At rent review, the phrase 'going to arbitration' is often bandied about during negotiations as a means for one party to get its own way. Whether or not the parties can agree the rent without involving the dispute resolution procedure, it is common for a represented or experienced party to inv
From the 1st of October 2015 it became a statutory requirement that landlords issue all new tenants after that date with the latest edition of a Government publication The How to Rent Guide�, along with a current Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and a current Gas Safety
From 1st February 2016 all new tenants in England must be given Right-to-Rent (Immigration) Checks to determine their "right-to-rent" or "right-to-reside" in the country, BEFORE they can be given a tenancy. Landlords or letting agents must do the checks - letting agents where the
This is a Guide to Tax Deductible Letting Expenses for Landlords under the new tax rules following the Summer Budget 2015. These may be subject to change and you are advised to consult a tax specialist before making any decisions.From April 2016 landlords will no longer be able to automatically d
An Edinburgh landlord set-up hidden cameras in the bedroom and bathroom of his flat, to film people in bed and in the shower.The cameras were discovered by a young couple, friends of the landlord who allowed them to use the accommodation. The couple found a box on the living room table with a cam
Amongst the ways to agree or ascertain the (open) market rent at rent review or on renewal of a lease, (per s.34-s35 Landlord and Tenant Act 1954), is the use of comparable evidence.At rent review, the market rent for the premises is not what rent the actual tenant would agree or could afford, bu
There are two instances of section 20 notices in property in England:(1) is the notice served in relation to early shorthold tenancies under the Housing Act 1988, and the other,(2) refers to section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, as amended by the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act (CLR
Who pays for maintenance and repairs in a residential letting, landlord or tenant?Is it, for example, a tenants responsibility once they occupy my building to look after most of the regular house maintenance items? If the fridge stops working does the tenant or the landlord need to repair it?Y
With commercial property, rent reviews are generally to the open market rent, but sometimes the rent would be adjusted to the Retail Price Index (RPI). RPI is generally considered more favourable to landlords than CPI or other methodologies.There is no link between open market rent and inflatio
Amongst the thorny issues in the relationship between landlord and tenant is the building insurance premium. Unlike residential property where the landlord has a vested interest in making sure the premium is competitive, because more than likely the premium would not be recoverable from the tenan
Theres recently been a spate of press reports and political wrangling about the existence of Zero-Hour Contracts. This has become something of a hot political issue as we approach a general election, and one surprising development is recent attempts to embroil landlords in the issue, as if the
Traditionally, with commercial (business) leases, a contractual provision within the lease specifies the use, or uses to which a property may be put and the uses which are prohibited.The formal classification of Uses� are set out in the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 as a
As most Assured Shorthold Tenancies (AST) are by definition, short, there is usually no need for landlords to get involved in processing a rent increase.However, some ASTs run for long periods after the fixed term has ended, i.e., when the tenancy becomes a statutory periodic tenancy, hence there
The ideal for any landlord is for the tenant to have a guarantor and provide a rent deposit. But which is better when the landlord has to choose?The starting point is the status of the tenant. With a tenant that is one person (an individual) the likelihood of that person being of independent fina
When you rent out a property two vital stages in the process are when you check-in your tenants at the start of the tenancy and check-out at the end.Preparation is the key to a trouble free let. When you prepare properly you are carrying out management processes so that nothing is left to chance
Elsewhere on LandlordZONE (at https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/information/what-is-a-section-25-notice" https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/information/what-is-a-section-25-notice and https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/information/what-is-a-section-26-notice-2 ) you can find out about sec
Contrary to popular belief, 'upward-only' rent review does not mean the rent must increase.An 'upward-only' review means that the rent payable after the review to open market rental is agreed or ascertained would not be less than the rent payable before the rent review, even if the open market re
There are dangers with using the Section 8 possession claims process under the Housing Act 1988 which are not always apparent to landlords and agents.There is always a temptation to use section 8 because the shorter notice period (usually 2 weeks) is much quicker to court than the alternative - s
A leading evictions lawyer has warned that without massive investment in the court system, time scales for possession hearings will dramatically increase.
The Government has revealed more details about its much-awaited and somewhat feared Renters’ Rights Bill that had its initial reading in parliament earlier this month.
Estate agency Leaders offers landlords some advice on how to stop being ripped off by fraudsters online.
Private tenants in Norfolk are being handed data loggers to record humidity levels in a bid to encourage simple lifestyle changes.
Landlords in Rugby will need permission to convert any home into an HMO next year after the council voted to introduce an Article 4 direction.
Short let and holiday lets landlords in Edinburgh could soon have to charge guests a visitor levy under the first scheme of its kind in the UK.
A landlord has lost his legal battle to challenge a £12,600 rent repayment order after he tried to illegally evict two former tenants.
Here are 6 things you must do to survive the Renters’ Rights Bill onslaught...
Rent-to-rent agreements will carry even greater risk when Labour’s assured shorthold tenancies come into force with the Renters’ Rights Bill, explains a top property lawyer.
A landlord has been found guilty of illegally letting two ‘party flats’ after neighbours complained about excessive noise.
Lobbying group says tenant Bridget Chapman's experiences of a sudden rent rise is proof controls are needed.
The Government has increased its support for tenants who face eviction as its looming reforms bring in greater rights for private
A landlord who thought he could ignore council warnings over his property has been fined £10,000.
Labour has revealed more details of the new minimum standards private landlords will have to meet.
AdvoCATS has launched initiative after Labour decided inexplicably not to allow landlords to require tenants to take out pet insurance.
Lord Hacking tells housing minister Government is 'plain wrong' in its insistence on banning fixed-term tenancies.
Government reveals it is about to consult on a new Decent Homes Standard that will apply to private as well as social landlords.
Housing minister says asking students to commit before Christmas to a tenancy the next year is unfair.
The LandlordZONE podcast invites one of the agents who has been leading the charge to temper Ministers' reforming zeal.
The bill is designed to afford tenants more protections, but could it lead to them being ‘forced out’ of their homes?
The HMO that AM PM Estates managed in Slough was found to be dirty and in a poor state of repair inside and out, including a
More landlords are selling up than buying new properties to rent, a new Savills report highlights.
The Government has, following feedback from various property and other industry bodies, delayed the 'big switch off'.
In an unusual move, a Midlands local authority has added the four men to the national rogue landlords database.
Robust tenant referencing will be increasingly important for landlords when the Section 8 process becomes more protracted.
Labour's bewildering decision to U-turn on requiring tenants to have pet insurance has been slammed.
New research reveals how higher yields make licensed HMOs much sought after among investors.
All landlords in Greater Manchester will be expected to sign up for the Charter scheme which is the first of its kind in the UK
Brighton & Hove Council has given the go-ahead for a crackdown on short lets in a bid to reclaim homes.
A letting agent who was fined for letting a room in an unlicensed HMO has won his appeal.
Landlords with existing tenancy agreements which have rent payable in advance can continue collecting it until the tenancy ends.
The Renters’ Rights Bill is being held up and isn’t expected to become law until at least the autumn, according to reports.
