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Renters' Rights Bill due back in Commons next month

Renters' Rights Bill due back in Commons next month

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The Renters’ Rights Bill returns to the Commons for its second reading next month, as the new government fast-tracks its shake up of the PRS.

Landlord fined for failing to improve cold and mouldy home

Landlord fined for failing to improve cold and mouldy home

News

A rogue landlord who persistently ignored requests to carry out improvement works on her property has been ordered to pay £2,400.

TECH: Platform delivers insights to ease property-buying process

TECH: Platform delivers insights to ease property-buying process

News

Landlords are being encouraged to trial a tech tool that gives them new insights to make property buying less risky.

North-South rental gap is smallest in a decade

North-South rental gap is smallest in a decade

News

The gap between rents in the North and South of England has closed to its smallest level since 2013.

Councils’ disastrous journey into commercial property investments

Councils’ disastrous journey into commercial property investments

News

English councils collectively went on a near £7bn commercial property buying spree, a reel into cinemas proved to be a disaster...

Landlord left family living in fear at unlicensed home

Landlord left family living in fear at unlicensed home

News

A rogue landlord who left a family of eight living in damp and dangerous conditions has been told to pay more than £3,000 by magistrates.

Calls grow for short-let licensing to rebalance PRS

Calls grow for short-let licensing to rebalance PRS

News

MPs are pushing the government to introduce a licensing scheme for short-term lets in England.

Stock crisis predicted to worsen as landlords brace for bad news

Stock crisis predicted to worsen as landlords brace for bad news

News

More than one in 10 homes for sale on Zoopla in July were formerly rented, prompting fears that a challenging autumn budget could further increase sales.

Expected tax grab prompts fearful landlords to quit

Expected tax grab prompts fearful landlords to quit

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An ongoing shortage of rental properties is expected to keep pushing rents higher as more landlords look to scale back their portfolios.

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Sub-letting Leasehold

Sub-letting Leasehold

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Sub-letting leasehold - I want to rent out my leasehold flat but the managing agent says the freeholder wont allow it. I know that other flats in the block are rented out, so what can I do? Landlords usually prohibit sub-letting to safeguard the interest.Landlords usually prohibit sub-letting

Renting to a 17 year old

Renting to a 17 year old

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What are the implications of renting to a 17 year old or someone who is under the age of 18? We have an application from a 17-year old that is keen to rent but Im not sure this would be legal?</h2> Many landlords and housing providers would be concerned and therefore refuse to let to

Rent Review

Rent Review

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Question - Rent Review - my landlord is asking for far more rent than I expected on review. Am I obliged to pay this?Answer - Commercial leases are contractual - the parties agree to and are bound by its clauses and that includes rent review provisions.The rent review process is a way of periodic

Re-selling Energy

Re-selling Energy

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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

Providing a Reference

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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

Polystyrene Ceiling Tiles

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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

Misrepresentation

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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

Mail for Previous Tenants

Mail for Previous Tenants

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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

Long Term AST

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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

EXCLUSIVE: Big city reveals plans to expand selective licencing

EXCLUSIVE: Big city reveals plans to expand selective licencing

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Manchester landlords look set to face more selective licencing after the council revealed it was recruiting a project manager to research new licensing areas.

Rogue landlord handed maximum £30,000 fine

Rogue landlord handed maximum £30,000 fine

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A rogue landlord has been handed the maximum £30,000 fine after 17 people were found living in a four-bedroom house which posed a fire risk to its vulnerable tenants.

Generation Rent: Rishi's EPC U-turn 'cruel and reckless'

Generation Rent: Rishi's EPC U-turn 'cruel and reckless'

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Generation Rent has labelled Rishi Sunak’s EPC upgrade U-turn as “cruel, disproportionate and reckless”, forcing many renters to suffer poor health in cold homes for years to come.

Council makes unusual move to stop licencing small HMOs

Council makes unusual move to stop licencing small HMOs

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Bath has made the unusual decision to ditch its additional licensing scheme because it has done such a good job of improving standards.

PIX: Terrible conditions in homes owned by banned landlord

PIX: Terrible conditions in homes owned by banned landlord

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A slum landlord in Sheffield has been given the longest banning order ever after being prevented from managing or letting properties for ten years.

Unusual scheme launches to help tenants buy homes off landlords

Unusual scheme launches to help tenants buy homes off landlords

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A novel rent-to-buy home purchase scheme has been set up to help renters become homeowners.

UPDATED: The Story of "Landlording" - a brief History

UPDATED: The Story of "Landlording" - a brief History

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The full history of landlords is lost in the mists of time, but much of modern property law - throughout the English speaking world - stems from over 1,000 years of English legal history.

Charity blames landlords for millions of tenants' poor health

Charity blames landlords for millions of tenants' poor health

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Millions of renters living in damp and run-down properties are suffering worsening mental and physical health, new research by homelessness charity Shelter suggests

Landlord's sons jailed for 31 years after attacking tenants

Landlord's sons jailed for 31 years after attacking tenants

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Three brothers who violently attacked vulnerable tenants at their father’s rental properties in Bedford have been handed a combined jail term of 31 years.

Housing minister rejects dedicated housing courts for landlords

Housing minister rejects dedicated housing courts for landlords

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Housing minister Rachel Maclean has confirmed that a proposed housing court for landlords to help speed-up the evictions process is ‘definitely off the table’.

'Bumbling amateur' landlord fined £27,000 over property failings

'Bumbling amateur' landlord fined £27,000 over property failings

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A “bumbling amateur” landlord who imposed restrictive rules on tenants in his unlicensed HMO has been hit with a £27,500 Rent Repayment Order.

Judge rejects landlord duo's appeal over £21,000 council fine

Judge rejects landlord duo's appeal over £21,000 council fine

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A landlord couple have been ordered to pay a Rent Repayment Order reduced by £6,000 but will still have to fork out £21,000 between them in fines.

Minister tries to reassure landlords worried by eviction reforms

Minister tries to reassure landlords worried by eviction reforms

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Housing minister Rachel Maclean has sought to reassure landlords that they will still be able to evict troublesome tenants or those who build up rent arrears during an event at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester.

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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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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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.