preston in Lancashire has become the latest city to launch plans to introduce selective licensing within its borders.

2025 record year for new licensing schemes as latest council launches plans

2025 record year for new licensing schemes as latest council launches plans

News

Latest scheme to launch is one of 26 launched so far - making 2025 a 'record breaking year' for HMO and selective licensing.

Big city mayor fines landlords £1.5 million in two years

Big city mayor fines landlords £1.5 million in two years

News

Greater Manchester has revealed a big increase in rogue landlord fines as part of its tough crackdown on the private rental sector.

New 'rent controls minister' stumbles on first outing

New 'rent controls minister' stumbles on first outing

News

Newly-minted housing minister in Scotland unable to recall key statistics from her department during TV interview.

Landlord to pay £15,000 after second prosecution over same property

Landlord to pay £15,000 after second prosecution over same property

News

A landlord who has ignored efforts by a city council to improve his run-down property has been fined heavily.

National Lottery gives green campaigners £1.25m to 'educate landlords'

National Lottery gives green campaigners £1.25m to 'educate landlords'

News

Students Organising for Sustainability says it will use the money to improve student accommodation across the UK.

Evicting benefits tenants 'to get harder when renting reforms go live'

Evicting benefits tenants 'to get harder when renting reforms go live'

News

The opaque Universal Credit rental payments will cause landlords even more headaches when the Renters' Rights Bill goes live.

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Rent Review

Rent Review

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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

Re-selling Energy

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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

Providing a Reference

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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

Polystyrene Ceiling Tiles

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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

Misrepresentation

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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

Mail for Previous Tenants

Mail for Previous Tenants

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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

Long Term AST

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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

Lodgers Limits

Lodgers Limits

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Lodgers Limits - Is there any limit to the number of rooms I can rent out to lodgers, and are there any planning implications ?</h2> There are several parts of legislation in England and Wales that affect this question. Perhaps four main ones apply: Health &amp; Safety (HHSRS), HMO, Over

How long should accounts be kept

How long should accounts be kept

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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

Warning: New-look Scottish rent controls risk backfiring

Warning: New-look Scottish rent controls risk backfiring

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A new adjudication process for rent controls in Scotland could add further layers of bureaucracy without benefitting landlords or tenants.

Legal case: rent repayment orders - honesty the best policy

Legal case: rent repayment orders - honesty the best policy

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A Rent Repayment Order (RRO) is an order that allows a tenant or local authority to reclaim rent or housing benefit where a landlord rents out an unlicensed property such as a house in multiple occupation (HMO). Rent Repayment Orders are obtained through a residential property t

Landlords forced to take a hit on costs by asking lower rents

Landlords forced to take a hit on costs by asking lower rents

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More landlords are being forced to reduce advertised rents in the cost-of-living crisis.

Council bids to buy more private rented homes

Council bids to buy more private rented homes

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A council plans to buy 65 private rental properties through its housing company in a bid to address the shortage of homes.

Disgruntled landlords threaten licensing scheme boycott

Disgruntled landlords threaten licensing scheme boycott

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Landlords in Middlesbrough have vowed to fight plans to expand selective licensing and a fee hike.

Landlord pays high price for ignoring mouldy bedroom

Landlord pays high price for ignoring mouldy bedroom

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A landlord who failed to remove dangerous mould from a children’s bedroom has been handed a £10,451 fine.

Landlord's flood planning saves tenants from water surge

Landlord's flood planning saves tenants from water surge

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A landlord living in Shropshire’s largest block of flats has vowed to stay put, despite his neighbours moving out during serious flooding.

REVEALED: Socialist Party's extreme plans for housing market

REVEALED: Socialist Party's extreme plans for housing market

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The Socialist Party has called for rent controls, compulsory control of private landlords and the nationalisation of house builders.

MAYOR: "Days of bad landlords being untouchable coming to end"

MAYOR: "Days of bad landlords being untouchable coming to end"

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Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has warned rogue landlords that they will soon have nowhere to hide.

Is the UK Government shunning its own advice?

Is the UK Government shunning its own advice?

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The Military is shunning heat pumps in favour of cheaper to install cutting-edge electric boilers in homes

Short lets and assisted living 'hottest tickets' for 2024 - claim

Short lets and assisted living 'hottest tickets' for 2024 - claim

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Landlords are being encouraged to consider adding lucrative short lets and assisted living developments to their property portfolios this year.

Data regulator warns landlords and agents over privacy rules

Data regulator warns landlords and agents over privacy rules

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Landlords and letting agents have been warned to be more careful when handling tenants’ personal data under GDPR rules.

Huge Right to Rent fines for landlords to go live on 22nd January

Huge Right to Rent fines for landlords to go live on 22nd January

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Steeper fines for landlords flouting Right to Rent rules in England come into force on 22nd January.

New selective licences will be 'tied to tackling anti-social tenants'

New selective licences will be 'tied to tackling anti-social tenants'

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Middlesborough Council has launched a consultation into plans to extend a selective licensing scheme in parts of its Newport ward.

Private rental sector is 'broken' claims Shelter boss

Private rental sector is 'broken' claims Shelter boss

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The PRS is “broken” according to Shelter, which claims lone parents are bearing the brunt of the housing crisis.

Acorn apologises over two 'incorrect' claims about NRLA

Acorn apologises over two 'incorrect' claims about NRLA

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Lobbying group Acorn has issued a statement apologising for incorrectly accusing the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) of ‘campaigning against the abolishment of Section 21 evictions’.

BTL investment firm takes down adverts following investigation

BTL investment firm takes down adverts following investigation

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A BTL investment firm has had its wrist slapped by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for potentially misleading landlords over its prices.

Derby latest city to clamp down on growth of HMOs

Derby latest city to clamp down on growth of HMOs

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Councillors in Derby hope to get tougher on HMO landlords by introducing an Article 4 direction in the city.

Landlord reveals highly unusual route into BTL investment

Landlord reveals highly unusual route into BTL investment

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A landlord in Somerset has revealed his highly unusual path to becoming a buy-to-let investor.

Are you? 144,000 landlords facing higher mortgage costs in 2024

Are you? 144,000 landlords facing higher mortgage costs in 2024

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More than 144,000 private landlords coming to the end of five-year fixed deals face re-mortgaging at starkly higher rates in 2024.

Landlord pins rising rents on new selective licencing fees

Landlord pins rising rents on new selective licencing fees

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Nottingham benefits landlord Mick Roberts has blamed the city’s licensing schemes for rising rents and homelessness.

Manchester reveals £86,000 landlord fines as it seeks more licencing

Manchester reveals £86,000 landlord fines as it seeks more licencing

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Manchester Council has revealed penalties of more than £86,000 handed to landlords under previous selective licensing schemes to justify expanding it to nine more areas.

Landlord wins key legal case over 'unworkable' prohibition orders

Landlord wins key legal case over 'unworkable' prohibition orders

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A landlord has won an unusual Tribunal victory after their local council tried to prevent a property being rented out because, it alleged, its spiral staircase was too dangerous for workmen over 60 years old to use.

Leading landlord receives MBE in New Year Honours List

Leading landlord receives MBE in New Year Honours List

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A leading landlord has received an OBE within the New Year Honours List along with one other property figure.

Hundreds of landlords duped into illegal tax avoidance schemes

Hundreds of landlords duped into illegal tax avoidance schemes

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As much as £100 million in tax avoidance could have disappeared before taxation expert Dan Neidle of Tax Policy Associates (TPA) “blew the whistle” on the schemes