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Unintended consequences of plans to ban Section 21 evictions 'already happening'

Unintended consequences of plans to ban Section 21 evictions 'already happening'

News

A new landlord survey has revealed the effects of the Government's proposals to ban Section 21 evictions already feeding into the private rented sector. Evictions specialist Landlord Action canvassed some 1,500 landlords and found that 26% of those who had evicted a tenant over

Speculation grows that Rees-Mogg will be Housing Secretary if Liz Truss wins

Speculation grows that Rees-Mogg will be Housing Secretary if Liz Truss wins

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Its known as silly season when the media focuses on light-hearted stories, but news that Jacob Rees-Mogg (pictured) is being mooted as the new Levelling Up Secretary has been seen by some as no laughing matter. As the leadership contest draws to a close, preparations fo

Making tax digital as a landlord: What you need to know

Making tax digital as a landlord: What you need to know

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Making tax digital (MTD) for income tax is part of the governments long-term strategy to digitalise tax and will have implications for how landlords pay tax on their income. For those used to self-assessment, it will represent a change, but providing digital records will give businesses

What are the special rules for VAT on commercial property?

What are the special rules for VAT on commercial property?

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VAT on Commercial Property is a complex topic and anyone wishing to understand these complexities in relation to their own situation should seek specialist advice. This article should give a broad brush general overview but you really should seek advice because errors can be irredeemable an

Landlord banned from letting properties in England for five years

Landlord banned from letting properties in England for five years

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A rogue portfolio landlord has been banned from letting properties for five years after she admitted multiple offences relating to fire safety issues. Naomi Knapp, a landlord with 34 properties in Bristol, was convicted of eight banning order offences and will now be added to th

'Spray foam must be regulated to stop properties becoming un-mortgageable'

'Spray foam must be regulated to stop properties becoming un-mortgageable'

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Urgent regulation of the spray foam industry is needed to prevent making thousands of homes un-mortgagable, warn leading property groups. Sprayed polyurethane expanding foams are often used in lofts, either to stabilise a failing roof covering or to provide extra insulation. But

EXCLUSIVE: Landlords battle city council over HMO council tax re-valuations

EXCLUSIVE: Landlords battle city council over HMO council tax re-valuations

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Portsmouths HMOs are in the firing line again as growing numbers are being referred to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to have their council tax bands reassessed. Rather than paying tax on the whole property, each room can be classified as a band A at a cost of �1,200, wit

LEGAL LATEST: Can the eviction of a disabled tenant ever be fair?

LEGAL LATEST: Can the eviction of a disabled tenant ever be fair?

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A severely disabled tenant and his family have barricaded themselves into their home in a bid to prevent a controversial eviction. Quadriplegic Harvey Cowe, 62, and his wife Sheree, 55, have lived at the house in Brittany Road, Hove, for 25 years after Brighton & Hove C

'Selective licencing fees will push up rents as cost of living rises squeeze landlords too'

'Selective licencing fees will push up rents as cost of living rises squeeze landlords too'

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A leading letting agent has criticised the reasoning behind the UKs ever-growing list of selective licensing schemes. Selective licensing covers all rented property in a given area or council borough and landlords are required to pay a five-yearly fee of between �500 and �9

More HMO restrictions in Bristol as battle over fast-expanding sector hots up

More HMO restrictions in Bristol as battle over fast-expanding sector hots up

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Landlords in Bristol will soon be required to gain planning permission to convert properties into HMOs in three key areas, it has been revealed. South Gloucestershire Council is to bring in Article 4 directions in the Bristol neighbourhoods of Stoke Park and Cheswick and parts o

LATEST: London mayor urges private landlords to sell their homes to councils

LATEST: London mayor urges private landlords to sell their homes to councils

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Londons mayor Sadiq Khan has urged private landlords who are planning to exit the private rented market to sell their properties to local councils instead of other landlords. Khan made the comments within a self-congratulatory statement on his website l

PICTURES: Landlord to pay �40,000 after multiple breaches of HMO licence

PICTURES: Landlord to pay �40,000 after multiple breaches of HMO licence

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A landlord in London must now pay �40,000 after losing his appeal against his fine for breaching Mandatory HMO licensing conditions at a bedsit property above a pub. Earlier this year Islington council brought a prosecution against Mohammed Shahid for fai

Comment: is Government legislation killing the buy to let landlord?

Comment: is Government legislation killing the buy to let landlord?

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For years now, what would appear to have been successive waves of anti-landlord legislation have been bearing down on buy to let, but will this change under a new prime minister? From George Osborne to Rishi Sunack, the Treasury, it would seem, has been milking the buy to let la

'Trophy Mansion' owned by bankrupt property guru repossessed by bank

'Trophy Mansion' owned by bankrupt property guru repossessed by bank

News

The next chapter in the troubling story of property guru Glenn Armstrong has begun after court records have revealed that the infamous �3m seven-bedroom trophy mansion he often used within his marketing effort has been repossessed by bailiffs. The 62-year-olds now form

Are Rishi and Liz aware of landlords’ real issues?

Are Rishi and Liz aware of landlords’ real issues?

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Ben Beadle critiques Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss for neglecting landlord concerns, urging focus on supply crisis and policy clarity.

Khan says next PM should make landlords pay tenants' moving costs after evictions

Khan says next PM should make landlords pay tenants' moving costs after evictions

News

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has called on the next Tory PM to force landlords to pay tenants moving costs when asking them to move out of a property where the renter is not at fault. His comments were made during a debate within the London Assembly on housing issues in the capita

Welsh landlord's attempt to evict tenants sparks national debate over PRS changes

Welsh landlord's attempt to evict tenants sparks national debate over PRS changes

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A landlord has been unwittingly drawn into a heated debate over the looming changes to the Welsh private rented sector. The country's Government recently delayed its planned reforms that will alter how tenancies, properties and evictions are managed, similar in many ways to the

Liz Truss to help landlords reference tenants better via rent recording initiative

Liz Truss to help landlords reference tenants better via rent recording initiative

News

Wannabe Prime Minister Liz Truss has announced that, if elected next month, she will introduce measures to enable tenants within the private rented sector to record their rent with the UK's credit reference agencies. This will both help tenants get on the property ladder via imp

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WARNING: Spray foam can lead to refused mortgage applications

WARNING: Spray foam can lead to refused mortgage applications

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In September the Government announced a �2bn plan to offer home insulation grants of up to �5,000 per household in England. This is to be known as the https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-the-green-homes-grant-scheme" target="_blank" Green Homes Grant and has replaced

Desperate landlord writes to Gove as bankruptcy looms over cladding rules

Desperate landlord writes to Gove as bankruptcy looms over cladding rules

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A landlord whos facing bankruptcy has written to Housing Secretary Michael Gove voicing his frustration that he is not eligible for any cladding funding despite only earning �63 a week from his properties. The landlord, who has BTL interest-only mortgages, has two freehold s

Scots rent and evictions freeze prompts 'staggering' landlord exit response

Scots rent and evictions freeze prompts 'staggering' landlord exit response

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A staggering 85% of letting agents in Scotland report that landlords want to sell up following the governments move to ban evictions and rent increases until next April. Propertymark members in Scotland say that even more worryingly, 68% of agents had already seen an increase

NEW: Report says 87% of landlords will face full cost of EPC upgrades

NEW: Report says 87% of landlords will face full cost of EPC upgrades

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Just 0.2% of private landlords would qualify for full state support to help upgrade their properties under a proposed scheme to get the UKs walls insulated, while 87% would be liable for the full costs. The Economy 2030 Inquiry says simply basing hand-outs on means-tested ben

Government confirms biggest tenancy reform in a generation

Government confirms biggest tenancy reform in a generation

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Gov confirms major tenancy law shake-up: abolishing assured periodic & fixed-term tenancies in favour of universal periodic tenancies.

BLOG: This is what many more landlords will be competing with in cities soon

BLOG: This is what many more landlords will be competing with in cities soon

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A couple of weeks ago I was invited by the owners of a build-to-rent development in Wembley to see at first-hand what this emerging kind of rental property looks like in this case a 440-unit just off the A406 called WemLondon . <figure id="" class="w-richtext-fi

Council's slow admin means landlord licences to take 150 years to process!

Council's slow admin means landlord licences to take 150 years to process!

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Liverpool Council would take almost 150 years to process all its selective licensing applications at the current rate, according to shocking new data, raising questions about its potential to address poor quality housing. Housing bosses told the https://liverpool.gov.uk

Holiday lets to face national registration scheme soon, Bill amendment shows

Holiday lets to face national registration scheme soon, Bill amendment shows

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Short-term holiday properties will soon face a compulsory national registration scheme after and amendment has been to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill going through parliament. Such a move has been in the offing for several months and follows an initial https://w

Borough to extend HMO licensing despite just 25% take-up of existing scheme

Borough to extend HMO licensing despite just 25% take-up of existing scheme

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The London borough of Greenwich has launched a consultation into renewing its additional licensing scheme. The previous scheme ran from October 2017 and ended in September, and the council now wants landlords and tenants to help it decide whether to start it up again from April

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

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

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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.

Minister reveals new green scheme and cash for landlords

Minister reveals new green scheme and cash for landlords

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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.

Looking to reduce your tax bill? Then you're in good 'company'

Looking to reduce your tax bill? Then you're in good 'company'

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Mortgage brokers are bracing themselves for more landlords seeking to borrow via limited companies during 2024, it has been claimed.

Government becomes shareholder in PRS investment platform

Government becomes shareholder in PRS investment platform

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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.

Council proposes unusual property licencing REDUCTION!

Council proposes unusual property licencing REDUCTION!

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Landlords are being urged by a London councl to take part in a consultation on plans for a new, slimmed down selective licensing scheme.

Bad plumbing not mould is top concern for private tenants

Bad plumbing not mould is top concern for private tenants

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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 council latest to become big private landlord

Winchester council latest to become big private landlord

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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.

Landlord fined £6,500 after member of public reports HMO

Landlord fined £6,500 after member of public reports HMO

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A landlord in Norfolk has been fined £6,500 after a significant investigation by local housing officers.

Lawyer warns landlords NOT to blame tenants for mould

Lawyer warns landlords NOT to blame tenants for mould

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A senior lawyer has told landlords that they cannot blame their tenants if mould appears within privately rented homes.

Letting agent avoids jail after defrauding seven landlords

Letting agent avoids jail after defrauding seven landlords

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A fraudulent letting agent who ripped off landlords by failing to register their deposits has escaped a jail sentence.

Absentee landlord to pay tenants £10k over mouldy, unlicenced property

Absentee landlord to pay tenants £10k over mouldy, unlicenced property

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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.

Tribunal orders big landlord to pay £16m toward cladding costs

Tribunal orders big landlord to pay £16m toward cladding costs

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One of the UK’s largest private landlords has been ordered to pay £16 million towards the cost of fixing cladding-related fire safety problems at a group of five residential towers in London.