Rent Smart Wales is challenging letting agents and landlords over the widespread practice of charging student tenants summer retainer fees which it claims are unlawful under Welsh legislation. It says a retainer is an additional fee which is unlawful under the Renting Home
Owners (landlords) of commercial (business) premises and sometimes residential premises want to let to a tenant on a short term basis, but are fearful of creating a long-term arrangement such that the tenant cannot be removed if the landlord wants it.Basically, there are three ways to do that whi
When it comes to owning a buy-to� let property, the decision as to whether to use an agent or not is a big one. It is estimated that more than half of landlords self-manage their rental properties, believing it to be the best way to maintain control over who lives there and how
Commercial investments produce an average yield of 10.7% while residential properties offer just 3.7%, new research has claimed. Scotland is home to the highest commercial yield at 20.4%, along with the South West (13.7%), while Scotland is also where investors can find the high
While the cost of renting continues to increase across the UK, the Government continues to grapple with the issue of making renting more accessible and secure, especially for
NRLA calls for urgent government support to address rent arrears and court backlogs, proposing interest-free loans and grants to sustain tenancies.
Especially at a time like this, in the middle of a pandemic, when good commercial tenants are hard to find, landlords dread the time when a lease comes to an end, or their tenant goes into administration. When a commercial landlord loses a tenant, not only do they lose regular r
The government is pouring �13m into a homelessness reduction initiative to fund long-term accommodation for prison leavers in the private rented sector. More than 140 councils across England will share out the cash to pay for landlord incentives and loans for rent deposits, spe
We know that households across the UK will need to adopt a low carbon alternative to traditional heating solutions such as oil, gas, coal or wood burning in the future. Air source or geothermal ground source heat pumps are being touted as just such an alternative to help the UK
During these difficult times many tenants have found themselves in the position of wanting to divest themselves of surplus property, to reduce rental commitments by ending a lease agreement before it full term has expired. Perhaps the only way of doing this from the tenants p
Landlords who own leasehold properties in low and medium-rise apartment blocks affected by the cladding scandal will no longer have to supply an EWS1 form when selling or remortgaging their properties, the government has announced. Thousands of landlords who have been unable to
Spiralling fraud and overpayments in the benefits system now stand at the highest rate ever recorded, admits the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), as it identifies housing payments as an area of concern. Housing benefit fraud is particularly rife after the pandemic resulted
The private rented sector wont meet new energy efficiency targets unless the government stumps up more cash for any replacement to the Green Homes Grant, it has been claimed. Latest https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-housing-survey-2019-to-2020-private-
Bury Council in Manchester has adopted new measures to fine landlords up to �30,000 if their properties dont meet the recently-introduced electrical safety standards. Although the standards came into force in June 2020, they had not been adopted and implemented by the counci
A commercial landlord whose building was damaged by two fires has been handed an 18-month suspended prison sentence, it has been reported. Wayne Braund, 52, owner of the former Strachan and Henshaw building in Foundry Lane, Bristol (pictured), admitted six fire safety breaches i
Guide to landlord responsibilities for fire-door safety—learn what checks and maintenance are required to keep your property compliant.
Property investor Rod Turner didnt find the thought of having tenants and being a landlord very appealing, but the turning point came in 2014 when he realised the London market wasnt proving positive for developments and that he needed to hold onto properties long term. As
Abolishing fixed-term tenancies risks ruining the student rental market, warns leading provider of major housing contraction.
Thousands of landlords have vowed to switch to short-term lets when Section 21 notices are abolished, a new survey has found. Assist Inventories study of 10,000 landlords and letting agents revealed that 45% plan to move away from long-term tenancies while 41% said they might
The new Building Regulations and accompanying technical upgrade to the SAP assessment methodology ask for a completely different way of measuring the energy performance of many buildings, giving a market boost to those properties with higher EPC ratings. Effective from last week
A landlord too terrified to reveal her name has warned others to conduct more regular property checks after she unwittingly rented her house to a drug-dealing gang for years. The North London-based landlord has had the same tenants since 2005 but only discovered their illegal ac
New research reveals how adult tenants cause as much damage as pets in rental properties and that for smaller landlords, animal damage costs less to repair. The survey of 537 landlords and lettings agents found 85% have experienced both kinds of damage while only 29% of landlord
A landlord has given evidence in the Sebastian Kalinowski murder trial, who died at his home in Huddersfield. Prosecutors allege his mother Agnieszka Kalinowska, 35, and her partner Andrzej Latoszewski, 36, subjected him to a campaign of abuse before his death in August 2021.</p
Houses with off-road parking space will not only command a higher sale price, the rental value will also be boosted as more people buy electric cars. Surge in EV sales The electric vehicle (EV) market is booming, which will inevitably have its impact on property pric
Landlord leaders criticise Renters Reform White Paper, highlighting flaws and concerns over proposed legislation and its impact on the sector.
HMRC has named and shamed 26 property tax dodgers who collectively tried to avoid paying more than �6.7 million. The deliberate tax defrauders earned income from either rental property, property developing or property tax advising, and have all been investigated and fined for e
Newly-minted housing minister in Scotland unable to recall key statistics from her department during TV interview.
A landlord who has ignored efforts by a city council to improve his run-down property has been fined heavily.
Students Organising for Sustainability says it will use the money to improve student accommodation across the UK.
The opaque Universal Credit rental payments will cause landlords even more headaches when the Renters' Rights Bill goes live.
A landlord not resident in the UK must now pay a big rent repayment order after failing to license her property on time.
Thinking of growing a buy-to-let portfolio? Start smart, reinvest profits, diversify, stay compliant, and think long-term for lasting success and inco
While tenant numbers are steadily growing, the number of private rented properties has been shrinking
Specialist lender OSB Group has launched Rely, a dedicated buy-to-let lending brand to support landlords.
Average end-of-tenancy charges for students including arrears, cleaning, and damages were significantly lower last year than rest of PRS.
Smart landlords are selling now, making more upfront than years of rent - 85–90% of market value, fast and hassle-free.
Sutton wants to widen its licensing activities to include smaller HMOs, which number nearlyh 1,000 within the borough.
Three key rental sector organisations have joined to warn the Government that its rental reforms are causing significant concerns.
Changes to EPC assessments mean higher energy assessment costs for landlord, that's on top of what it will cost many landlords to upgrade properties
Council has hatched plans to start charging Airbnb users for parking and is also considering a ban on full-time Airbnbs in new builds and designating
Paul Shamplina headlined NRLA On Tour London, delivering key insights on legal changes for landlords at a sold-out, sector-shaping event.
A high-profile tax expert has labelled HMRC’s Making Tax Digital (MTD) regime – set to hit landlords next year - as ‘pointless and costly’.
Peterborough Council boasts that its aggressive approach to selective licensing has driven significant improvements in the town’s private rental secto
The Mortgage Works has reduced its 'stress test' rate which is used to assess whether a landlord can afford loan payments.
London’s rental sector is full of opportunity for both landlords and tenants, says Foxtons, which reports an explosion in tenancy applications.
A former estate agent who posed as a landlord to con would-be tenants out of more than £200,000 has been jailed.
Hackney plans to launch selective licensing in 17 of its 21 wards as well as a borough-wide additional licensing scheme.
Landlords currently seeking a five-year fixed rate BTL mortgage on a property with an EPC rating below band C could be turned down before net
Great Yarmouth council has revealed more details of its proposed selective licensing scheme for landlords.
Landlord Action founder also says landlords have been unfairly cast as villains in recent years.
