There is a burning issue within the rented homes market that is grossly unfair on private landlords and that is never discussed by politicians or the trade associations that o
Being ignorant of landlord law is no defence, a brutal legal point that has cost a landlord duo in London dearly after they were told by judges to repay their tenants �12,500
The Governments plans to force landlords to upgrade their properties to a minimum C energy efficiency standard is already affecting how rental properties are being purchased, the boss of a big money firm has claimed. Louisa Sedgwick, Commercial Director at Paragon Bank
The pattern of office working is changing and nowhere is its effect on commercial property being felt more strongly than in Londons Docklands Canary Wharf. A once thriving financial centre The development of the wharf into a thriving financial centre just outsi
Michael Gove has given Nottingham city council the green light to proceed with one of the UKs most expensive and controversial selective licensing schemes. Due to start on December 1st, it will require all rented properties within 20 of its wards to be licenc
A leading lender believes the governments likely decision to row back on EPCs is linked to fears that it will hit an already struggling PRS. Earlier this week, Housing Secretary Michael Gove suggested a delay in bringing in energy efficiency plans for rental properties to
Home buying company the Open Property Group (OPG) has reported a 56% jump in PRS property purchases during the past year, with landlords blaming red tape for their decision to sell up. It bought nearly �6 million worth of property from homeowners and landlords looking for a fas
Three tenants have won a �20,160 rent repayment order from their landlord who failed to licence his HMO. A First Tier Property Tribunal found that Simon Freed let out the three-bedroom flat in Frognal Court, Camden (main picture), a
The Scottish Government has decided not to publish details of how many landlords north of the border have applied to raise their rent above the 3% maximum allowed under the countrys Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act. This controversial legislation was first in
Sub-letting is on the increase within the private rented sector as the cost of living crisis bites, it has been reported. Direct Line says nearly half of all tenants who sublet rooms within their property have not told their landlord or checked they are allowed to within their r
Brent Council is paying a landlord to house the tenant he was trying to evict after failing to come up with any alternative accommodation. The authority paid the legal fees and took over responsibility for paying the rent as long as the landlord continued to let his tenant stay
T The UKs build-to-rent (BTR) stock now stands at 88,100 completed homes, with a further 53,500 homes under construction and 111,800 in the planning pipeline. Savills research reveals that in the second quarter of the year, the sector saw a record-breaking �1.26
Landlords in Birmingham have slammed the citys new selective licensing scheme which some claim is unfairly targeting ethnic communities. The scheme, which took effect at the beginning of June, affects all landlords in 25 of the citys wards which have more than 20% of rente
Be careful what you wish for� is the point I would put to organisations such as Shelter, Generation Rent and other tenant groups. In other words, stop demonising landlords - its not helping the situation especially when we have such a severe rental stock crisis.&
Theyve been dubbed fireproof tenants� news this week reached fever pitch for landlords who rallied together in outrage to hear that multiple local councils had advised tenants not to move out of their houses� no matter what, even if the landlord was in financial difficulty
More than half of all homes in the private rented sector need upgrading to achieve an EPC band C by 2028, with landlords facing a total estimated bill of �30 billion at a time when many are struggling to cover their costs. About 2.9 million properties are affected, with costs f
Rental properties in the North West are each attracting an average of 30 viewing requests as competition among prospective tenants grows more intense. Data commissioned by the BBC from Rightmove shows an average of 20 requests to view each available property in Britain, up from
In a sign that the Renters (Reform) Bill is annoying many and pleasing few, charities and pro-tenant groups have today joined forces to slam the legislation for being too weak. The https://rentersreformcoalition.co.uk/" target="_blank" Renters Ref
Re-selling Energy - As a landlord am I able to make a profit by re-selling electricity or gas?</h2>Resale of Gas and ElectricityThe maximum amount that Residential Landlords or resellers� are permitted to charge for gas or electricity is the amount they
Providing a Reference - I have been asked to provide a reference for one of my tenants who is moving on. What is my legal position in this and am I putting myself at risk if I say he was a bad tenant?</h2> Referencing (seeking verification of a tenants past performance) is an increasi
Polystyrene Ceiling Tiles - is it legal to have these tiles in the kitchen of a rental property?</h2> There are currently no regulations specifically banning the use of polystyrene ceiling tiles in existing rented property.However, it is unlikely that local authority fire officers and en
Misrepresentation - We recently rented out our rural cottage to a couple. As they wanted to use their computers I said it was possible to get high-speed broad-band. I thought this would be possible but it seems it is not at this time. The couple are now claiming that I misled them and that
I'm receiving mail for previous tenants and some of them are from debt collectors. Will this get my property black listed and cause problems for my current tenants and myself in the future?</h2> It's fairly common to have mail arriving for months and even years after residents have left,
Long Term AST - My prospective tenant has asked for a tenancy term of 6 years. Can I use the usual Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement for this?</h2> The Assured Shorthold Tenancy is the default tenancy for residential lettings and since October 2010 this applies to rents up to �100,000
Question: How long should accounts be kept to satisfy the authorities, things like accounting files, invoices and tax records, as a property landlord?Answer: You must keep your records for 6 years after the tax year to which they apply, whether or not you complete a tax return.It's a good idea, a
Expiry of Section 21 Notice - I have served a Section 21 (s21) Notice on my tenant but don't wish to start proceedings immediately. Can I wait without the notice expiring?Once a Section 21 notice has been served correctly it continues indefinitely, until such time as the tenancy is ended, either
Covenant and Covenant Strength - What is a legal covenant and what is the significance of the terms in relation to rental property and lettings ?</h2>The term covenant can have several meanings and has biblical origins but it is of particulalry significance
Following months of uncertainty, this year will be looked back upon as a tumultuous one for landlords.
Yes, legal terms confuse and like many specialisms, the confusion is added to by the fact that different terms often have essentially the same meaning.
A judge has opened the door to higher compensation being paid by landlords if they fail to protect their tenants’ rental deposits within one of the official schemes.
More detail on what information landlords will have to provide to the looming Property Portal have been revealed by the Government.
The Government has said it supports measures that will allow landlords to either charge tenants with cats or dogs both pet insurance at the beginning of tenancies or request that they take out a policy themselves.
A renters’ lobbying says its polling of England’s private renters has found a majority support the changes within the looming Renters (Reform) Bill getting its second reading today in parliament.
The Government has confirmed that it will not bring in its controversial ban on Section 21 evictions within the looming Renters (Reform) Bill until problems with the courts have been fixed.
The NRLA has urged the government to address court hold-ups while debating the Renters Reform Bill – or risk undermining work to improve the sector.
Investors are losing confidence in the Scottish PRS, while rent caps and increased construction costs are halting rental developments, says one property solicitor.
How to Rent Guide : very important when setting up a new tenancy, or on renewal, and when serving a section 21 notice.
University students rate Bath as having the best letting agents in the UK based on the number of reviews and average ratings.
A rogue landlord has been prosecuted for letting eight unlicensed HMOs which breached health and safety rules that put his tenants at risk.
A Kent landlord who dumped a huge pile of his tenant’s belongings in a country lane was rumbled after an investigation traced it back to him.
One of the biggest discussion strings on any landlord forum including our own is how far tenants are allowed to modify or refurbish their property, with many users claiming some renters go too far.
A director of the Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL) has been found guilty of defrauding her landlord with an elaborate scam.
The Mortgage Works (TMW) has shaken up the BTL lending market by making improvements to the affordability assessment applied to portfolio landlords.
New Government schemes that are offering advice to help tenants with legal issues
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is scrutinising green claims from boiler maker Worcester Bosch to see if they mislead landlords.
The Renters Reform Bill is expected to get its second reading on Monday, heralding a huge shake-up of the sector after four years in the planning.
A leading landlord has welcomed the Government’s recent U-turn on EPCs, telling a webinar this week that he was facing a ‘crazy’ bill to upgrade his portfolio of properties to the minimum ‘C’ band.
A quarter of landlords are to sell some of their property portfolio in the coming months but not in the volumes previously claimed, a big letting agency has claimed.
Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Claire Coutinho (main picture) has rejected the idea of tax breaks for landlords to pay for green upgrades.
Harlow Council in Essex aims to take a harder line with private landlords by introducing civil penalties as an alternative to prosecution.
Landlord leader Ben Beadle has pinned the shortage of private rental sector homes squarely on the Government, saying George Osborne’s decision in 2015 to cut mortgage interest tax relief for landlords has been the key driver of the current stock crisis.
Tenants on benefits will get more help when paying court fees during evictions and claiming Rent Repayment Orders after the government expanded its Help with Fees scheme.
