A landlord too terrified to reveal her name has warned others to conduct more regular property checks after she unwittingly rented her house to a drug-dealing gang for years. The North London-based landlord has had the same tenants since 2005 but only discovered their illegal ac
New research reveals how adult tenants cause as much damage as pets in rental properties and that for smaller landlords, animal damage costs less to repair. The survey of 537 landlords and lettings agents found 85% have experienced both kinds of damage while only 29% of landlord
A landlord has given evidence in the Sebastian Kalinowski murder trial, who died at his home in Huddersfield. Prosecutors allege his mother Agnieszka Kalinowska, 35, and her partner Andrzej Latoszewski, 36, subjected him to a campaign of abuse before his death in August 2021.</p
Houses with off-road parking space will not only command a higher sale price, the rental value will also be boosted as more people buy electric cars. Surge in EV sales The electric vehicle (EV) market is booming, which will inevitably have its impact on property pric
Landlord leaders criticise Renters Reform White Paper, highlighting flaws and concerns over proposed legislation and its impact on the sector.
HMRC has named and shamed 26 property tax dodgers who collectively tried to avoid paying more than �6.7 million. The deliberate tax defrauders earned income from either rental property, property developing or property tax advising, and have all been investigated and fined for e
Government's full renting‑reform White Paper unveiled—bold, controversial changes to landlord rules await Spring's legislation.
Key details of the Governments radical renting reform White Paper have been released this morning by Michael Gove, full details of which are due to be published when his housing minister Eddie Hughes addresses parliament later this morning. In a statement embargoed for midnig
Under the Renters' Rights Bill, tenants can request to keep pets, with landlords required to respond within 28 days and may require pet insurance.
The Government wants to make it a 'duty' for landlords to respond to requests from disabled tenants to make communal spaces outside their homes more accessible. A consultation on the proposals has been launched by equalities minister Kemi Badenoch (main pi
It may have gone unnoticed by many landlords that Boris Johnson made one of the most extraordinary attacks on the sector in living memory last week. And it is fair to say, one of the most unfair. Most landlords have become accustomed to the government's frosty rhetoric over the
The government has finally updated the guidance it provides to property assessors on how to calculate EPCs for new homes and, in six months time, for existing homes too. This is the first time the methodologies of calculation have been updated for almost ten years for t
A professional landlord has scored a partial win against his council fines for charges relating to gas safety inspections. Mahendra Maharaj , who owns 78 properties in Liverpool, had been fined �9,000 by the city council a decision confirmed by a First
Boris Johnsons pledge to reform the housing market will see the government launching a dusted-off version of David Camerons right to buy scheme for social housing in order to turn the tables on private landlords, his housing secretary Michael Gove has suggested. During a s
The self-employed who took advantage of the multi-billion pound self-employed income support scheme (SEIS), claiming grants they were not entitled to, when they were either not trading at all, or their profits did not fall within the specified limits, are now being asked to pay the money ba
Experts discuss the implications of abolishing Section 21 evictions, including potential delays, increased court burdens, and impacts on tenant mobili
While in England the housing minister Eddie Hughes has just https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/breaking-minister-confirms-government-will-not-consider-rent-controls-in-england/" target="_blank" ruled out rent controls , in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Irish R
Weve all heard the expression, ignorance of the law is no excuse� and this applies without question in all areas of the law. But in some rare instances it seems the courts and tribunals are open to accepting a defence of what is termed reasonable excuse even when the regulatio
Section 48 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 states that landlords of residential tenancies in England and Wales must furnish their tenants with an address in England & Wales at which notices can be served. Failure to do so will mean that any claim for rent, rent arrears or service charges
Should landlord insist on renewing fixed term tenancies or allow them to lapse into periodic tenancies?In essence a tenancy is the right to possess and occupy land belonging to another. A tenancy gives the occupier a legal interest in the land for a defined period of time.A relationship of landlo
A section 213 notice is a prescribed form notice which must be served on your tenant, or another person, if they provided a deposit for a rental.If you have taken a deposit for an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) in England & Wales (the rules in Scotland & Northern Ireland are similar but
This is a handy check list for use to help you ensure you are serving a valid section 21 notice. Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 (as amended 1996 & 2004) provides a means of re-gaining possession of a residential property in England & Wales. Other UK jurisdictions are similar but there
How can a tenant end a residential tenancy and stay within the law - usually with a Tenant's Notice to Quit?In practice most residential tenancies in England and Wales end (over 90 per cent of them) with tenants giving their landlord notice. These guidelines are based on English law and are not a
Farm and Land Tenancies Approximately one-third of all agricultural land in England and Wales is covered by agricultural tenancies. Tenancies allow people to farm without being landowners. As agricultural land is expensive, and the acreage now needed to make a viable operati
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
Tom Entwistle passes on some thoughts on dealing with tenant selection and securing a good tenant-letting in the current economic climate
A former landlord has been ordered to pay a council tax demand dating back nearly 20 years.
A rogue landlord has been ordered to pay more than £9,000 for ignoring notices to improve his dangerous property.
Leeds Building Society has stopped lending to investors buying holiday lets in areas of North Norfolk and North Yorkshire in a bid to relieve pressure on local housing.
The quality of service provided by letting agents to landlords is under the spotlight again after an influential group within the Lords revealed it is to probe into the sector.
It has been confirmed over the weekend that a group of 49 ‘rebel’ Tory MPs are working hard have the Renters (Reform) Bill amended.
MPs have been given more details of the Government’s plans to clamp down on holiday lets in tourism hotspots following Michael Gove’s announcement this week.
Minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) are not being enforced by overstretched councils who cannot keep any income they make from fines imposed for breaches.
Landlords will have to fork out an extra £460 to use the new Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self-Assessment system.
Landlords who have used cowboy spray foam firms to insulate their properties are to be offered help by one of the main trade associations for the sector.
A staggering 94% of renters don’t have confidence in the government’s approach to housing, according to a poll by SpareRoom.
Salford Council wants new powers to help stem the growth of HMOs in the city.
Jacob Rees-Mogg has turned on Tory colleagues by labelling the Renters (Reform) Bill “desperate tinkering at the edges” which won’t help landlords or tenants.
A landlord who ignored a council’s enforcement notice to stop operating an HMO without planning permission has been told to return it to a ‘traditional family home’ or face a huge fine.
Opportunities for developers and investors in property will open up as new amendments are laid down.
It’s another week of news suggesting that landlords need to sell. If you’ve not yet considered cutting your loses, this might be the sign it’s time to exit the market, fast.
Cross-party peers have grilled Housing Minister Baroness Penn over the government’s ambiguous assurance that no-fault evictions would be banned before the general election.
A rogue landlord who ignored requests to raise standards at his two unlicensed properties has been hit with a bill of more than £45,000.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has today raided homes and arrested four people connected to a group of investment companies that left some 1,000 investors out of pocket.
A leading Tory lobbyist and political commentator has called on the government to ditch plans for abolishing Section 21 amid fears that it will only worsen the housing crisis.
New research among tenants reveals a bleak picture as the cost-of-living crisis hits home within the private rented sector.
Leading letting agent Marc von Grundherr (pictured) has labelled the government’s crackdown on short lets “ironic”, given its hard line on buy-to-let landlords.
A surprising 65% of landlords are considering or have already become a limited company as thousands seek tax benefits to help their business succeed.
The private rented sector is forecast to lose half a million homes during the next decade, leaving a large supply gap that can be filled by the build-to-rent sector, it has been claimed.
Paul Shamplina and guests debate whether the UK tax regime is stacked against landlords in this Propertycast episode.
