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Rogue landlords face revised penalties of up to £30,000 per offence, Haringey Council warns

Rogue landlords face revised penalties of up to £30,000 per offence, Haringey Council warns

News

Haringey Council has introduced tougher fines for errant landlords in a bid to raise housing standards across the London borough.

Shrinking pool of rental homes continues to drive up rents, reports RICS

Shrinking pool of rental homes continues to drive up rents, reports RICS

News

A shrinking pool of rental properties continued to drive up rents last month, despite reduced demand from tenants

Rental homes that aren’t up to scratch are under increased threat

Rental homes that aren’t up to scratch are under increased threat

News

Private landlords whose properties aren’t up to scratch face a significant increase in pressure and threat when the Decent Home Standard kicks in.

Tenants urged by housing minister to challenge unfair rents

Tenants urged by housing minister to challenge unfair rents

News

Tenants are being urged by the housing minister to challenge unfair rent increases.

Parents as landlords strain family relationships

Parents as landlords strain family relationships

News

The ‘parent landlord’ phenomenon has caused increasing numbers of adult children to put a strain on family life, a new survey finds.

Student landlords urged to review contract accuracy

Student landlords urged to review contract accuracy

News

Student landlords have been warned their existing contracts won’t be entirely accurate once the Renters’ Rights Bill takes effect after the summer.

Small landlords could soon be replaced, warns top property lawyer

Small landlords could soon be replaced, warns top property lawyer

News

Small landlords with one or two properties could end up being replaced by larger portfolio or corporate landlords as part of the Government’s push to improve standards, according to a top property lawyer.

NAEA warns of unintended consequences of rental auctions

NAEA warns of unintended consequences of rental auctions

News

The agent’s professional body NAEA Propertymark has raised concerns about the running of the rental auctions scheme

One in four households pay four times more for heat

One in four households pay four times more for heat

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A Utilita study shows 25% of UK households pay up to four times more for heating by using electric heaters instead of gas central heating, with added CO₂ emissions of 34 kg per year.

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Renting to a 17 year old

Renting to a 17 year old

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What are the implications of renting to a 17 year old or someone who is under the age of 18? We have an application from a 17-year old that is keen to rent but Im not sure this would be legal?</h2> Many landlords and housing providers would be concerned and therefore refuse to let to

Rent Review

Rent Review

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Question - Rent Review - my landlord is asking for far more rent than I expected on review. Am I obliged to pay this?Answer - Commercial leases are contractual - the parties agree to and are bound by its clauses and that includes rent review provisions.The rent review process is a way of periodic

Re-selling Energy

Re-selling Energy

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Re-selling Energy - As a landlord am I able to make a profit by re-selling electricity or gas?</h2>Resale of Gas and ElectricityThe maximum amount that Residential Landlords or resellers� are permitted to charge for gas or electricity is the amount they

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

Lodgers Limits

Lodgers Limits

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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 &amp; Safety (HHSRS), HMO, Over

Tenant's complaint leads to £10,000 fine for HMO landlord

Tenant's complaint leads to £10,000 fine for HMO landlord

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A criminal landlord has been hit with an £11,800 fine for operating a dirty, unlicensed HMO - one of a growing number of large, sometimes overcrowded and dangerous, bedsits around the country.

LandlordZONE and Shamplina on TV today to analyse Autumn Statement

LandlordZONE and Shamplina on TV today to analyse Autumn Statement

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News
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Landlords looking for some in-depth analysis of tomorrow’s Autumn Statement and its likely good – and bad – news for landlords should tune into TalkTV at 3.30pm tomorrow, 22nd November.

Ignoring HMO licencing scheme costs landlord £9,600

Ignoring HMO licencing scheme costs landlord £9,600

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News
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The costs of running unlicenced rental properties have been highlighted once more after three tenants won a £9,600 Rent Repayment Order from their HMO landlord.

Tenant bidding wars for rental properties hot up - claim

Tenant bidding wars for rental properties hot up - claim

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News
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One in five tenants has lost out in a property bidding war during the last two years, with those in London, Southampton and Brighton facing the toughest competition.

INTERVIEW: The pioneering private landlord with a social purpose

INTERVIEW: The pioneering private landlord with a social purpose

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News
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Private landlords are often portrayed unfairly by some housing campaigners as greedy, concerned only with raising rents and increasing profits.

Does a Periodic Tenancy mean a new tenancy every month?

Does a Periodic Tenancy mean a new tenancy every month?

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Periodic Tenancy: Under English law, once a fixed period tenancy comes to an end it is automatically replaced with a periodic one, based on the rent payment period (commonly monthly), unless the original tenancy is terminated. With an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) terminat

Home Office changes landlords' Right to Rent guidance

Home Office changes landlords' Right to Rent guidance

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News
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Landlords have been reassured that would-be tenants holding EUSS pre-settled status will get an automatic two-year extension before their status expires, unless they have already acquired settled status.

'Renter vote' to play key role in third of constituencies next election

'Renter vote' to play key role in third of constituencies next election

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News
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Private renters now have potentially more political power, with Generation Rent analysis finding that 194 constituencies in England have populations containing 20% or more private renters, up from 114 in 2011.

Short lets giants to share landlords' booking data with Government

Short lets giants to share landlords' booking data with Government

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News
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Airbnb and two other big short-lets platforms have agreed to share their data on guest numbers and nights booked with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to help shape policy decisions on the sector.

Improving clogged-up eviction courts system to take 'years'

Improving clogged-up eviction courts system to take 'years'

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Two legal experts have told MPs probing the Government’s plans to abolish Section 21 ‘no fault evictions’ that improving the crumbling courts system could take years.

Evicting anti-social tenants 'will not be easier' after Section 21 goes - claim

Evicting anti-social tenants 'will not be easier' after Section 21 goes - claim

News
News
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Latest changes to the Renters (Reform) Bill published a few days ago highlight the legal hill that many landlords faced with anti-social tenants will have to climb, it has been claimed.

'Many leaseholder landlords can never allow pets'

'Many leaseholder landlords can never allow pets'

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News
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More tenants living in flats could find themselves unable to have a pet than those in a house under the Renters Reform Bill, warns the founder of a campaigning group.

Second national awards for HMO landlords launches

Second national awards for HMO landlords launches

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The second national awards for HMO landlords has been announced by property management platform COHO chief Helen Turner, who is one of the driving forces behind its creation.

Half of tenants want 'bills included' but only 12% of landlords offer it

Half of tenants want 'bills included' but only 12% of landlords offer it

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News
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Just over half of tenants surveyed about the cost of living want their rent to include all their utility bills, it has been revealed.

Rogue landlords should have properties confiscated, says MP

Rogue landlords should have properties confiscated, says MP

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News
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Rental homes should be confiscated from private landlords who repeatedly break the rules and exploit tenants, according to the head of the Commons housing committee.

Portfolio landlords proving most resilient to harsher economy

Portfolio landlords proving most resilient to harsher economy

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News
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Despite interest rate hikes battering investor confidence, the UK’s portfolio landlords remain focused on expanding their property portfolios, research from Shawbrook finds.

British Gas says landlords need more grants to go green

British Gas says landlords need more grants to go green

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News
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British Gas has urged the government to consider a raft of measures aimed at helping landlords increase energy efficiency, including Green Upgrade Relief which lets them deduct green improvements from their annual income.

HALF of landlords say 'no pets or benefits tenants' despite looming law change

HALF of landlords say 'no pets or benefits tenants' despite looming law change

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At least 44% of landlords won’t let their property to tenants with pets and 15% won’t consider those with children, according to a new Confused.com mortgages poll.

Leaky walls causing the biggest energy loss in UK homes

Leaky walls causing the biggest energy loss in UK homes

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Winter is coming and high energy bills are really focussing attention on to what it takes to properly insulate a home. A well insulated home can make the difference between living in freezing conditions or feeling warm and comfortable this winter.

Landmark rent Rent Repayment Order case to be overturned

Landmark rent Rent Repayment Order case to be overturned

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News
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The Government has revealed that it intends to overturn this year’s landmark Jepsen vs Rakusen rent repayment order decision in the Supreme Court within its Renters (Reform) Bill.

Student landlords win victory as Government amends reform Bill

Student landlords win victory as Government amends reform Bill

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The Government has published some 100 amendments to its Renters (Reform) Bill including ‘missing parts’ left out of the first draft lodged with parliament earlier this year.

TOM'S GUIDE: Using the Small Claims Court

TOM'S GUIDE: Using the Small Claims Court

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Tom Entwistle explains how landlords can proceed when faced with outstanding debts at the end of or even during a tenancy.

Rents racing away including record 6.8% jump in London

Rents racing away including record 6.8% jump in London

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News
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Private rental prices paid by tenants in the UK rose by 6.1% during the 12 months to October 2023, up from 5.7% during the 12 months to September 2023, ONS data shows.

'New landlord portal WON'T remove need for selective licencing'

'New landlord portal WON'T remove need for selective licencing'

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The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has told MPs that the Government's looming national property portal for landlords won’t diminish the need for selective licencing.

EXPERT: Does guaranteed rent pay better than traditional landlording?

EXPERT: Does guaranteed rent pay better than traditional landlording?

Opinion
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Landlords using a guaranteed rent scheme can earn £3,600 a year more than by conventional letting, according to one guaranteed rent provider.