Date

Library

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Is converting commercial buildings to residential use a viable proposition?

Is converting commercial buildings to residential use a viable proposition?

News

Converting commercial buildings to residential use would seem an ideal solution to a housing shortage, especially with and a glut of underused commercial buildings, but how easy is it? The planning regulation changes have made it easier to convert commercial buildings to residen

BREAKING: New mandatory 'How to Rent' guide delayed for a week

BREAKING: New mandatory 'How to Rent' guide delayed for a week

News

The new How to Rent guide due to come out today (17th March) has been delayed for a week, according to industry sources. The new guide forms part of the prescribed information that landlords in England must issue at the start of any new tenancy or renewa

John Lewis build-to-rent plans stall as locals oppose huge apartment 'towers'

John Lewis build-to-rent plans stall as locals oppose huge apartment 'towers'

News

John Lewiss build-to-rent strategy appears to be stalling amid local opposition to its plans for large developments in West Ealing and Bromley. The retailer has just announced pre-tax losses of �234 million as sales dipped 2% last year, making it even more vital to find new

'Disappointing' - housing chiefs slam lack of property measures in Budget

'Disappointing' - housing chiefs slam lack of property measures in Budget

News

Landlords, estate agents and surveyors have all given yesterdays Budget an unqualified thumbs down after the Chancellor chose to focus on economic growth but ignore several problem threatening to engulf the housing market. All have said the budget was disappointing and a m

BUDGET: Scrapping lifetime pension fund limit 'will reduce BTL investment'

BUDGET: Scrapping lifetime pension fund limit 'will reduce BTL investment'

News

Despite new research showing that one in four people plan to invest in property to generate retirement income, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's scrapping of the 'lifetime pension fund limit' could dampen demand for BTL property, says Cornerstone Tax. The impact of inflation on savings a

'A budget that does nothing to help struggling renters', says Shelter

'A budget that does nothing to help struggling renters', says Shelter

News

Shelter has slammed the Chancellor for failing to raise Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates in his spring Budget. The homeless charity says Jeremy Hunt could have put an end to spiralling homelessness, but instead, he has stuck his head in the sand. Yet again we

Leading economics expert says 'enough is enough' for bruised landlords

Leading economics expert says 'enough is enough' for bruised landlords

News

Sunday Times economics editor David Smith has expressed sympathy for private landlords who he believes feel bruised by increasing regulation in the sector. He says higher mortgage rates might be the straw that breaks the camels back for many, with some alrea

Gap between renting and home ownership cost narrows as mortgage payments rise

Gap between renting and home ownership cost narrows as mortgage payments rise

News

First time buyers remain better off owning than renting an equivalent home, Lloyds Bank says, but the gap is narrowing. Its latest Owning vs Renting Review reveals that owning a first home now costs �971 a month, four percent less than renting at �1,013.

BUDGET 2023: Hunt ignores pressing needs of landlords and tenants

BUDGET 2023: Hunt ignores pressing needs of landlords and tenants

News

The government failed to offer long-term support for energy efficiency improvements or increase the Local Housing Allowance in a Budget which instead focused on getting the country back to work. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended support for energy bills at current levels of �2,50

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Big midlands council says new £1,100 HMO licences 'justified'

Big midlands council says new £1,100 HMO licences 'justified'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Peterborough defends decision to bring some 1,800 smaller HMOs into its licensing clutches.

'Historic shift' from residential to commercial property revealed

'Historic shift' from residential to commercial property revealed

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Report from Handelbanken paints picture of regulation bearing down on investor sentiment with predictable results.

'Ending ASTs gives tenants power  they don't want' reveals research

'Ending ASTs gives tenants power  they don't want' reveals research

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Renters' Rights Bill will also end the 'flexibility' of tenure that landlords and tenants have been enjoying for decades.

UPDATED: Letting agents now face anti money laundering checks

UPDATED: Letting agents now face anti money laundering checks

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

From Wednesday 14 May 2025 letting agents are required to check landlords, tenants and guarantors by making anti money laundering (AML) checks

A read asks - What will be the effect of the Renters' rights bill on my buy to let business? 

A read asks - What will be the effect of the Renters' rights bill on my buy to let business? 

Information
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The Renters' Rights Bill will become law soon; a reader asks, what will be the result of it on my buy-to-let portfolio?

Landlord being 92 years old 'no excuse' for licensing failure

Landlord being 92 years old 'no excuse' for licensing failure

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A 92-year-old landlord has been slapped with a £9,360 Rent Repayment Order after two tenants took him to tribunal for renting out an unlicensed HMO.

Landlords slam Labour as 'anti investment' in housing

Landlords slam Labour as 'anti investment' in housing

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Landlords have accused Labour of being ‘anti investment’ in the as a new survey reveals over half are worried about the costs of EPC upgrades, the Renters’ Rights Bill and mooted increases in Capital Gains Tax.

Greens fail in bid to stop above-inflation rent increases

Greens fail in bid to stop above-inflation rent increases

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The Scottish government has rejected proposals to increase rents by no more than the cost-of-living or increase in wages, at the latest stage of the Housing (Scotland) Bill.

'Clean-up' of property deal sourcing sector begins with new initiative

'Clean-up' of property deal sourcing sector begins with new initiative

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A new initiative aims to clean up property sourcing’s reputation and help compliant agents get deals signed off by finance firms.

Can tenancy contracts be signed electronically?

Can tenancy contracts be signed electronically?

Information
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

It is very convenient and timely to accept documents relating to tenancies signed electronically and transmitted electronically - are they legal valid?

Agency pays high price for harassing tenants

Agency pays high price for harassing tenants

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A letting agency in Hove has been ordered to pay nearly £69,000 for “abhorrent and vile” behaviour towards its tenants.

Kids and pets raise the cost of renting

Kids and pets raise the cost of renting

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Renters with pets or children are paying as much as £460 more during their tenancy compared to other renters.

Private buying companies rush to snap up buy-to-let portfolios in bulk

Private buying companies rush to snap up buy-to-let portfolios in bulk

Sponsored
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

After a tough week, starting with reports from the Telegraph urging banks to “stop treating landlords like cash cows”.

Fewer landlords offering homes to rent reports RICS

Fewer landlords offering homes to rent reports RICS

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A buoyant private rented market continues to outshine the struggling sales sector, although there is cause for optimism long-term, reports The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Two landlords 'banned' for not providing safety documents

Two landlords 'banned' for not providing safety documents

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Landlords wondering how the planned register for landlords in England may operate have been given a taste of what’s to come following a case in Glasgow.

Barclays ordered to pay leading landlord compensation

Barclays ordered to pay leading landlord compensation

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Barclays has been ordered to pay benefits landlord Mick Roberts compensation over a long-running saga which saw him wrongly given a bad credit rating.

Landlords to face 52% higher costs when remortgaging BTL loans

Landlords to face 52% higher costs when remortgaging BTL loans

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

UK landlords face 52% higher mortgage costs when remortgaging at 6.5% rates, with 17% of Buy-to-Let loans resetting in the next 17 months.

Landlords could put new life into UK high streets

Landlords could put new life into UK high streets

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Investing in commercial property can be an attractive alternative to buy-to-let

Landlords and tenants warned over shocking Facebook scams

Landlords and tenants warned over shocking Facebook scams

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

An investigation has revealed that nearly all the flat listings on Facebook Marketplace in central Glasgow were potential scams.

Landlords tell Labour it must unfreeze 'unjust' LHA rates

Landlords tell Labour it must unfreeze 'unjust' LHA rates

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Landlords urge Labour to unfreeze 'unjust' Local Housing Allowance rates, citing rising rent arrears and limited affordable housing options.

Occupiers' Liability: What happens when a tenant is injured?

Occupiers' Liability: What happens when a tenant is injured?

Information
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Liability for personal injury. What is the landlord's position on liability for injuries to persons on or near his premises?

Bizarre link made between ageing and renting a home

Bizarre link made between ageing and renting a home

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Tenants in the private rented sector age biologically faster than homeowners, according to new research, which believes scrapping Section 21 will help reverse the process.

Deposits scheme removes fee to make renting cheaper

Deposits scheme removes fee to make renting cheaper

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Tenants using Jersey’s tenancy deposit scheme will no longer have to pay a protection fee from next month.

Beware: Self-employed sex workers targeting rentals

Beware: Self-employed sex workers targeting rentals

Information
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Landlords and letting agents should be aware that a new breed of online self-employed sex worker is targeting privately rentedproperties as ideal premises for their businesses, which two recent caseshandled by my team have highlighted.

Banned landlord takes on critics, claiming tenants 'love him'

Banned landlord takes on critics, claiming tenants 'love him'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A slum landlord who received the longest ever banning order has insisted that his tenants love him.

'Labour must help landlords if they want to solve housing crisis'

'Labour must help landlords if they want to solve housing crisis'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The NRLA has told the Labour party leadership to follow its own MPs advice and encourage landlords to provide more privately rented properties if it wants to solve the housing crisis.

Tory MP denies harrassing tenant over unpaid rent

Tory MP denies harrassing tenant over unpaid rent

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A Tory MP has been accused of intimidating a tenant he is trying to evict from his farm.

Green Party leader says landlords 'lining their pockets'

Green Party leader says landlords 'lining their pockets'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The Green party has promised to introduce rent controls and force landlords to make energy efficient improvements.

Tenancy deposit disputes on the rise as cost of living crisis bites

Tenancy deposit disputes on the rise as cost of living crisis bites

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Complaints involving disputed tenancy deposits have been rising after TDS, which operates three deposit schemes in the UK, recorded a 20% increase over the past 12 months.

UPDATED: Tenancy surrender and mitigating losses

UPDATED: Tenancy surrender and mitigating losses

Information
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Commercial and Residential: Can a landlord insist his tenant pays rent until the end of the tenancy term when the tenant abandons the property

UPDATED: Lease agreements for commercial property explained

UPDATED: Lease agreements for commercial property explained

Information
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Commercial Leases: When leasing a commercial property, its important to know where your responsibilities as a landlord

Millions awarded to 'safer renting' scheme for landlords, tenants and letting agents

Millions awarded to 'safer renting' scheme for landlords, tenants and letting agents

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Councils in Suffolk are embarking on an unusually collaborative approach that’s set to improve the county’s PRS homes and is understood to be the first to go ahead with such a scheme.

Famous village votes to ban holiday lets and second homes‍

Famous village votes to ban holiday lets and second homes‍

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Locals in a Norfolk seaside village have voted to ban people from buying second homes in a bid to help locals find affordable properties.

HMRC warns landlords over 'hybrid' tax avoidance scheme

HMRC warns landlords over 'hybrid' tax avoidance scheme

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A tax avoidance scheme being marketed to private landlords ‘will not work’ and could lead those who take them paying more tax in the long run, HMRC has warned.