Penetrating damp, just as its name implies, is where water leaks into a building from outside the structure, through the walls or roof. Less common is where an internal leak from a water or drain pipe leaks into the structure of the building.Common causes of penetrating damp are: <ul <l
Fire Regulations in Rentals: There are several regulations relating to fire safety within rental dwellings; some affect all dwellings whereas others apply mainly to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO).This looks complicated, but fire safety management in reality boils down t
Damp & Mould: You may have seen or heard of the 1970s TV series Rising Damp, which featured a landlord and his tenants (lodgers in this case) which rather implies that all rental properties are troubled with this kind of damp.Far from the case, but some are. In fact the
Renting Standards: Specialist residential property solicitor Amanda Sutcliffe of Bray & Bray looks at the importance of keeping a rental property in good condition.Research conducted by Endsleigh Insurance and TrustMark claimed that over 75% of landlords s
Sub-Letting Licenses: (SOLITAIRE) LIMITED Appellant and CHERRY LILIAN NORTON and other cases [2012]Landlords of leasehold buy-to-let flats are often asked to pay a fee (sub-letting licence or registration fee) to the freeholder when seeking permission to sub-let their flat,
Validity of Section 21 Notice: Amak Property Investments v Laura Sonny [2016]This case was an appeal by the tenant following a county court judgement relating to the validity of a s21 notice on the basis that the landlord had not complied with the deposit protection (MyDepo
Essential guide to rent reviews: why reading the lease is crucial for landlords and tenants to navigate rent adjustments effectively.
Tenant Agreement: The Law of Property Act 1925 talks about having a maximum of 4 tenants on an agreement. So what to do when you have 5, 6 or more tenants sharing a house?There is a common misunderstanding of the rules here. Landlords and agents sometimes think or have heard
Advance Rent: Piggot v Slaven and Johnson v. OldThere are two important cases which clarify (though not necessarily decisively) the position on landlords accepting rent payments in advance. One concerns the accepting of the final two months rent in advance, a common devi
Following some confusion and debate about a deferral for the new standards following the MEES* deadline in April 2018, the new government has confirmed that changes to the EPC rules, preventing landlords from renting out homes below rating E, will definitely be introduced from April 2018.Accordin
Responsibility for Repairs: Who is responsible and who is obliged to pay for repairs to leasehold blocks and flats? What is the procedure if repairs are unnecessarily delayed or not carried out to the leaseholders satisfaction? What is the Section 20 procedure?T
Essential guide on how to conduct a rent review, covering key clauses and best practices to protect landlord and tenant interests.
Test Case Yeomans v Newell [2016]:When a landlord is in breach of the tenancy deposit rules he or she is prevented from serving a valid s21 notice for possession proceedings. Despite the fact that the tenancy deposit legislation has been in force since April 2007, landlords
Test Case: Superstrike Ltd v Marino. RodriguesThe case involved a landlord who had taken a deposit from the tenant before the deposit protection rules came into force in April 2007, since changed by the Deregulation Act 2015 see below. When the tenancy later became a st
Test Case: Leeds City Council v Broadley [2016]This case and the subsequent High Court ruling has brought some clarification about who is liable to pay council tax, tenant or landlord, when a rental property is vacant due to a tenant vacating early, that is, before the tena
Ending a Tenancy: What are the rules governing the ending of a statutory periodic tenancy (SPT) by the tenant, especially when the periods of the tenancy are not the standard 1 month?The answer to this question is not easily defined as it is not covered by one rule or a sing
Deposit Scheme Scam: Mydeposits says it is aware of a new scam being used by a fraudulent company imitating mydeposits and targeting landlords and letting agent members of the mydeposits Custodial scheme in England & Wales.The scam uses an email which imitates one from m
Freezing Pipes: This time of year, as we head towards colder weather and freezing conditions, buy-to-let properties and indeed all rental properties are vulnerable to potentially expensive winter water damageIn this article digital inventory app developer Imfuna Le
A guaranteed rent firm has taken down its website after being exposed for using spurious claims about its connections with reputable bodies. London-based UK Housing Group Ltd, which boasts of being, the largest social housing agency in London and the Midlands featured out-
Gwynedd Council introduces Article 4 Direction to regulate second homes and short-term holiday lets, requiring planning permission for change of use.
Politicians and lobby groups are likely to continue blaming private landlords for the housing shortage largely created by the hostile regulatory environment imposed by the same politicians who want even more draconian laws, finds a new report. One of the most bizarre aspects of
Two unlicensed HMOs have been discovered during unannounced inspections by a council in the North, which says more 'surprise visits' are on the cards. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type- " data-rt-type="" data-rt-align=""><div><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63bef2f3c3
Landlords in Wales have called for the countrys government to make more effort to encourage private investment in the sector during a face-to-face meeting with housing minister Julie James. The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has asked her government to exem
Fewer than one in five private rental properties in England were within the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates last year, according to new joint research by the Chartered Institute of Housing and Shelter . The groups say the average
The government has missed a trick by not introducing a tenancy register instead of an anti-landlord landlord register, one property consultant has claimed. Blackbird Real Estate founder https://www.richard-berridge.co.uk/" target="_blank" Richa
The number of BTL investors buying properties has plummeted in the last six months while long-term landlords are selling up, according to one large conveyancing firm. Basildon-based https://pcslegal.co.uk/" PCS Legal
The Non-Domestic Rating Bill going through Parliament (House of Lords) will require business ratepayers to report any changes and also report annually to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). These changes to the operation of business rates will apply to all organisations responsib
HMOs (Houses of Multiple Occupation) first came to prominence in the form of student digs: fairly tatty shared houses, where students could live in groups for a low monthly rent.
A new group - theLandlord Leaders Community has been set up to bring the sector together and provide practical tools for
Many landlords will find themselves materially worse off by 2026, despite
With Labour's predilection for bashing landlords (though the current Conservative Government needs no encouragement on that), you would expect a Labour government to double
Newham Council has approved a radical new plan to buy up properties where tenants have been threatened with eviction because their landlord no longer wants to let the property
A leading housing lawyer has questioned the use of property regulation compliance fees which appear to absolve letting agents of their responsibilities to ensure a landlord's
Private landlords are to be held accountable for damp and mould in their homes including unlimited fines for those who flout the rules, new guidance from the Government has ma
The government has promised to focus on promoting grants to make PRS homes more energy efficient and ensure that tenants won't be penalised for demanding green improvements.
Three-quarters of landlords who plan to buy a new rental property in the next year will use a
A leading energy efficiency consultant has called for a transformation in the way landlords operate short-let holiday accommodation, saying this housing sector needs to reduce
The Scottish Government has pledged to introduce long-term rent controls and measures to enhance tenants’ rights and protections.
A disability rights group has vowed to push for stronger regulations in the Renters Reform Bill so disabled tenants don't face discrimination from their landlords.
Shelter has claimed that the renting reform bill's slow progress through parliament is harming the health of older tenants, saying its research shows nearly a third live in
Councils across Greater Manchester are failing to enforce disrepair in the PRS, putting tenants at the mercy of a potential postcode lottery - and highlighting the huge gap in
Politicians should stop landlord bashing to prevent further damage to the private rented sector, says one property body boss.
Two experts have spelled out the challenges landlords will face when evicting tenants once the Government's plans to reform the private rented sector become law, most likely
New Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Claire Coutinho (main picture) has been encouraged to focus on driving through new EPC rules as the green debate be
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has launched two new initiatives that will help members manage their properties better and also be compliant with the myr
In a recent interview conducted for The Sunday Times, Nigel Terrington, the chief executive of Paragon Bank for the last 28 years, says he has witnessed the growth an
Tenants' union Acorn has admitted it is out to shake up the structure of property ownership � as well as taking on rogue agents and landlords.
Landlords updating their properties to meet imminent Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) changes could make more in lifetime energy savings than they pay out for green improv
A leading property management firm has called on private landlords to support the social tenant sector following yesterday's report from London Councils tha
All Bristol landlords could soon have to licence small HMOs, while those in the Bishopston and Ashley Down, Cotham, and Easton wards are bracing themselves for a proposed sele
An unintended consequence of the Government's crackdown on the private rented sector has been revealed as councils across London report more landlords withdrawing from the t
Landlords hope housing secretary Michael Gove will update them on the Renters Reform Bill when he takes top billing at the NRLA's national conference later
