When a tenant refuses the Gas Safe engineer access to a property to carry out gas safety checks the landlord is presented with a really difficult problem. Tenants denying access for things like safety checks, repairs and maintenance or regular inspections is not unheard off, in
Nottingham councillors have agreed to ask the government to approve the citys new selective licensing scheme. Proposals for its second scheme will cover a slightly smaller area in the city than the current scheme, but would include some new areas such as parts of Broxtowe and
A Haringey landlord has failed in his attempt to have a �2,500 fine thrown out by a First Tier Property Tribunal . The landlord, who the council won't name, was fined by Haringey private sector housing team for letting an unlicensed three-storey HMO in Hor
German landlords have plenty in common with their British counterparts but must also contend with even longer legal battles, according to one young couple whove had to evict problem tenants. Sascha and Angelika Rothe live in southern Germany where an eviction action can take
Landlords should challenge tenants about their bad habits which lead to condensation mould or risk resulting health problems and higher maintenance bills, it has been claimed. One large-scale portfolio landlord with properties nationwide - known as the Secret Landlord - says tha
Now is the time to buy rental properties. If youre a new landlord, an investor, or a landlord looking to expand their portfolio, these next two years may be crucial for you to earn the highest return on investment. It might seem contradictory following the downsizing of many
A new property platform aims to take the strain from HMO landlords dealing with multiple tenant enquiries and help them to prevent voids. Intense competition in the market means operators can spend up to three hours a day responding to prospective tenants, sifting through hundre
Landlord bashing isnt a new sport. Its been around since as long as anyone remembers and truthfully, no matter how sacred the PRS becomes, its always going to be a thing. Tenants defaulting on arrears will always look at an eviction notice with a level of intended cruel
After 13 or so years of Conservative rule the Conservative promise of a stable home owning democracy has failed to materialise. They have got themselves into a bind over housing. Potential home buyers find it impossible to afford a deposit as well as pay interest rates that are
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA ) wants to hear from landlords who have let property on a rent-to-rent basis so it can contribute to a high-profile case at the Supreme Court. It believes the outcome of the upcoming Rakusen v Jepsen appe
A letting agency boss in the West Midlands has been jailed for two years and four months after ripping off landlords and tenants who used his firm. Bhavander Singh Sanghera , of Jesson Road, Walsall ran EBS Properties Ltd trading as Martin & Co Wolverha
The government has confirmed it is still deliberating whether to bring in property agency qualifications and minimum standards in the sector, almost four years after the Regulation of Property Agents (RoPA) published its recommendations. RoPAs report outlined proposals back i
The Government has announced plans to tackle mould within the private and social housing sectors through updated guidance and iniatives. Announced late on Friday before a midnight deadline set by the Coroner during the inquest looking into the death of toddler Awaab Ishak, the i
The majority of letting agents expect to see more landlords leave the market in 2023, against a backdrop of rising arrears and falling https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/december-dip-makes-small-dent-in-rising-house-prices/" house prices . Goodlord reveals tha
New and replacement gas boilers should be banned by 2033, two years earlier than current plans, according to the governments net zero tsar. Conservative MP Chris Skidmore believes it should make the decision to decarbonise homes by next year to help the country meet its clima
The Scottish government has admitted it is considering long-term proposals for rent control after the https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/leading-letting-agent-slams-chaotic-rent-freeze-announcement-in-scotland/" Cost of Living Act has expired. Minister for Te
A rogue landlord who created false identities and fake letting agencies as part of an elaborate web of misinformation designed to exploit his tenants has been fined �12,000 and ordered to pay �25,000 costs. Thomas Flight, who owns flats on Portland Square in ht
Tougher checks on lending to buy-to-let https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/office-blocks-and-high-streets-provide-hope-for-canny-investors/" investors are on the cards after the Bank of England warned it would scrutinise risky areas more heavily due to rising interest ra
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
Suzy Hershman (main picture), Resolution Department Lead at HFIS, examines a shocking case her team dealt with recently and highlights what landlords can learn from it . The case</h4>A landlord with a four-bedroom property i
Multi-millionaire landlord Judith Wilson (main picture, inset) has been hit with a �166,000 court bill after losing a legal battle against Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council. Wilson, wife of the controversial Fergus, who was once dubbed Britains
Treat tenants like customers and stop thinking about profit if you want to make a success of property investing - thats the advice of lettings and landlord professional Tom Soane, who boasts that its made him the 'best landlord in the UK'. Your property is a product, te
Councils have been given three months longer to launch selective licencing schemes, new Government guidance has revealed. An update to the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities advice to local authorities considering or planning a selective licencing scheme has
More than 1 in 10 (11%) homes for sale on Zoopla are former rental properties after private landlords faced with tax changes and higher borrowing costs have rationalised their portfolios or quit the market. Before the pandemic, half of these homes for sale returned to th
Paul Bradley, a landlord with a single rental property in North London, has told the BBC how the ongoing mortgage crisis has seen his monthly interest-only loan payments triple over the past 12 months. His case illustrates vividly the significant challenges that the approximatel
Rising cost of living causes tenant referencing pass rates to drop from 35% to 25%, increasing rental risk for landlords, reports Housing Hand.
A Labour MP has called on the government to extend notice periods from two to four months to prevent landlords from unjustly evicting tenants. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type- " data-rt-type="" data-rt-align=""><div><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63bef2f3c329eff8e3
Only one-third of Oxfords private rental properties have been registered for its city-wide selective licensing scheme and could soon face steeper fees or a hefty fine. The scheme, which launched last September, has received more than 10,500 licence applications from the 3
An https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/braverman-under-pressure-to-reverse-outrageous-new-hmo-rules-for-asylum-seekers/" HMO landlord says desperate new tenants are moving in hours after the previous tenants leave due to a dearth of available properties. In he
A letting agent who ripped off dozens of landlord clients has been banned from being a company director for eight years. https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/letting-agent-who-stole-80000-from-dozens-of-landlords-admits-fraud/" Frank Smart , 46, the owner of Sma
In a market where interest rates are sky high, tax bills are extortionate and mortgage payments are higher than rents, coupled with a backlog of refurb costs and difficult tenant situations, landlords are rushing to cash in and sell their property portfolios. If you were a landl
With one in five households now renting, the private rented sector is an essential part of the housing market. As the government has reduced its housebuilding strategy for all local authorities from mandatory to advisory, with some councils scrapping targets all together, the ho
A European lettings portal has launched in the UK aimed at globe-trotting students and young professionals. Rotterdam-based https://housinganywhere.com/" HousingAnywhere , which specialises in mid- to long-term rentals, now covers London,
Over the last 15 years, the HMO market has been transformed and there has been a boom. The reason for the boom was, quite simply, that HMOs could generate far better returns than single home lets. But as the market grew, regulations tightened. On top of the extra du
Nearly half of all Section 21 eviction notices have been prompted by landlords selling their properties, Citizens Advice has revealed. It also says that its seen a ramping up of evictions by landlords using Section 21 notices, handling some 2,000 cases last month. <p id=""
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
