The government failed to offer long-term support for energy efficiency improvements or increase the Local Housing Allowance in a Budget which instead focused on getting the country back to work. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended support for energy bills at current levels of �2,50
In this in-depth private rented sector legislation special, Eddie and Paul are joined by David Smith, head of property litigation at JMW Solicitors. The discussion kicks off with the recent landmark Rakusen v Jepsen rent repayment order case, where David represented the NRLA and which, he e
Youve made the decision to sell, and beat the market drop and increased costs. But where do you turn? Estate Agents can get you a high price, but theyll take far too long. Auctions can sell super-fast, but you might be compromising on price. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-t
Generation Rent is calling on the government to extend Awaabs Law to the PRS after its survey found 1,106 private rented homes in England with dangerous levels of damp and mould. A Freedom of Information request by the campaign group found that the 65 councils which reported
Eddie Hooker, Chief Executive of insurance company the HFIS Group, has called for action to combat the murky end of the rent-to-rent market. Talking during an video interview with LandlordZONE , Hooker said action was needed to increase transparency w
A tenancy mediator has warned landlords that they or the experts they hire - risk being jailed for contempt of court by not using a regulated solicitor to fill in possession notice claim forms. PRS Mediations Julie Ford (pictured) says that under the L
An 80-year-old disabled woman is being evicted from her home after more than 60 years because her property wont pass tighter new EPC rules, a case which is believed to be the first of its kind. Thoresby Estate which owns Anne Marshs property in Edwin
Increasing the Local Housing Allowance would be the quickest way for the government to improve access to affordable homes, say housing charities. According to analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), in 37 local authorities, the gap between market rents for three-bedr
The director of a property management firm has been fined more than �25,000 after dangerous electrics were discovered at an HMO in Northampton. West Northamptonshire Council issued a warrant in May 2022 after tenants raised concerns about the property in Lutterwor
Landlords in the North East have complained that a rubber stamped selective licencing scheme is a pure waste of time� and that they are fed up being taxed in this way�. The comments concern Middlesborough councils plans to extend its licencing scheme in the ce
Landlords will be looking for more government support to make energy efficiency improvements while hoping for some tax burden relief in the upcoming Budget. With EPC deadlines looming, many want greater incentives to back up the https://www.gov.uk/apply-boiler-upgrade-s
A new How to Rent guide will come out on Friday (17th March) which landlords in England must serve at the start of any new tenancy or renewal. The new guide forms part of the prescribed information landlords must issue, and if they dont
Scottish MSPs have voted through a rent cap and extension of the eviction ban until 30th September. The rent cap for private sector tenancies will increase to 3% from 1st April under the amendment to the https://www.gov.scot/publications/cost-living-ten
All HMO landlords in Worcester will soon have to buy a licence if councillors back a new additional licensing scheme. The city has operated an additional scheme since September 2015 but amended it in 2020 to cover only the wards of Arboretum, Bedwardine, Cathedral and St Clement
Landlords have been left out of measures announced today designed to support mortgage holders during the cost of living crisis. The guidance, which has been issued by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) updating borrowers responsibilities to their existing mortgage holders,
A landlord who tried to claim that he was the superior landlord of an unlicensed HMO has failed in his bid to avoid paying a Rent Repayment Order. In the first RRO case since the landmark�
The British Property Federation (BPF) has called on the government to zero rate VAT on building repair and maintenance to incentivise essential upgrades across the residential sector or risk missing its 2050 net zero target. In the run-up to next weeks Budget, it says the
A Suffolk councillor has spoken out against targeting private landlords with tougher regulations when authorities face similar problems with their own housing stock. Both Babergh and Mid Suffolk councils have agreed that civil penalties of up to �30,000 should be used to deter
Prepare for the Leasehold Reform Act on 30 June: what landlords need to know about new ground rent rules and leasehold fairness.
The long-awaited Government White Paper, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1083378/A_fairer_private_rented_sector_web_accessible.pdf" target="_blank" A Fairer Private Rented Sector ,
According to recent research buy property agents Hamptons International, for the last 11 months its been cheaper to buy a home with a 10% deposit than rent. This is because to rental growth was tearing away before and mortgage rates were near their record lows. In May this ye
Abolishing fixed-term tenancies risks ruining the student rental market, warns leading provider of major housing contraction.
Thousands of landlords have vowed to switch to short-term lets when Section 21 notices are abolished, a new survey has found. Assist Inventories study of 10,000 landlords and letting agents revealed that 45% plan to move away from long-term tenancies while 41% said they might
The new Building Regulations and accompanying technical upgrade to the SAP assessment methodology ask for a completely different way of measuring the energy performance of many buildings, giving a market boost to those properties with higher EPC ratings. Effective from last week
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
A landlord who allowed cannabis farms to operate in 17 of his 72 properties as part of a multi-million-pound drugs operation has been jailed for 11 years.
A 30-year-old entrepreneur specialising in buy-to-let investment and lettings has been named one of the UK’s top young business people.
Private tenants in the South West will save hundreds on their energy bills following a council’s push to identify those with failed Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs).
A crisis in the making? Will commercial property owners come through the looming debt repayment crisis unscathed?
Leaseholders won’t see all the hoped-for benefits from the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill unless significant changes are made, according to a leading expert.
A rogue landlord who failed to repair serious safety hazards in his property has been ordered to pay more than £3,000.
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.
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?
A landlord who claimed unsuccessfully that he had been deceived by his tenants has been handed a £9,745 rent repayment order.
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 Northern Ireland are being reminded to renew their registration or face a heavy fine.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
The exact wording in leases is so very important when it comes to landlord - tenant disputes with commercial and residential property leases
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.
A proposed shake-up of social housing would tighten allocation rules and allow landlords to get tougher on anti-social tenants.
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.
A lack of council-organised landlord gatherings could hamper the Renters Reform Bill’s ambitions, according to Propertymark.
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 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.
