A student lettings platform has been exposed for misleading investors while raising �470,000 in a crowdfunding pitch by boasting it would become the Uber of student rentals. Edinburgh-based Student Rents , run by father and son team Grant MacCusker a
The director of a property investment and management firm has been stung with a £15,900 rent repayment order after failing to convince a First Tier Property Tribunal that he didnt know about HMO licensing. John Campbell , the boss of Hackn
A landlord has been handed a suspended jail sentence for kicking out his tenant during a national eviction ban. Amjad Ali Khattak removed the womans possessions in December 2020 and left them on the street in the rain (pictured), which was witnessed by
A senior property figure has both welcomed this week's Government announcement that guidance is imminent on how the pets element of its looming renting reforms will work but warned several problem areas need clearing up. Timothy Douglas (main picture), who is Head of Policy and
Propertymark says Scotlands emergency legislation is alienating landlords, discouraging investment, inhibiting supply, and causing rents to rise faster. It reports that while most landlords cant evict tenants following the Cost of Living Act extension, those with tenancies
Labour's Lisa Nandy proposes a mortgage guarantee scheme to help first-time buyers and limit landlord purchases, aiming to boost homeownership.
Britains demented war on landlords has already backfired�, says Daily Telegraph columnist Matthew Lynn, and There is no sign whatsoever that the Government realises it is to blame,� he says. Furthermore Mr Lynn says that the chaos in the rental market
A void energy solution and switching service for 'end of tenancy' promises to trim pounds from landlords bills. Empty rental properties incur a range of standing charges that average between 10p and 80p per day for electricity and from 5p to 60p per day for gas, averaging out
Landlords should do their homework before voting in the local elections next week and take the chance to quiz candidates on issues affecting the PRS, advises Leaders Romans Group (LRG). It points to a number of pressing local issues which can be determined
Landlords have until 1st June to comply with the new and relatively convoluted Rented Homes Wales legislation following its introduction last December. Under the new law, standard contracts have replaced assured shorthold tenancies a
Companies selling multi-occupancy insurance will have to act in leaseholders best interests under new proposals from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). It is demanding new rights and protections to improve the transparency of the multi-occupancy leasehold buildings insura
Jersey has launched a consultation into sweeping reforms including rent controls and open-ended tenancies, prompting fears that they could force more private landlords to quit the sector. The islands government aims to increase protections for both tenants and landlords
A new law to crack down on predatory landlords who exploit vulnerable people for sex in return for free or discounted rent is being considered, Home Secretary Suella Braverman (main picture) has announced. Her department is seeking the views of victims, the police and charities
There are heavy fines for those landlords who fail to have their rental properties tested by a qualified electrician before letting, and for existing tenancies, or if they fail to comply with any of the important recommendations made in a test report. The landlord will ordinarily have 28 da
Tribunal judge warns landlords to include licensing update clauses in agency contracts to avoid fines for non-compliance with licensing requirements.
The number of VAT and/or PAYE enterprises operating in the UKs residential and commercial rental sectors climbed 2% in the past year, despite the governments best efforts to deter investment. Analysis of government data by debt advisory firm https://siriusfinance.
Luton Council is making yet another attempt to bring in two new licensing schemes after a string of false starts amid landlord opposition. Its overview and scrutiny board has agreed to recommend a town-wide additional scheme as well as a selective scheme in South ward, which now
Durham citys parish council has taken the unusual step of asking student landlords to make a voluntary donation towards the cost of cleaning up street waste and discarded furniture. It will ask for a contribution of �52 towards its precept from student landlords to match the
Section 21: Most tenancies will never require the service of a Section 21, Housing Act 1988, (eviction) notice. However, on those occasions when it does become necessary, and you just never know, landlords (and agents) will thank their lucky starts they complied with the rul
Asbestos:Asbestos regulations were last updated in 2012 , bringing the UK in line with EU regulations, which means the current regulations have been in place long enough for most
The Application Form You should always use a comprehensive Tenancy Application Form when taking on a new tenant. You need a completed application for each adult tenant in the property.The Tenancy application form is a very important starting point for any residential or comm
End of an AST: Questions: What happens when an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) comes to an end? Will the tenant have to leave or does she need to sign a new agreement? What if a tenant wants to leave early? How long can a periodic tenancy last?When the fixed term (minimum of
Landlords often buy flats which are either Leasehold or Shared Freehold. What are these tenures and what should landlords look out for in these different forms of ownership?Leasehold is one of three forms of tenure (property/land ownership) almost exclusively peculiar to the United Kingdom, thoug
Landlord's Access to Property: Many landlords will have experienced a tenant denying them access to a property - whether for an inspection, viewings or legal duties. Its easy to understand the view of Its my property, I can enter when I want, but unfortunately th
New Rules for Section 21 :Landlords and Agents need to be aware of the changes affecting Section 21 rules and Notices and other changes for the letting of residential properties in England (and in many cases Wales) introduced during 2015 . This article explains the new rules
Many landlords have long suspected that the DCLG approved national calculation methodologies and software programs were seriously flawed when they produced EPC ratings for buildings following energy assessments.So news that new software is being introduced which is claimed to be more accurate is
Serving Notices: Landlords and agents often get confused as to how they should serve Notices on their tenants.Ordinarily it wouldnt matter what method is used, but if you end up in court with a possession or money claim, or some such court action, then what and how you se
The key tenancy breaches by tenants reported by landlords have been revealed with non-payment of rent, dirty homes and failing to report repairs and maintenance issues as the most common.
An ambitious landlord who bought his first property aged 18 now has an impressive property portfolio worth £6 million 20 years later.
Fewer would-be tenants registered with letting agents in December, while rental stock levels also dipped during the typically quieter seasonal period.
A tenant has told of how a man – who he believes is landlord and controversial businessman Mark Fortune – threatened him over a rent row.
The Chancellor has been urged to scrap the extra Stamp Duty paid by landlords when buying properties after new research shows the extra activity within the PRS - if it was scrapped - would generate an extra £10 billion in tax revenue for the Government.
The tax net is closing in on property owners who use short-let platforms to earn rental income from their portfolios but not pay tax on it, Airbnb has warned.
Scottish landlords criticise new rent arbitration scheme, labelling it back‑door rent controls that will exacerbate housing access issues.
You’re a landlord looking to sell, but last year was a challenge. In 2024, it’s time to get your portfolios and properties sold and get you moving on to your next projects.
HMO owners in Gravesham are being given a last chance to get their house in order ahead of a crackdown on unlicensed properties.
Two in five (40%) of people who pay housing costs in England – equivalent to 12 million adults – are worried their housing pressures will get worse this year.
Landlords are being urged to fill in a survey on the state of the private rented housing market and some of the key topics likely to be affecting them in the coming months.
Money expert Martin Lewis has advised tenants in London to check if they are in line for a big pay-out when renting unlicensed properties.
Two-thirds of letting agents say more landlords are leaving the market due to ongoing reforms.
The commercial property sector has been particularly badly hit with reduced property values and rents, and increased lending costs, but it's not all doom and gloom
Landlords in Scotland will have to meet a raft of measures to keep their properties up to scratch when new rules come in on 1st March.
Landlords will be able to apply for bespoke green loans and cashback rewards to make their properties more energy efficient under a new government-backed scheme.
Mortgage brokers are bracing themselves for more landlords seeking to borrow via limited companies during 2024, it has been claimed.
The government has become an investor in PRS financing platform Shojin through the conversion of a pandemic-era loan facilitated by the Future Fund scheme.
Landlords are being urged by a London councl to take part in a consultation on plans for a new, slimmed down selective licensing scheme.
Two thirds of private renters had an issue with the quality or condition of their home during the past six months, according to new research, with plumbing problems top of the list.
Winchester City Council has set up its own housing company, Venta Living, one of a growing number of councils going down the private route to help meet the growing demand for rental properties.
A landlord in Norfolk has been fined £6,500 after a significant investigation by local housing officers.
A senior lawyer has told landlords that they cannot blame their tenants if mould appears within privately rented homes.
A fraudulent letting agent who ripped off landlords by failing to register their deposits has escaped a jail sentence.
Three tenants have pocketed £10,060 between them after winning a rent repayment order against their landlord for letting out a mouldy HMO with “lamentable” fire safety.
