Carl Bayley is the author of more than twenty ‘Plain English’ TaxCafe published tax guides designed for the layperson and the non-specialist
Court ruling lets tenants challenge rent arrears from Universal Credit, risking landlords avoiding tenants on benefits, expert warns.
Fenland Council has introduced an immediate Article 4 Direction before its consultation in a bid to clamp down on burgeoning HMOs in Wisbech.
Landlords in County Durham have had to fork out fines totalling £1.38 million in the three years since selective licensing was introduced.
Peers have tabled amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill which, if approved, would shape the legislation into a version of the previous Renters’ Reform Bill.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been warned that unless more rental properties are built her recent promise to ‘attract the best talent to the UK’ and boost economic growth will fall flat.
Private HMO landlords leaving the sector have created a shortage of student housing, according to Unite Students, which boasts that it can help fill the gap with purpose-built student accommodation.
Tax Return 2016-2017: As a general rule, and as outlined in the previous articles in this series on tax returns, landlords can claim the expenses of running and maintaining their rental properties.If the rent you charge includes additional services like water, or council tax
Tax Return 2016-17: With some costs its very easy to decide: a repair to a drain, downspout or roof tile are all allowable expenses, but what about replacing a broken single glazed window with a new plastic frame and double glazing, what about decorating and installing a
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
AdvoCATS has launched initiative after Labour decided inexplicably not to allow landlords to require tenants to take out pet insurance.
Lord Hacking tells housing minister Government is 'plain wrong' in its insistence on banning fixed-term tenancies.
Government reveals it is about to consult on a new Decent Homes Standard that will apply to private as well as social landlords.
Housing minister says asking students to commit before Christmas to a tenancy the next year is unfair.
The bill is designed to afford tenants more protections, but could it lead to them being ‘forced out’ of their homes?
The HMO that AM PM Estates managed in Slough was found to be dirty and in a poor state of repair inside and out, including a
More landlords are selling up than buying new properties to rent, a new Savills report highlights.
The Government has, following feedback from various property and other industry bodies, delayed the 'big switch off'.
In an unusual move, a Midlands local authority has added the four men to the national rogue landlords database.
Robust tenant referencing will be increasingly important for landlords when the Section 8 process becomes more protracted.
Labour's bewildering decision to U-turn on requiring tenants to have pet insurance has been slammed.
New research reveals how higher yields make licensed HMOs much sought after among investors.
All landlords in Greater Manchester will be expected to sign up for the Charter scheme which is the first of its kind in the UK
Brighton & Hove Council has given the go-ahead for a crackdown on short lets in a bid to reclaim homes.
A letting agent who was fined for letting a room in an unlicensed HMO has won his appeal.
Landlords with existing tenancy agreements which have rent payable in advance can continue collecting it until the tenancy ends.
The Renters’ Rights Bill is being held up and isn’t expected to become law until at least the autumn, according to reports.
Nearly a quarter of tenants face being moved out of their homes when landlords start energy efficiency improvements.
Landlords will need to foot the bill for damage caused by pets under a last-minute amendment to the Renters’ Rights Bill.
The National Landlord Investment Show’s free Summer Spectacular on July 9th in London offers UK landlords and property professionals essential expert-
Death by a thousand National Insurance contributions - the fate of retailers since the October 2024 budget which imposed higher employment costs
A high-profile landlord has called the property licensing system ‘clunky’ and in need of simplification.
A sceptical landlord has become a ‘guinea pig’ and spent considerable sums on making her Victorian four-bedroom rental property 'Let Zero'.
Preston in Lancashire has become the latest city to launch plans to introduce selective licensing within its borders.
Latest scheme to launch is one of 26 launched so far - making 2025 a 'record breaking year' for HMO and selective licensing.
