Claims by the new Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) minister of state Stephen Timms that the transfer of remaining housing benefit claimants to Universal Credit is being done ‘as smoothly as possible’ have been questioned by a leading expert.
Booking in a five-yearly Electrical Safety Installation Certificate (ESIC) check for your rented property often seems like one of the plethora of minor tasks on the ‘to do’ list.
An increase in buy-to-let repossessions is exacerbating the rental supply shortage and leaving evicted families without legal aid needed to fight their case.
An exodus of older landlords is paving the way for build-to-rent investors and younger landlords looking to capitalise on higher yield properties, according to a big estate agency boss.
At least 710 buy-to-let mortgaged properties were repossessed in the second quarter of the year, 13% up on the previous quarter and 51% up year-on-year.
Online lettings firm OpenRent and Rightmove have signed a new property listings deal after several weeks of corporate brinkmanship over fees.
The average time from claim to landlord repossession has jumped to 25.4 weeks, up from 22.1 weeks in the same period in 2023, according to the latest government figures.
Gloomy letting agents have reported a fall-off in private rentals coming onto the market around the country.
Landlord Sales Agency has been touted as the UK’s best company for landlords to go to who are looking to increase the profits of their property portfolios.
Scotland’s minister for tenant’s rights is oblivious to the havoc he’s wreaking in the PRS and the harm being caused to tenants, says Tory MSP.
New research from the consumer campaign group paints a grim picture of renters facing tough financial conditions as they struggle to pay the rent.
Welsh Housing Minister Julie James has warned that Rishi Sunak’s green U-turn means many tenants will continue to rent draughty, inefficient homes and face high energy bills for years to come.
A lack of public money to back landlords keen to upgrade their properties islikely to have been a major factor behind Rishi Sunak’s decision to scrap changesto minimum energy standards, an expert has claimed.
Increasing regulation of the private rented sector, the pain of finding tradespeople to do property repairs and increasing fraud are pushing more landlords into the arms of letting agents, it has been revealed.
London renters can flag up breaches of the Tenant Fees Act to Trading Standards by using a new reporting tool.
The Conservatives have put housing high on the agenda at their upcoming party conference, with at least 30 fringe meetings scheduled to discuss the topic.
Homeowners are buying the vast majority of rental properties being offloaded by landlords, reducing local rented supply.
Many landlords have spent thousands of pounds on energy efficient upgrades in readiness to meet regulations that have now been ditched by Rishi Sunak.
A national rogue tenant register to combat the issue of renters trashing properties and leaving landlords out of pocket could be open to abuse, a leading expert has warned. Sean Hooker, head of redress at the https://www.theprs.co.uk/" target="_blank" <strong id="
August got off to an unsettled and changeable start this year, with heavy rain and flooding in many parts of the UK. But the long-range weather forecast is now predicting warmer than usual conditions in late August, and potentially even a heat wave, with temperatures set to soar across some
Rent Smart Wales is challenging letting agents and landlords over the widespread practice of charging student tenants summer retainer fees which it claims are unlawful under Welsh legislation. It says a retainer is an additional fee which is unlawful under the Renting Home
Owners (landlords) of commercial (business) premises and sometimes residential premises want to let to a tenant on a short term basis, but are fearful of creating a long-term arrangement such that the tenant cannot be removed if the landlord wants it.Basically, there are three ways to do that whi
When it comes to owning a buy-to� let property, the decision as to whether to use an agent or not is a big one. It is estimated that more than half of landlords self-manage their rental properties, believing it to be the best way to maintain control over who lives there and how
Commercial investments produce an average yield of 10.7% while residential properties offer just 3.7%, new research has claimed. Scotland is home to the highest commercial yield at 20.4%, along with the South West (13.7%), while Scotland is also where investors can find the high
While the cost of renting continues to increase across the UK, the Government continues to grapple with the issue of making renting more accessible and secure, especially for
Covid-19 restrictions are easing, so now is the time to take decisive action to support la
Especially at a time like this, in the middle of a pandemic, when good commercial tenants are hard to find, landlords dread the time when a lease comes to an end, or their tenant goes into administration. When a commercial landlord loses a tenant, not only do they lose regular r
The government is pouring �13m into a homelessness reduction initiative to fund long-term accommodation for prison leavers in the private rented sector. More than 140 councils across England will share out the cash to pay for landlord incentives and loans for rent deposits, spe
We know that households across the UK will need to adopt a low carbon alternative to traditional heating solutions such as oil, gas, coal or wood burning in the future. Air source or geothermal ground source heat pumps are being touted as just such an alternative to help the UK
During these difficult times many tenants have found themselves in the position of wanting to divest themselves of surplus property, to reduce rental commitments by ending a lease agreement before it full term has expired. Perhaps the only way of doing this from the tenants p
Landlords who own leasehold properties in low and medium-rise apartment blocks affected by the cladding scandal will no longer have to supply an EWS1 form when selling or remortgaging their properties, the government has announced. Thousands of landlords who have been unable to
Spiralling fraud and overpayments in the benefits system now stand at the highest rate ever recorded, admits the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), as it identifies housing payments as an area of concern. Housing benefit fraud is particularly rife after the pandemic resulted
The private rented sector wont meet new energy efficiency targets unless the government stumps up more cash for any replacement to the Green Homes Grant, it has been claimed. Latest https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-housing-survey-2019-to-2020-private-
Bury Council in Manchester has adopted new measures to fine landlords up to �30,000 if their properties dont meet the recently-introduced electrical safety standards. Although the standards came into force in June 2020, they had not been adopted and implemented by the counci
A commercial landlord whose building was damaged by two fires has been handed an 18-month suspended prison sentence, it has been reported. Wayne Braund, 52, owner of the former Strachan and Henshaw building in Foundry Lane, Bristol (pictured), admitted six fire safety breaches i
They may look the same but there is a big difference between a standard door and fire door.A fire door is an engineered safety device, designed to save lives and protect property. Unfortunately, it is only once a fire has broken out that we see the dangers of poorly-installed and maintained fire...
Property investor Rod Turner didnt find the thought of having tenants and being a landlord very appealing, but the turning point came in 2014 when he realised the London market wasnt proving positive for developments and that he needed to hold onto properties long term. As
The Court of Appeal has ruled that landlords are able to evict a tenant whose Assured Shorthold Tenancy commenced before 1st October 2015 even if the prescribed paperwork such an EPC or gas safety certificate have not been served. Most solicitors and landlords h
The tragic death in a house fire of a tenant who was undergoing daily care for complex health conditions, has highlighted the need for landlords to comply with fire regulations. LandlordZONE insurance partner, https://hamiltonfraser.co.uk/landlordzone-landlord-insuranc
Using a SIPP to invest in commercial property is perfectly possible and many business owners include their business premises in their pension pot, say Tom Entwistle.</h4>The Self-invested Personal Pension (SIPP) rules are quite complex so you need professional advice before embark
A Radio 5 podcast claims that growing numbers of landlords are asking tenants with a lack of renting history or poor credit score to stump up six months rent in advance, exacerbated by the climate of Covid-hit incomes. While the Tenant Fees Act bans most letting fees and caps
Harrow council has renewed its selective licensing scheme in a key ward despite opposition from landlords and the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA). Under the scheme, all private rented properties in the London boroughs Wealdstone ward will have to pay �580 f
