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Landlord fights council over £15,000 HMO fine... and wins

Landlord fights council over £15,000 HMO fine... and wins

News

A landlord has successfully fought a licensing fine after an Upper Tribunal judge ruled it couldn’t be proved that a fifth tenant was living permanently in his HMO.

'Landlord bashing won't help solve housing crisis'

'Landlord bashing won't help solve housing crisis'

News

A mortgage lending expert has warned that landlord bashing risks pushing out more smaller landlords, creating a vicious circle of fewer available rental properties and higher rents for tenants.

Landlords spending 'too much' on EPC upgrades

Landlords spending 'too much' on EPC upgrades

News

Most landlords’ ignorance of the points-based EPC system means they can sometimes spend more money than necessary on energy efficiency improvements.

Tenants can now pay landlords via their credit card

Tenants can now pay landlords via their credit card

News

A digital platform that enables tenants to pay their rent via their credit or debit card rather than a BACS payment has officially launched in the UK.

Local authorities’ new powers to auction leases of vacant commercial premises

Local authorities’ new powers to auction leases of vacant commercial premises

News

Local authorities' now have new powers to auction off leases of vacant commercial units in Britain’s town centres and high streets

Landlords worried about missing payments discover agent in jail

Landlords worried about missing payments discover agent in jail

News

Landlords who complained about a missing letting agent have discovered that he had been jailed for assaulting a sex worker.

Government to spend millions stopping landlord evictions

Government to spend millions stopping landlord evictions

News

More money will be spent persuading landlords not to evict tenants as part of a huge cash boost to help prevent homelessness.

Northern council to expand selective licensing

Northern council to expand selective licensing

News

More landlords in Wirral could have to pay for a selective licence under plans being drawn up by the local council.

Rents rising by 9.1% a year on average, official figures reveal

Rents rising by 9.1% a year on average, official figures reveal

News

Rents charged for new tenancies across the UK continue to rise as landlords seek to offset higher costs and supply continue to be weak, latest Government data shows.

Labour to allow councils to 'take over' empty rental properties

Labour to allow councils to 'take over' empty rental properties

News

Councils will be given more power to force landlords to rent out vacant residential properties as part of the government’s English Devolution white paper.

Letting agents warn over Labour's plan to increase licensing

Letting agents warn over Labour's plan to increase licensing

News

Letting agents have slammed plans to ease licensing rules that will mean local councils can introduce large selective schemes without government approval.

HMO landlords warned as London council begins 1,000s inspections

HMO landlords warned as London council begins 1,000s inspections

News

Ealing Council has ramped up its crackdown on rogue landlords with a rigorous programme of HMO inspections.

Councils given more powers to licence landlord properties

Councils given more powers to licence landlord properties

News

Local authorities will no longer have to ask the Secretary of State for permission to introduced selective licensing schemes in England and Northern Ireland, it has been revealed.

Lenders warn of 'challenging' year ahead for landlords

Lenders warn of 'challenging' year ahead for landlords

News

Economic headwinds are set to shrink purchases in the buy-to-let market by 7% next year to £9 billion, predicts UK Finance.

Norwich landlords fume over missing rental payments

Norwich landlords fume over missing rental payments

News

Landlords in Norwich are chasing thousands of pounds in rent payments from a letting agency which appears to have gone under.

Tenant demo in London calls for rent controls

Tenant demo in London calls for rent controls

News

Hundreds of tenants have staged a protest in central London calling for the government to introduce rent controls.

Major national park moves to restrict holiday lets

Major national park moves to restrict holiday lets

News

One of the UK’s larger national parks is planning to stop any new homes that are built within it being used as holiday/short lets or second homes.

Legal Matters: Serving notices, don’t fall foul of the law

Legal Matters: Serving notices, don’t fall foul of the law

Information

A crucial task for landlords and agents is to correctly serve statutory notices and other documents

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UK's biggest secret landlord reveals why he's selling up most of his portfolio

UK's biggest secret landlord reveals why he's selling up most of his portfolio

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News
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LandlordZONE sits down with one of Londons most prolific but little-known landlords who has spent 30 years amassing a huge portfolio in the East End and West End areas of the capital. For reasons of privacy, and a desire to remain behind the scenes, he doesnt want to

Paul Shamplina: 'Possession cases will rise in 2022'

Paul Shamplina: 'Possession cases will rise in 2022'

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News
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So, we ended 2021 after twenty-one months since the first Covid lockdown with the new variant, Omicron, spreading fast, and with Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland putting in stricter measures and speculation that England may follow with an announcement early in the New Year.

Opinion: How will small-scale private landlords fare in 2022?

Opinion: How will small-scale private landlords fare in 2022?

Opinion
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An example of the difficulty of prediction is the conclusion to a detailed study recently published on the private rented sector by the London School of Economics (a study commissioned by the NRLA) Individually and cumulatively, the recent tax changes

Landlord slapped with �40,700 fine after 'honest mistake' over HMO licence

Landlord slapped with �40,700 fine after 'honest mistake' over HMO licence

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News
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A lettings agency boss and landlord has been slapped with a �40,700 Rent Repayment Officer despite claiming that his failure to licence an HMO was an honest mistake. A First Tier Property Tribunal handed five former tenants the maximum award for the period from September 2019 t

Scottish government unveils controversial rent reform plans

Scottish government unveils controversial rent reform plans

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News
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Scotland’s Housing Bill proposes rent controls, winter eviction bans, pet rights & tougher eviction penalties in private sector overhaul.

Bristol significantly expands HMO and selective licensing schemes

Bristol significantly expands HMO and selective licensing schemes

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News
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Bristol has approved plans to extend landlord licensing in Brislington West, Bedminster and Horfield wards in a bid to raise PRS standards. The scheme includes additional licensing - HMOs with three or more unrelated people sharing facilities and selective licensing - privat

Durham’s new licensing scheme for 29,000 homes: What you need

Durham’s new licensing scheme for 29,000 homes: What you need

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News
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Durham County Council's selective licensing scheme covers 29,000 homes, requiring landlords to apply by 31 July for a £350–£500 licence fee.

Test Case: Council advising tenants to stay put after valid s21 notice served

Test Case: Council advising tenants to stay put after valid s21 notice served

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News
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This is a Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman case involving an unnamed landlord (LandlordX or MrX) and Brentwood Borough Council. The case revolves around a common situation where the landlord required possession of the property after serving a valid section 21 notice un

'Let’s not forget property remains the best performing investment'

'Let’s not forget property remains the best performing investment'

Opinion
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I've been in the property investment business for almost 30 years and during this period opportunities have come and gone but I've yet to discover an asset class that perf

Higher costs and eviction reform worrying hard-pressed landlords

Higher costs and eviction reform worrying hard-pressed landlords

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News
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Landlords are becoming increasingly worried about both rising costs and the Government’s plans to scrap ‘no fault’ Section 21 evictions next year, it has been claimed.

Shelter refutes claim it has 'become too big'

Shelter refutes claim it has 'become too big'

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News
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Shelter has told a BBC TV show that the organisation has not become too big.

Merry Xmas - here's a bit of festive landlord poetry fun!

Merry Xmas - here's a bit of festive landlord poetry fun!

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News
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A very Merry Christmas to all our readers from the LandlordZONE editorial team.

The war on landlords: are these “bogeymen” to blame for the housing crisis?

The war on landlords: are these “bogeymen” to blame for the housing crisis?

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News
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Are landlords to blame for our housing crisis, or are they on the receiving end of a very raw deal?

Scottish minister ploughs on with EPC rules plan for landlords

Scottish minister ploughs on with EPC rules plan for landlords

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News
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Scottish ministers have defended proposals to introduce minimum energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector by 2028.

Ballooning rents 'entirely the Government's fault', says leading figure

Ballooning rents 'entirely the Government's fault', says leading figure

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News
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A leading figure in the property world has pinned the blame for the UK’s rocketing rent rises on the Government, claiming that it’s absurd to accuse landlords and letting agents of profiteering from huge demand.

Big energy firm reveals move into rented property sector

Big energy firm reveals move into rented property sector

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News
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Octopus Energy is launching its first private rental properties in the new year, kitted out with solar panels, heat pumps, and home storage batteries, where tenants are guaranteed to pay no energy bills for a minimum of five years.

City reveals official go-ahead for £908 landlord licencing scheme

City reveals official go-ahead for £908 landlord licencing scheme

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News
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The government has given Peterborough Council the green light for its new selective licensing scheme, covering 40% of the city’s private rental properties.

Three more lenders commit to helping 'in limbo' leaseholders

Three more lenders commit to helping 'in limbo' leaseholders

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News
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Landlords who are unable to sell apartments because the block they are in continue to suffer from post-Grenfell fire safety issues have been given some additional Xmas cheer.

Pressure grows to scrap licencing when landlord portal goes live

Pressure grows to scrap licencing when landlord portal goes live

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News
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Housing Secretary Michael Gove has strongly hinted that selective licensing schemes will not be needed when the government’s new property portal is launched.

Landlord to lose £643,000 leasehold flat after listing on Airbnb

Landlord to lose £643,000 leasehold flat after listing on Airbnb

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News
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A landlord looks set to lose his leasehold flat after being caught renting it out on Airbnb by his freeholder.

Majority of landlords expect higher mortgage payments in 2024

Majority of landlords expect higher mortgage payments in 2024

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News
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Almost two-thirds of private landlords expect to see their mortgage payments increase over the next 12 months, leading to higher rents.

Government pumps £1.5 billion more into Boiler Replacement Scheme

Government pumps £1.5 billion more into Boiler Replacement Scheme

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News
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The government has promised an extra £1.5 billion for its Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which landlords can access to fund heat pump installations.

County court delays for landlords and agents 'unacceptable'

County court delays for landlords and agents 'unacceptable'

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News
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Propertymark has pressed the Government once more to establish a dedicated housing court to take the pressure of PRS disputes from the county courts and speed up the possession process.

UPDATED: Tom's top tips for condensation and mould

UPDATED: Tom's top tips for condensation and mould

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Tom Entwistle, a residential and commercial landlord since the 1970s and founder of LandlordZONE, offers a landlords perspective on a topical issue. In this article, Tom shares his insights into damp, mould and condensation in rental properties.

Landlord under investigation over ban breaches

Landlord under investigation over ban breaches

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News
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A banned Bristol landlord is under investigation after at least nine of her properties appeared on Airbnb.

BREAKING: Landlords given suspended sentences over Covid loan fraud

BREAKING: Landlords given suspended sentences over Covid loan fraud

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News
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Two landlords have been handed suspended jail sentences for abusing a Covid Bounce Back Loan then dissolving their company to avoid paying it back.

£4 million merger creates Airbnb competitor in luxe short-lets

£4 million merger creates Airbnb competitor in luxe short-lets

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News
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Landlords looking to rent their properties out via short lets now have more choice after British platform UnderTheDoormat announced it has merged with European counterpart Veeve.

Landlord average mortgage rises from £802 to £1,370 a month

Landlord average mortgage rises from £802 to £1,370 a month

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News
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Monthly interest costs have soared by 283% since 2021 for landlords using interest-only mortgages, while those making a full monthly repayment have seen the monthly cost of their mortgage climb by 71%.

Landlords caught up in CGT schemes need to mug up on the rules

Landlords caught up in CGT schemes need to mug up on the rules

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This article discusses the implications for landlords of capital gains tax (CGT), a tax avoidance scheme and it sets out a brief summary of property tax rules.

Renew electrics now to avoid 2025 EICR rush

Renew electrics now to avoid 2025 EICR rush

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News
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Landlords urged to renew Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs) in 2024 to avoid delays and potential fines as demand surges in 2025.

Letting agency faces strike off after failing landlord clients

Letting agency faces strike off after failing landlord clients

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News
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Scottish ministers could decide to strike letting agent Belvoir Perth from the country's letting register after it ignored a tribunal order to pay out compensation.

Landlord defends 'publicity stunt' chainsaw eviction video

Landlord defends 'publicity stunt' chainsaw eviction video

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News
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Controversial property educator Samuel Leeds has insisted that his latest online video – breaking through a door with a chainsaw – wasn’t illegal and aimed to highlight private landlords’ predicament.

Lawyers call for more cash to fund tenant eviction fight-backs

Lawyers call for more cash to fund tenant eviction fight-backs

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News
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The Law Society of England and Wales has called for more housing legal aid to help those tenants facing eviction or repossession.

Midlands town issues first banning order - against criminal landlord

Midlands town issues first banning order - against criminal landlord

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Warwick Council has handed out its first banning order, to rogue landlord Grzegorz Surminski who sub-let a dangerous and unlicensed HMO.