Another First Tier Property Tribunal has confirmed that a superior landlord cannot be held responsible for a Rent Repayment Order (RRO), following the landmark Rakusen case. Tenant Riaz Moola had tried to argue that landlord Khalil Mbarek was responsible for the property in t
The Government must stop its ongoing and irresponsible attempts to curry favour with tenants via its looming reform of the private rented sector, a buy-to-let lender has said. Mortgages for Business boss Gavin Richardson (main
A landlord couple have been convicted of a �1 million benefit fraud stretching over 20 years. Emmanuel Bay , 68, and Nancy Bay , 67, of Sudbourne Road, Brixton (pictured), were found guilty of 21 offences between 1999 and 2018 under t
Home Reit, an investment trust landlord, was set-up to house Britains homeless. But the company has found itself running into increasing difficulties, with tenants' complaints and failed rent payments, a negative short-seller's report, a financial squeeze with falling stock prices and al
A boost in court resources as well as measures to fast-track the most serious possession cases related to anti-social behaviour and rent arrears will be vital post-Section 21, says NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle . Without reform, a rise in cases will add t
Councillors in Reading are set to rubber stamp plans to extend restrictions on the number of HMO conversions. An Article 4 direction already covers parts of the town where HMOs are prevalent, in much of Park, Redlands and Katesgrove wards, as well as Jesse Terrace.
Propertymark has called for a set of standards for developers and clear guidance for local councils as a way to effectively convert empty commercial properties into affordable homes - an increasingly popular path for some bigger PRS landlords. Responding to an inquiry from all-p
Converting commercial buildings to residential use would seem an ideal solution to a housing shortage, especially with and a glut of underused commercial buildings, but how easy is it? The planning regulation changes have made it easier to convert commercial buildings to residen
The new How to Rent guide due to come out today (17th March) has been delayed for a week, according to industry sources. The new guide forms part of the prescribed information that landlords in England must issue at the start of any new tenancy or renewa
John Lewiss build-to-rent strategy appears to be stalling amid local opposition to its plans for large developments in West Ealing and Bromley. The retailer has just announced pre-tax losses of �234 million as sales dipped 2% last year, making it even more vital to find new
Landlords, estate agents and surveyors have all given yesterdays Budget an unqualified thumbs down after the Chancellor chose to focus on economic growth but ignore several problem threatening to engulf the housing market. All have said the budget was disappointing and a m
Despite new research showing that one in four people plan to invest in property to generate retirement income, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's scrapping of the 'lifetime pension fund limit' could dampen demand for BTL property, says Cornerstone Tax. The impact of inflation on savings a
Shelter has slammed the Chancellor for failing to raise Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates in his spring Budget. The homeless charity says Jeremy Hunt could have put an end to spiralling homelessness, but instead, he has stuck his head in the sand. Yet again we
Sunday Times economics editor David Smith has expressed sympathy for private landlords who he believes feel bruised by increasing regulation in the sector. He says higher mortgage rates might be the straw that breaks the camels back for many, with some alrea
First time buyers remain better off owning than renting an equivalent home, Lloyds Bank says, but the gap is narrowing. Its latest Owning vs Renting Review reveals that owning a first home now costs �971 a month, four percent less than renting at �1,013.
The government failed to offer long-term support for energy efficiency improvements or increase the Local Housing Allowance in a Budget which instead focused on getting the country back to work. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended support for energy bills at current levels of �2,50
In this in-depth private rented sector legislation special, Eddie and Paul are joined by David Smith, head of property litigation at JMW Solicitors. The discussion kicks off with the recent landmark Rakusen v Jepsen rent repayment order case, where David represented the NRLA and which, he e
Youve made the decision to sell, and beat the market drop and increased costs. But where do you turn? Estate Agents can get you a high price, but theyll take far too long. Auctions can sell super-fast, but you might be compromising on price. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-t
Viewpoint by Tom Entwistle As winter approaches outside temperatures drop and the perennial landlords problem of winter condensation and black mould rear their ugly heads again.The question is, how do you know if this is caused by the building or the tenant, or is it a co
Landlords' Tax: Internet sites, such as AirBnB, have increased the number of landlords letting to lodgers and to guests on short stays. There are specific tax benefits to this type of letting business which are expanded upon below.Furnished holiday letting</st
Section 21: Most tenancies will never require the service of a Section 21, Housing Act 1988, (eviction) notice. However, on those occasions when it does become necessary, and you just never know, landlords (and agents) will thank their lucky starts they complied with the rul
Asbestos:Asbestos regulations were last updated in 2012 , bringing the UK in line with EU regulations, which means the current regulations have been in place long enough for most
The Application Form You should always use a comprehensive Tenancy Application Form when taking on a new tenant. You need a completed application for each adult tenant in the property.The Tenancy application form is a very important starting point for any residential or comm
End of an AST: Questions: What happens when an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) comes to an end? Will the tenant have to leave or does she need to sign a new agreement? What if a tenant wants to leave early? How long can a periodic tenancy last?When the fixed term (minimum of
Landlords often buy flats which are either Leasehold or Shared Freehold. What are these tenures and what should landlords look out for in these different forms of ownership?Leasehold is one of three forms of tenure (property/land ownership) almost exclusively peculiar to the United Kingdom, thoug
Landlord's Access to Property: Many landlords will have experienced a tenant denying them access to a property - whether for an inspection, viewings or legal duties. Its easy to understand the view of Its my property, I can enter when I want, but unfortunately th
New Rules for Section 21 :Landlords and Agents need to be aware of the changes affecting Section 21 rules and Notices and other changes for the letting of residential properties in England (and in many cases Wales) introduced during 2015 . This article explains the new rules
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
A raft of mortgage brokers and financial experts have criticised the Government's focus on the build-to-rent (BTR) sector and its policies which sezek to side-line traditional
The Met Police has issued new guidance for frontline officers around <a href="https://newsarchive.landlordzone.co.uk/news/illegal-evictions-increasing-dramatically-says-leadin
<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-update-on-work-in-housing-sector">The Competition and Markets Authority</a> (CMA) is to dig deeper into zero deposit schemes an
Serviced offices one would surmise, offer the ideal solution in a post-Covid world. Mainstream office investments are struggling in a world where a good proportion of most com
Renters looking to live in the capital can sign up for a new alternative renting concept that blurs the lines between traditional hotels, serviced apartments and private
