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'Corner-cutting' landlord to repay former tenants £15,700

'Corner-cutting' landlord to repay former tenants £15,700

News

A ‘confused’ landlord who ‘cut corners’ when maintaining his unlicenced HMO has been told to pay four former tenants £15,703 after they took him to a First Tier Property Tribunal.

'Selective licencing scheme will lead to higher rents'

'Selective licencing scheme will lead to higher rents'

News

A row has broken out over plans to re-introduce selective licencing for landlords within parts of the Salford area of Manchester.

Labour confirms minimum EPC 'band C' for rented homes

Labour confirms minimum EPC 'band C' for rented homes

News

Labour has confirmed that it will require all private sector landlords to bring their properties up to a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C by 2030.

NRLA: Your portfolio is changing—here’s how

NRLA: Your portfolio is changing—here’s how

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Portfolio changing? Discover how the NRLA is helping landlords adapt to evolving market conditions.

Investing in commercial property – is now a good time to start?

Investing in commercial property – is now a good time to start?

Information

Commercial property might be sensible way of diversifying your overall investment portfolio risk

Labour WILL drop £11,000 CGT bombshell on landlords reckons wealth firm

Labour WILL drop £11,000 CGT bombshell on landlords reckons wealth firm

News

If as many expect Capital Gains Tax (CGT) rates are aligned to people’s personal income tax then landlords selling properties would be on average £11,00 worse off, it has been claimed.

Labour promises 'not to introduce rent controls in England'

Labour promises 'not to introduce rent controls in England'

News

Housing minister Matthew Pennycook has confirmed that Labour has no plans to introduce rent controls in England.

CGT revenues from rental home sales rise by £100m

CGT revenues from rental home sales rise by £100m

News

A further sign that landlords are selling up comes from new HMRC figures that reveal an increase in Capital Gains Tax (CGT) revenues for the Government from the sale of residential properties.

Big agency boss pins rising rents and low supply on Tories

Big agency boss pins rising rents and low supply on Tories

News

A leading lettings agency boss has pinned rising rents and fewer properties to rent squarely on the previous Conservative Government, says its policies have ‘driven away’ landlords.

BREAKING: Bank of England cuts base interest rate by 0.25%

BREAKING: Bank of England cuts base interest rate by 0.25%

News

Bank of England cuts base rate to 5%, offering relief to landlords with buy-to-let mortgages nearing the end of fixed-rate deals.

Britain needs more homes, not landlords says campaigning group

Britain needs more homes, not landlords says campaigning group

News

Encouraging landlords to rent out more homes will not solve the housing crisis, it has been claimed.

Essex landlord banned for three years after HMO court case

Essex landlord banned for three years after HMO court case

News

A rogue landlord who was also a letting agent in Essex has been banned from being a landlord in England for three years.

East Midlands city reveals clampdown on smaller HMOs

East Midlands city reveals clampdown on smaller HMOs

News

A big council in the East Midlands has revealed plans to extend and widen its additional licencing scheme for HMOs.

Angela Rayner reveals big changes for Right to Buy

Angela Rayner reveals big changes for Right to Buy

News

Labour has moved to make good on its manifesto promise to reform and improve the Right to Buy scheme which, under the Tories, saw the number of publicly-funded affordable rented homes in England shrink dramatically.

Social landlords blasted by Housing Ombudsman report - for maladministration

Social landlords blasted by Housing Ombudsman report - for maladministration

News

Councils are failing in more ways than one. When it comes to complaints from their tenants, repairs and maintaining safety standards, councils are not performing

Landlord loses long-running 'battle of the staircase' with council

Landlord loses long-running 'battle of the staircase' with council

News

An HMO landlord has lost his appeal against an improvement notice ordering him to update a 'paddle staircase'.

Holiday lets slump in Scotland as regulation bites

Holiday lets slump in Scotland as regulation bites

News

The number of short lets in Scotland fell last year as the sector felt the impact of its licensing scheme clampdown.

More tenants using guarantors as competition for homes heats up

More tenants using guarantors as competition for homes heats up

News

One in five private renters had to provide a guarantor when moving into their current property - equating to 940,000 households - according to the latest English Housing Survey.

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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

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

Expiry of Section 21 Notice

Expiry of Section 21 Notice

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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

Covenant and Covenant Strength

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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

10 year lease

10 year lease

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2 years ago I purchased a company with a 10 year lease from my ex boss, on a 10 year lease, the lease was set up by a solicitor. After 2 years the business is struggling and is not viable. I feel that my solicitor ill advised me as there was no break clause mentioned. Where do I stand on t

BREAKING: Government to bar problem tenants from social housing

BREAKING: Government to bar problem tenants from social housing

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A proposed shake-up of social housing would tighten allocation rules and allow landlords to get tougher on anti-social tenants.

Will landlords get some (tax) relief during the Spring budget?

Will landlords get some (tax) relief during the Spring budget?

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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.

Half of councils don't talk to local landlords, probe reveals

Half of councils don't talk to local landlords, probe reveals

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News
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A lack of council-organised landlord gatherings could hamper the Renters Reform Bill’s ambitions, according to Propertymark.

UPDATED: Anti-social behaviour is a nightmare for landlords to deal with

UPDATED: Anti-social behaviour is a nightmare for landlords to deal with

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News
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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 warned over using 'no-win, no-fee' legal firms against landlords

Tenants warned over using 'no-win, no-fee' legal firms against landlords

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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.

New rental property portal 'must include accessibility info' say campaigners

New rental property portal 'must include accessibility info' say campaigners

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Disability rights groups have called on the government to include information about accessibility for disabled people on its new property portal due to go live next year.

NRLA and property fraud service reveal partnership

NRLA and property fraud service reveal partnership

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A service that alerts landlords when fraudulent tenants try to ‘steal’ their properties via title fraud has struck a deal with the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA).

City claims aggressive licencing scheme has cost landlords £250,000

City claims aggressive licencing scheme has cost landlords £250,000

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Sheffield Council has boasted that up to 800 people have been protected from risky buildings thanks to its selective licensing scheme after landlords were told to spend £250,000 doing up properties.

Leading education thinktank slams Government's rental reforms

Leading education thinktank slams Government's rental reforms

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The Renters (Reform) Bill will reduce rather than enhance housing rights for students, according to the former CEO of student housing charity Unipol.

Big council to spend £19m finding benefit tenants private rental homes

Big council to spend £19m finding benefit tenants private rental homes

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Liverpool Council aims to source 400 private sector properties in a bid to house growing numbers of homeless people in the city.

Some renters' terrible behaviour revealed by new tenancy breach research

Some renters' terrible behaviour revealed by new tenancy breach research

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News
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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.

Landlord reveals 20-year slog to a £6m rental portfolio

Landlord reveals 20-year slog to a £6m rental portfolio

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News
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An ambitious landlord who bought his first property aged 18 now has an impressive property portfolio worth £6 million 20 years later.

Agents report unusually quiet rental property market

Agents report unusually quiet rental property market

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Fewer would-be tenants registered with letting agents in December, while rental stock levels also dipped during the typically quieter seasonal period.

BBC probes complaint against infamous Scots landlord

BBC probes complaint against infamous Scots landlord

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A tenant has told of how a man – who he believes is landlord and controversial businessman Mark Fortune – threatened him over a rent row.

'Scrap extra Stamp Duty for landlords to solve rental crisis'

'Scrap extra Stamp Duty for landlords to solve rental crisis'

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News
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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.

Airbnb warns landlords over new HMRC reporting rules

Airbnb warns landlords over new HMRC reporting rules

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News
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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.

Landlords slam Scotland's latest rent controls measures

Landlords slam Scotland's latest rent controls measures

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Scottish landlords criticise new rent arbitration scheme, labelling it back‑door rent controls that will exacerbate housing access issues.

Landlords: it's time to get 2024 off to a flying start

Landlords: it's time to get 2024 off to a flying start

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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.

Home counties borough warns landlords over imminent HMO crackdown

Home counties borough warns landlords over imminent HMO crackdown

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News
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HMO owners in Gravesham are being given a last chance to get their house in order ahead of a crackdown on unlicensed properties.

40% of people worried about paying rent or mortgage

40% of people worried about paying rent or mortgage

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News
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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.

What's your opinion on being a landlord? Fill in this survey!

What's your opinion on being a landlord? Fill in this survey!

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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.

Martin Lewis urges London tenants to report non-compliant landlords

Martin Lewis urges London tenants to report non-compliant landlords

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News
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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.

Agents warn reforms driving landlords out the market

Agents warn reforms driving landlords out the market

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Two-thirds of letting agents say more landlords are leaving the market due to ongoing reforms.

Is commercial property set for a rebound in 2024?

Is commercial property set for a rebound in 2024?

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News
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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

Be ready for new safety rules on March 1st, Scots landlords warned

Be ready for new safety rules on March 1st, Scots landlords warned

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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.