Landlords should be prevented from serving an eviction notice for at least the first year of a tenancy, in the case of repossession for selling or occupying the property, according to a new report from the Fabian Society. The independent left-leaning
The Governments housing policies are coming home to roost as tenant demand continues to soar but the number of landlords advertising new properties to rent plummets, it has been revealed. RICS says that during June it found significantly more members (a net balance increase o
Landlords in one of London's biggest boroughs now need planning permission to convert family homes into HMOs for three to six tenants. After a year-long pilot and consultation with residents, the London Borough of Hounslow (main picture) has made its borough-wide A
Landlords with portfolios of 20 properties or more are making up the bulk of enquiries about selling to the Landlord Sales Agency. Despite reports that smaller landlords with one or two properties will be hardest hit by current market conditions, the firm has one landlord client
Government officials have reassured private landlords that judges will be able to consider a wider range of behaviours before using their judicial discretion in ASB eviction cases. Giving evidence to the Levelling Up Housing and Communities Committee into
According to the Daily Telegraph, around 225,000 landlords will be in a loss making situation following the latest jump in refinancing costs. It is estimated that these landlords will be in the red when they come to refinance as mortgage rates are climbing towards
The Governments Renters Reform Bill is unlikely to make progress through parliament until much later this year, housing minister Rachel Maclean has admitted. Maclean was unable to confirm when the bill would get a second reading during a Q&A with MPs from the Levelling Up
A team of independent fact checkers and campaigners has debunked Labours claims that most renters live in homes bought with a buy-to-let mortgage. Deputy leader Angela Rayner made the assertion last week, but charity Full Fact says the claim is technically incorrect, as it ho
A letting agency-owning landlord has been fined more than £17,000 for renting out one small room in an HMO to a family of five. Ruhul Shamsuddin and his company Lordsons Estates were found guilty of 23 housing offences relating to a
The Law Society of England and Wales has called for a multi-million-pound investment in renters’ representation via legal aid following a rise in eviction numbers.
Landlords in Scotland should be made to routinely provide data rather than simply respond to requests from local authorities, according to a report into the Housing Bill by the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee.
More landlords are selling their properties than those buying, new research has highlighted
Landlords are having to wait longer and longer to evict tenants particularly for those using London’s County Courts, says specialist firm Landlord Action, which blames the problems to a greater extent on a lack of bailiffs.
It seems it’s one step forward, two steps back for landlords with the recent Budget introducing significant changes to Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) that will impact property transactions from April 2025. The changes have caused panic amongst landlords, with a spike in numbers looking to sell before Ch
It is likely that under the Renters’ Rights legislation due in 2025, tenancy documentation will be highly scrutinised before an eviction trial is allowed
The time taken for landlords to evict tenants has increased, latest Government figures show.
Lodgers Limits - Is there any limit to the number of rooms I can rent out to lodgers, and are there any planning implications ?</h2> There are several parts of legislation in England and Wales that affect this question. Perhaps four main ones apply: Health & Safety (HHSRS), HMO, Over
Long Term AST - My prospective tenant has asked for a tenancy term of 6 years. Can I use the usual Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement for this?</h2> The Assured Shorthold Tenancy is the default tenancy for residential lettings and since October 2010 this applies to rents up to �100,000
I'm receiving mail for previous tenants and some of them are from debt collectors. Will this get my property black listed and cause problems for my current tenants and myself in the future?</h2> It's fairly common to have mail arriving for months and even years after residents have left,
Misrepresentation - We recently rented out our rural cottage to a couple. As they wanted to use their computers I said it was possible to get high-speed broad-band. I thought this would be possible but it seems it is not at this time. The couple are now claiming that I misled them and that
Polystyrene Ceiling Tiles - is it legal to have these tiles in the kitchen of a rental property?</h2> There are currently no regulations specifically banning the use of polystyrene ceiling tiles in existing rented property.However, it is unlikely that local authority fire officers and en
Providing a Reference - I have been asked to provide a reference for one of my tenants who is moving on. What is my legal position in this and am I putting myself at risk if I say he was a bad tenant?</h2> Referencing (seeking verification of a tenants past performance) is an increasi
Re-selling Energy - As a landlord am I able to make a profit by re-selling electricity or gas?</h2>Resale of Gas and ElectricityThe maximum amount that Residential Landlords or resellers� are permitted to charge for gas or electricity is the amount they
Question - Rent Review - my landlord is asking for far more rent than I expected on review. Am I obliged to pay this?Answer - Commercial leases are contractual - the parties agree to and are bound by its clauses and that includes rent review provisions.The rent review process is a way of periodic
What are the implications of renting to a 17 year old or someone who is under the age of 18? We have an application from a 17-year old that is keen to rent but Im not sure this would be legal?</h2> Many landlords and housing providers would be concerned and therefore refuse to let to
Sub-letting leasehold - I want to rent out my leasehold flat but the managing agent says the freeholder wont allow it. I know that other flats in the block are rented out, so what can I do? Landlords usually prohibit sub-letting to safeguard the interest.Landlords usually prohibit sub-letting
Question: Tenant Blacklists. I've had a very bad experience with a tenant and would like to put him on a black list so that other landlords don't have the same experience that I've had. How do I go about this?Answer: We often get asked this question.Although there have been several attempts by di
Uninhabitable Premises. My tenanted property is flooded. What are my legal obligations in this situation? Am I obliged to re-house my tenant? Must my tenant continue to pay rent?Landlords are under a general obligation to supply property in tenant able condition for the tenant to i
Section 26 Notice - My Commercial (Business Tenancy) Lease Agreement is coming to an end soon and my tenant has served on me a Section 26 Notice. What is this and what should I do?Commercial (Business) Tenancies in England & Wales are regulated by the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 (Part 2).T
What are Business Tenancies ?A tenancy is an "estate in land", granted for a determined period of time (term of years or fixed term - 6 months,1 year, 21 years, 99 years etc) or a specific period (a periodic tenancy - yearly, monthly, weekly, even daily).In return for the "time lim
These are tenancies that fall outside the scope of the Housing Acts (1988, 1996, 2004), including the Regulated Tenancies, Assured Tenancies (AT) and Assured Shorthold Tenancies ASTs.In the case of a common law residential tenancy , the tenant's rights and obligations are ma
<h1 Joint or Single Shared Tenancies</h1>Shared House (Joint Tenants) or Individual Rooms (Single Tenants)? Where a landlord lets to multiple and usually unrelated tenants there are two main ways of doing this:(1) As a Joint Tenancyng
Types of Tenure: A tenancy gives the tenant a legal interest in the land and property - in effect, legal ownership for the period of the tenancy. Tenancies can take several forms: <ul <li Rent Act or Regulated Tenancies - pre </li> <li
Renting or Leasing Commercial Property Renting commercial property usually represents a major part of the operating costs involved in running any business. If you include surveyor's and solicitor's fees, rent, business rates, insurance,
The Possession Procedure - 1988 Housing ActThe possession procedure under Section 8 of the Housing Acts 1988 & 1996 is known as the Section 8 Route and is available to landlords where the tenant is in breach of one or more terms of
<h1 Standing Order</h1>What are Bankers' Standing Orders?</h3><ul <li Standing Orders allow landlords to automate the process of collecting rents</li> <li They safeguard tenants in that the landlord cannot change the payment amount, as is the case with direct debit
Good Left in the Premises or Uncollected GoodsFrequently, tenants leave goods after their tenancy has concluded or when they have abandon the premises during a tenancy. Uncollected goods and possessions left or abandoned in premises by tenants can pose a real problem for landlords.
Running a Successful Bed & Breakfast Guest HouseRunning a successful Bed & Breakfast Business from the comfort of your own home has many advantages and rewards as far as being self employed is concerned:</
Ending a residential tenancy on the ground of "false statement by the tenant "The Housing Act 1988 as amended by the Housing Act 1996 makes provision for the possession of residential properties let under Assured and Assured Shorthold Tenancies.However
What was the Fire Certificate is no longer required as it was previously under the Fire Precautions Act 1971 for hotels, boarding houses, factories, offices, shops and railway premises. All these premises must comply with Fire Regulations, now covered by t
Letting and residential property fully furnished, part-furnished or unfurnished in England & Wales no longer has any implications regarding security of tenure for the tenant or for taxation. However, Council Tax and the 10% Depreciation Allowance may be affected - you don't pay Council Tax du
