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
In the third in a series of blogs for LandlordZONE on rental reform, Sean Hooker , Head of Redress at the https://www.theprs.co.uk/" <em
Prospective tenants flooding into London this summer along with the continued shrinkage in property numbers is set to create one of the most competitive rental markets ever seen. May bank holiday is when many 12-month and 18-month tenancies come to an end, explains Adam
Across the UK nations theres been a rolling programme of rental reform, one new tenancy regime after another, but has any of this really worked for the benefit of tenants or landlords? We dont yet know the final form the Renters (Reform) Bill will take, theres a long wa
A law firm has warned that the looming property portal will be a gold mine for tax investigators who are likely to focus on accidental landlords rather than rogue operators. The new landlord database proposed by the Renters (Reform) Bill could expose those landlords who may - p
A new Home Energy Efficiency Tool promises to help landlords and homeowners make their homes more energy efficient and reduce bills. The Nationwide Building Society initiative aims to provide information about their current energy use and will then outline the cost, energy or ca
Landlords face even longer waits than normal to evict tenants in London after two big landlords were told that bailiff operations are to be suspended for the foreseeable future. This unusual situation has been blamed by officials on now confirmed health and safety reaso
Rent reforms wont work until the real problem of affordable housing waiting lists is addressed, according to leading property expert Kate Faulkner. Although MPs are focusing on the PRS, the housing crisis is nothing to do with the private sector, believes Faulkner, who sugges
Traditional landlords in the Midlands face growing competition as the region looks set to witness a big expansion in the build-to-rent sector. Birmingham led the way nationally in 2021, according to JLL, which reports that of the pipeline of 50,000 BTR homes outside London, 11,3
Landlords have increasingly fewer BTL mortgages to choose from as lenders withdraw products amid a rise in average fixed rates. Moneyfacts reports that since the beginning of last week, the number available has dropped from 2,748 deals to 2,343 while the average rate on two- and
A rogue landlord has lost a landmark case after she failed to convince an Upper Tribunal to overturn her banning order. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type- " data-rt-type="" data-rt-align=""><div><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63bef2f3c329eff8e3a4af45/64cb99f6e035517f
Landlords in Scotland face further pain after it was announced today that it will for a second time extend the rent cap and evictions freeze first introduced in October last year to help combat rising inflation. The measures within the Cost of Living (Tenant Protec
The burgeoning build-to-rent (BTR) sector has been warned not to rest on its laurels as new research reveals slipping customer service standards. Consultancy hereSAYs BTR Mystery Shopping Benchmark Report found that although the developments still prese
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
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
