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First look: Renters’ Rights Bill promises sweeping changes

First look: Renters’ Rights Bill promises sweeping changes

News

First look at the Renters (Reform) Bill: groundbreaking tenant protections, streamlined landlord redress & flexible ‘pets-in-lets’ rules.

Purplebricks sold to rival for �1 after senior team throw in the towel

Purplebricks sold to rival for �1 after senior team throw in the towel

News

Purplebricks, which at one stage was used by thousands of landlords to manage their properties, has announced that its assets and business are to be sold to rival Strike for �1, pending approval by its shareholders. Any funds remaining in the firm some �5.5 million are

Gove's plan to ease HMO rules for asylum accommodation

Gove's plan to ease HMO rules for asylum accommodation

News

Michael Gove approves relaxed HMO rules for asylum seeker housing, exempting safety standards and licensing; critics warn of potential exploitation.

BLOG: 'Reform bill will solve the problem of pet damage for landlords'

BLOG: 'Reform bill will solve the problem of pet damage for landlords'

News

The long-awaited Renters (Reform) Bill will finally be introduced in parliament after Prime Minister's Questions today. Setting out plans for 12 key reforms to the private rental sector, the 11th pledge - to give tenants the right in law to request a pet, which should not be unr

Agents who lack licencing law know-how 'putting landlords at risk'

Agents who lack licencing law know-how 'putting landlords at risk'

News

Bungling letting agents with a lack of legal understanding are putting landlords at risk of prosecution, it has been claimed. One landlord expert has advised caution when signing up with a firm in the current climate of increasing legislation and falling profits, particularly fo

Opinion: does Michael Gove know something we don't?

Opinion: does Michael Gove know something we don't?

Opinion

It would seem that successive Tory governments have waged an ongoing and progressively more vicious war on buy-to-let landlords, but this latest layer of legislation goes much further. Yes, this latest iteration, and one thats https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/1768/s

EXTRA red tape, scams and repairs drive more landlords to use agencies

EXTRA red tape, scams and repairs drive more landlords to use agencies

News

Almost two thirds (63%) of private landlords who manage their own properties are tired of sorting out repairs and dealing with red tape and considering using a letting agency or property manager instead.  A Uswitch poll of 2,000 landlords found that the most common reason t

Labour targets landlords with new housing reforms

Labour targets landlords with new housing reforms

News

Labour pledges stricter Decent Homes Standard 2 for private landlords, raising property quality and accountability ahead of next general election.

Starmer 'set to U-turn on rent controls' as London Mayor pleads for more powers

Starmer 'set to U-turn on rent controls' as London Mayor pleads for more powers

News

Keir Starmer is set to rebuff previous calls by London mayor Sadiq Khan to bring in a rent freeze, it has been reported. Khan has been banging his rent freeze drum for months now as the cost-of-living crisis has hit many tenants personal finances, telling the BBC in Oct

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Northern council heralds landlord fines of £1.38 million... so far!

Northern council heralds landlord fines of £1.38 million... so far!

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News
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Landlords in County Durham have had to fork out fines totalling £1.38 million in the three years since selective licensing was introduced.

Dozens of new amendments proposed for Renters' Right Bill

Dozens of new amendments proposed for Renters' Right Bill

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Peers have tabled amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill which, if approved, would shape the legislation into a version of the previous Renters’ Reform Bill.

'Chancellor must boost rental homes supply or risk economy'

'Chancellor must boost rental homes supply or risk economy'

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Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been warned that unless more rental properties are built her recent promise to ‘attract the best talent to the UK’ and boost economic growth will fall flat.

Build-to-rent giant celebrates as landlords exit student sector

Build-to-rent giant celebrates as landlords exit student sector

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Private HMO landlords leaving the sector have created a shortage of student housing, according to Unite Students, which boasts that it can help fill the gap with purpose-built student accommodation.

Labour rejects new calls for rent controls

Labour rejects new calls for rent controls

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The government has repeated its rejection of “heavy handed” rent controls despite pressure from peers in the House of Lords.

Northern city to clamp down on 'too many' HMOs

Northern city to clamp down on 'too many' HMOs

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Preston Council has proposed new powers to reject HMO applications amid fears that the city is already being over-run by shared homes.

Landlords offered significantly discounted carpets in Scotland

Landlords offered significantly discounted carpets in Scotland

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Landlords in Scotland who are members of the country’s landlord association are to get discounted carpets when refitting their rented properties,

Landlords and agents slam Scotland's 'anti PRS' budget

Landlords and agents slam Scotland's 'anti PRS' budget

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News
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Landlords and letting agents have slammed the extra BTL tax rise in the Scottish budget which they believe could backfire on the government.

Property lawyer reveals novel solution to 'glacial' evictions

Property lawyer reveals novel solution to 'glacial' evictions

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Moving landlord and tenant disputes from overburdened county courts to tribunals would help clear the backlog and make evictions faster, according to a senior housing lawyer.

How to deal with a personal guarantee in buy-to-let mortgage applications

How to deal with a personal guarantee in buy-to-let mortgage applications

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Landlords are coming under increasing financial pressure given as reports of a 41% increase [i] in buy-to-let mortgage arrears and a 7% growth [ii] in buy-to-let mortgaged properties taken into possession have emerged.

Scotland consults on radical plans for rent controls, pets and evictions

Scotland consults on radical plans for rent controls, pets and evictions

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Landlords in Scotland can have their say on radical PRS reforms that would bring in rent controls, delay evictions and allow tenants to have pets.

Labour’s planned inheritance tax raid on businesses

Labour’s planned inheritance tax raid on businesses

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News
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Labour is planning a “devastating” multi-billion pound inheritance tax raid, which could affect family businesses and in particular farming families.

Gove promises Renters (Reform) Bill progress 'before Christmas'

Gove promises Renters (Reform) Bill progress 'before Christmas'

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News
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Michael Gove has confirmed that the Renters (Reform) Bill is to get its second reading within the next three months, scotching hopes among some landlords that the legislation might have been kicked into the long grass.

Official and updated ‘How to Rent’ guide published

Official and updated ‘How to Rent’ guide published

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The government has published its latest and legally required How to Rent guide with details on the new Housing Loss Prevention Service.

TV star says pay-as-you-go energy tenants must be urged to fit smart meters

TV star says pay-as-you-go energy tenants must be urged to fit smart meters

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TV star Paul Shamplina has called on landlords to urge tenants using pay-as-you-go (PAYG) energy services to fit smart meters.

'Landlords aren’t abandoning buy-to-let'

'Landlords aren’t abandoning buy-to-let'

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High interest rates not forcing landlords to leave the private rented sector as some have claimed says Tom Entwistle

LibDems reveal landlord crackdown in 'manifesto'

LibDems reveal landlord crackdown in 'manifesto'

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The Liberal Democrats have vowed to address the power imbalance between tenants and landlords by introducing national licensing and standards, longer tenancies, rent smoothing and empowered councils.

Tenant bags £5,000 after reporting landlord' failures

Tenant bags £5,000 after reporting landlord' failures

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An elderly landlord’s long-standing failure to carry out roof repairs has resulted in a £5,000 win for his long-standing tenant.

Banned landlord faces jail after renting caravan

Banned landlord faces jail after renting caravan

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A rogue landlord faces a possible jail sentence for harassment and failing to comply with a banning order.

Tory's Green campaigner slams Rishi over EPC U-turn

Tory's Green campaigner slams Rishi over EPC U-turn

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A key member of the recently disbanded Energy Efficiency Taskforce has expressed regret that it failed to launch any effective ideas.

'78% of landlords are at risk from rising mortgage rates'

'78% of landlords are at risk from rising mortgage rates'

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As the Bank of England’s base rate continues to ride high at 5.25% it has been revealed that a much higher proportion of landlords own properties via mortgages than was previously thought.

Landlords 'must be given more tax relief to invest in property'

Landlords 'must be given more tax relief to invest in property'

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Estate agent chain Winkworth has waded into the debate on how to fix the broken property market by calling for an end to infighting around housing delivery and the reinstatement of landlords’ mortgage interest relief.

Landlord fined £5,000 after locking out tenant during illegal eviction

Landlord fined £5,000 after locking out tenant during illegal eviction

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A landlord has been ordered to pay £5,312 for unlawfully evicting his tenant, leaving the renter with nowhere to stay and without access to his belongings and medication.

Confusion reigns among tenants over smart meters at rented homes

Confusion reigns among tenants over smart meters at rented homes

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Nearly a quarter (23%) of people without a smart meter say it’s because - incorrectly - they live in a rental property that can't have one installed.

Tory savages housing minister over 'havoc' caused by rent controls

Tory savages housing minister over 'havoc' caused by rent controls

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Scotland’s minister for tenant’s rights is oblivious to the havoc he’s wreaking in the PRS and the harm being caused to tenants, says Tory MSP.

Nearly half of renters struggling to pay monthly rent says Which?

Nearly half of renters struggling to pay monthly rent says Which?

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New research from the consumer campaign group paints a grim picture of renters facing tough financial conditions as they struggle to pay the rent.

Rishi’s Green U-turn slated by Welsh housing minister in Senedd

Rishi’s Green U-turn slated by Welsh housing minister in Senedd

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Welsh Housing Minister Julie James has warned that Rishi Sunak’s green U-turn means many tenants will continue to rent draughty, inefficient homes and face high energy bills for years to come.

Tougher EPC rules were always going to be scrapped, says expert

Tougher EPC rules were always going to be scrapped, says expert

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A lack of public money to back landlords keen to upgrade their properties islikely to have been a major factor behind Rishi Sunak’s decision to scrap changesto minimum energy standards, an expert has claimed.

Tricky tradespeople, red tape and fraud driving landlords into agents’ arms

Tricky tradespeople, red tape and fraud driving landlords into agents’ arms

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Increasing regulation of the private rented sector, the pain of finding tradespeople to do property repairs and increasing fraud are pushing more landlords into the arms of letting agents, it has been revealed.

Mayor and Trading Standards urge tenants to report rogue landlords via new tool

Mayor and Trading Standards urge tenants to report rogue landlords via new tool

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London renters can flag up breaches of the Tenant Fees Act to Trading Standards by using a new reporting tool.

CONFERENCE: Tories prioritise housing, but no mention of landlords

CONFERENCE: Tories prioritise housing, but no mention of landlords

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The Conservatives have put housing high on the agenda at their upcoming party conference, with at least 30 fringe meetings scheduled to discuss the topic.

Homeowners snapping up homes sold by landlords ‘key reason for higher rents’

Homeowners snapping up homes sold by landlords ‘key reason for higher rents’

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Homeowners are buying the vast majority of rental properties being offloaded by landlords, reducing local rented supply.

Prime Mininster has ‘betrayed landlords’ by ditching EPC upgrade scheme rules

Prime Mininster has ‘betrayed landlords’ by ditching EPC upgrade scheme rules

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Many landlords have spent thousands of pounds on energy efficient upgrades in readiness to meet regulations that have now been ditched by Rishi Sunak.

Landlords offered higher rents by new ground-breaking ‘rent to buy’ service

Landlords offered higher rents by new ground-breaking ‘rent to buy’ service

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A ground-breaking ‘rent to buy’ service that helps tenants get on the property ladder has been expanded to include private landlords.