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 - 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 - 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
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 - 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 - 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 & Safety (HHSRS), HMO, Over
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
Expiry of Section 21 Notice - I have served a Section 21 (s21) Notice on my tenant but don't wish to start proceedings immediately. Can I wait without the notice expiring?Once a Section 21 notice has been served correctly it continues indefinitely, until such time as the tenancy is ended, either
Covenant and Covenant Strength - What is a legal covenant and what is the significance of the terms in relation to rental property and lettings ?</h2>The term covenant can have several meanings and has biblical origins but it is of particulalry significance
A gang of cannabis farm operators, drug dealers and people smugglers have been jailed.
Wigan council says rise in number of smaller HMOs within its borders means new powers to scrutinise new applications are needed.
The practice of property flipping to make a profit is under serious threat from both higher tax and lower house price rises.
Awaab’s Law: What it means for private landlords and the future of property standards
The Renters' Rights Bill now looks more likely to be passed before the summer recess.
HMO landlords face paying out £1,570 for a licence when Camden Council renews its additional scheme in December.
A new body will help decide rents in a bid to prevent over-loading the tribunal service with rent disputes.
A director of the Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL) who defrauded her elderly landlord out of £30,000 has been jailed for six months.
Two selective licencing schemes operated by Wirral Council in and around Birkenhead have been renewed with a further two schemes about to be launched following a consultation.
Landlords in Brighton and Hove face a £500 charge if they are handed an improvement notice, as part of a council crackdown on failing properties.
One of the key arguments used by housing campaigners to criticise the private rented sector and its landlords has been contradicted by the latest English Housing Survey.
A tenant who stole almost £2,000 of furnishings from his elderly landlord has been handed a suspended jail sentence
A cross-party group of MPs and peers has warned that the government needs to get its Renters Reform Bill right if it is to avoid exacerbating the housing crisis.
US based CoStar, a force to be reckoned with in property, has completed a takeover of UK property portal, OnTheMarket.com
Three students have threatened to take their landlord to tribunal for allegedly flouting eviction ban regulations which meant they were forced out of their flat while studying for exams.
A rogue landlord who used a fake name to evade the law has been handed a whopping £485,000 in fines after he was found illegally renting out a large shed as five flats.
US bank predicts turnaround in UK property market - inflation down to 3 per cent in two years
Landlords in one of London’s biggest boroughs face a new selective schemes following a consultation launched by Lambeth council.
More landlords to be priced out of BTL as rent increases slow from their peak
An SNP MP has made another attempt to prevent PRS landlords from evicting benefit tenants who are in arrears.
A property start-up hoping to the next big thing in the student housing market is looking for a £5 million cash injection to help it launch across four more cities.
Landlords in Wales need to update their occupation contract templates after the Welsh government amended part of the document.
The world of property deal sourcing is to become better regulated following the launch of a new partnership between the sector’s trade association and the Property Redress Scheme.
A property lawyer has warned that HMRC believes buy-to-let landlords may be under-declaring taxes, and that it has them in their sights.
Twice the number of landlords with one or two properties plan to sell up compared with those who own more than 10 properties, according to a new survey.
A landlord who tried to challenge a tax fine by unwittingly using fake rulings generated by an artificial intelligence (AI) system like ChatGPT has had her appeal dismissed.
Landlords in Lewisham are the latest within the London to face a selective licencing scheme now that permission has been granted by the Secretary of State for the scheme.
Three-quarters of buy-to-let landlords (76%) increased rent during the past 12 months, most of whom blamed higher mortgage costs.
The government has given the go-ahead to Brent’s selective licensing scheme, with the council labelling it, “a major win for both renters and landlords”.
Environmental health officers want more robust landlord licensing schemes under the Renters Reform Bill, says the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH).
A letting agent who swindled £128,000 from her employer to fund an affair with her personal trainer was rumbled after landlords complained they had not received their rent.
