Renting Standards: Specialist residential property solicitor Amanda Sutcliffe of Bray & Bray looks at the importance of keeping a rental property in good condition.Research conducted by Endsleigh Insurance and TrustMark claimed that over 75% of landlords s
Sub-Letting Licenses: (SOLITAIRE) LIMITED Appellant and CHERRY LILIAN NORTON and other cases [2012]Landlords of leasehold buy-to-let flats are often asked to pay a fee (sub-letting licence or registration fee) to the freeholder when seeking permission to sub-let their flat,
Validity of Section 21 Notice: Amak Property Investments v Laura Sonny [2016]This case was an appeal by the tenant following a county court judgement relating to the validity of a s21 notice on the basis that the landlord had not complied with the deposit protection (MyDepo
Essential guide to rent reviews: why reading the lease is crucial for landlords and tenants to navigate rent adjustments effectively.
Tenant Agreement: The Law of Property Act 1925 talks about having a maximum of 4 tenants on an agreement. So what to do when you have 5, 6 or more tenants sharing a house?There is a common misunderstanding of the rules here. Landlords and agents sometimes think or have heard
Advance Rent: Piggot v Slaven and Johnson v. OldThere are two important cases which clarify (though not necessarily decisively) the position on landlords accepting rent payments in advance. One concerns the accepting of the final two months rent in advance, a common devi
Following some confusion and debate about a deferral for the new standards following the MEES* deadline in April 2018, the new government has confirmed that changes to the EPC rules, preventing landlords from renting out homes below rating E, will definitely be introduced from April 2018.Accordin
Responsibility for Repairs: Who is responsible and who is obliged to pay for repairs to leasehold blocks and flats? What is the procedure if repairs are unnecessarily delayed or not carried out to the leaseholders satisfaction? What is the Section 20 procedure?T
Essential guide on how to conduct a rent review, covering key clauses and best practices to protect landlord and tenant interests.
Test Case Yeomans v Newell [2016]:When a landlord is in breach of the tenancy deposit rules he or she is prevented from serving a valid s21 notice for possession proceedings. Despite the fact that the tenancy deposit legislation has been in force since April 2007, landlords
Test Case: Superstrike Ltd v Marino. RodriguesThe case involved a landlord who had taken a deposit from the tenant before the deposit protection rules came into force in April 2007, since changed by the Deregulation Act 2015 see below. When the tenancy later became a st
Test Case: Leeds City Council v Broadley [2016]This case and the subsequent High Court ruling has brought some clarification about who is liable to pay council tax, tenant or landlord, when a rental property is vacant due to a tenant vacating early, that is, before the tena
Ending a Tenancy: What are the rules governing the ending of a statutory periodic tenancy (SPT) by the tenant, especially when the periods of the tenancy are not the standard 1 month?The answer to this question is not easily defined as it is not covered by one rule or a sing
Deposit Scheme Scam: Mydeposits says it is aware of a new scam being used by a fraudulent company imitating mydeposits and targeting landlords and letting agent members of the mydeposits Custodial scheme in England & Wales.The scam uses an email which imitates one from m
Freezing Pipes: This time of year, as we head towards colder weather and freezing conditions, buy-to-let properties and indeed all rental properties are vulnerable to potentially expensive winter water damageIn this article digital inventory app developer Imfuna Le
Guide to commercial tenancy rent-free periods and full repairing leases, explaining tenant obligations on lease expiry or termination.
Landlords and letting agents should by now be conversant with the 2014 regulations on blinds and curtains and the measures necessary to prevent accidents with children. It is particularly important to ensure that blinds and curtains supplied in rental properties meet these regulations, otherwise,
Changes to the law on Section 21 and in particular how landlords deal with reported repair issues is now of crucial importance if section 21 claims for possession are to be successful. Careful pre-planning is now essential at the time of setting-up Assured Shorthold Tenancies (AST).The Section 21
The Halifax revealed today that house prices have fallen on an annual basis for the first time since December 2012, by 1%. This means the average house value has declined by �132 which may not sound a lot but represents a seismic change after years of ultra-low interest rates p
Property educators are being urged to collaborate, learn, and shape the future of property education at The Property Investors Bureau Property Educators Summit. The invitation-only industry event aims to improve standards, foster collaboration, and add value to their business by
Following our storyhttps://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/breaking-evictions-grind-to-a-halt-as-bailiffs-reduce-workload-over-health-and-safety/" https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/breaking-evictions-grind-to-a-halt-as-bailiffs-reduce-workload-over-health-and-safe
Persistent home working is affecting office occupancy rates and is leading commercial tenants to fail to renew their office leases. Ghost city streets have emerged post pandemic as occupancy rates hit a new low. In the UK it has been reported that these office space rates could
Last year saw worrying housing shortages in a number of university cities in the UK. In Leeds we were turning away larger than usual numbers of students at the back end of the summer as there were simply no rooms available. Even before the proposed changes under thehttp
The Welsh Government has launched a consultation on fair rents and adequate housing within which housing minister Julie James (main picture) reveals she is considering rent controls. The https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/consultations/2023-06/housing-adequ
Airbnb is to share data with the taxman on its hosts earnings going as far back as the 2017-18 financial year, a new warning on its website reveals. The information will help HMRC identify those making money from letting their properties without declaring it, who then face cr
A managing agent who failed to licence a property has had his appeal thrown out by a First Tier Property Tribunal. Taren Lamba tried to convince the judge that he was not in control of the property in Kenwood Road, London (main picture) by insisting that a
Illegal evictions and harassment by rogue landlords are increasing as tenants struggle to pay their rent and some landlords resort to criminal means to remove tenants as the court system falters and some landlords seek to exploit soaring rents, according to Safer Renting. Figure
The UK’s housing market is past ‘peak pain’ after a rollercoaster 12 months and is forecast to grow by 17.9% – equivalent to a £45,521 gain on the average home – within five years.
A legal expert has warned that landlords face prosecution for running illegal HMOs if tenants follow Airbnb’s suggestion that they sub-let their homes.
King Charles has heralded the government’s commitment to the Renters Reform Bill in his first King’s speech as monarch.
Homes bought by landlords to rent out via short-let contracts create gross returns of between 12% and 20%, an estate agency has claimed.
Will the Renters (Reform) Bill progress and ban Section 21, despite mounting opposition from Conservative back-benchers?
A rogue landlord firm has been handed a £18,300 fine for letting out an unsafe, unlicensed property - only three months after being fined for the same offence in the same building.
Government's Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 excludes flats from new leasehold ban, prompting MPs to call for broader reforms.
A third of landlords who own rental property in their personal name plan to incorporate their portfolio into a limited company structure within the next three years, according to Paragon Bank.
Rogue landlords who assume they can convert outbuildings into ‘sheds with beds’ have been reminded of the likely fines they will face following a shocking case in Hertfordshire.
The Prime Minister has confirmed that the Renters Reform Bill will be carried over to the next Parliament, as part of this week’s King’s Speech.
The National Landlords Association (NRLA) has backed claims that the buy-to-let sector faces a significant subletting epidemic following an investigation by a national newspaper.
Exploring challenges in overhauling England's leasehold system amid calls for reform and government proposals to shift to commonhold ownership.
A professional landlord who tried to dodge responsibility for his HMO has been ordered to pay two former tenants more than £10,000.
Edinburgh councillors have declared a housing emergency in a bid to force Holyrood to boost funding.
Private tenants in England were most likely to face a rent hike in the last year, while tenants in Wales saw a larger average increase.
Average income from UK property remained relatively stable at about £16,700 between 2017/18 and 2021/22, according to the latest HMRC data.
Encouraging tenants to fit a smart meter should be a top priority for landlords as a way to help them stay debt-free, according to one energy expert.
Anyone investing in commercial property, from small retail shops to offices and workshops should have an understanding of this legislation - the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954
Scottish landlords have vowed to fight on after losing a judicial review of legislation that introduced a contentious rent freeze and eviction ban.
EPC ratings in the PRS don’t appear to be markedly different to those in owner-occupied homes, according to Office for National Statistics data.
The student rental market faces a bleak future unless urgent action is taken to support landlords and make providing rental homes a more attractive proposition.
The NRLA has reached out to leading members of the Renters Reform Coalition to find common ground on key issues.
A pledge by insurance brokers could mean owners of flats in buildings with identified fire safety issues see significantly lower insurance premiums.
A rogue landlord has avoided serving jail time, despite breaching a banning order and being found guilty of harassment.
Gas Safety Checks: Similar the car MOT, where the test can be done ahead of time, while retaining the existing renewal date, landlord gas checks will now be allowed on the same basis, up to 2 months ahead of time
