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Rent Review

Rent Review

Information

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

Re-selling Energy

Re-selling Energy

Information

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

Providing a Reference

Providing a Reference

Information

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

Polystyrene Ceiling Tiles

Polystyrene Ceiling Tiles

Information

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

Misrepresentation

Misrepresentation

Information

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

Mail for Previous Tenants

Mail for Previous Tenants

Information

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,

Long Term AST

Long Term AST

Information

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

Lodgers Limits

Lodgers Limits

Information

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 &amp; Safety (HHSRS), HMO, Over

How long should accounts be kept

How long should accounts be kept

Information

Question: How long should accounts be kept to satisfy the authorities, things like accounting files, invoices and tax records, as a property landlord?Answer: You must keep your records for 6 years after the tax year to which they apply, whether or not you complete a tax return.It's a good idea, a

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Newly qualified nurses struggle to afford to rent privately, Shelter claims

Newly qualified nurses struggle to afford to rent privately, Shelter claims

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Newly qualified nurses can’t afford to rent privately in almost half - 45% - of local authorities in England, according to new analysis from Shelter.

Landlords must not drag their heals over EPC ratings, warns bank director

Landlords must not drag their heals over EPC ratings, warns bank director

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Landlords must not to drag their heels when it comes to improving properties’ energy efficiency rating - or face potential issues with finding tradespeople and working with letting agents, a financial expert has warned.

More tenants are using alternative deposit schemes, new data reveals

More tenants are using alternative deposit schemes, new data reveals

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A growing number of tenants in the build-to-rent (BTR) sector are using deposit alternative products as many opt to invest a lump sum instead of locking it away in a traditional cash scheme.

Tenants who are on benefits must get the Government support they need, says Propertymark

Tenants who are on benefits must get the Government support they need, says Propertymark

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Benefit claimants must get the Government help they need once its welfare reforms take effect, an industry body has warned.

Fewer luxury homes to rent in London feeds into higher rents

Fewer luxury homes to rent in London feeds into higher rents

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A reduced supply of luxury rental homes in London is feeding into higher rents, which are now a third higher than before the pandemic, new research has revealed.

Rogue landlords come under attack from Labour MP Tom Hayes

Rogue landlords come under attack from Labour MP Tom Hayes

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Labour MP Tom Hayes has launched a survey to quiz tenants and landlords in his Bournemouth East constituency, in a bid to fix the “broken” rented sector.

WASPI women need to be fairly compensated after constituent was evicted, says MP

WASPI women need to be fairly compensated after constituent was evicted, says MP

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Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Dyke has called for WASPI women to be fairly compensated after one of her constituents was evicted.

‘Rentflation’ costs young people an extra £1,616, says Barclays

‘Rentflation’ costs young people an extra £1,616, says Barclays

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‘Rentflation’ has cost young people an extra £1,616 on their rent bill in the past year, according to new data from Barclays.

Tenants on benefits will be pushed into poverty, warns NRLA

Tenants on benefits will be pushed into poverty, warns NRLA

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Almost half of all private renters who receive Local Housing Allowance experience a shortfall between their payment and monthly rent, according to new analysis by the NRLA.

Merry Christmas and a Happy News Year to all our readers

Merry Christmas and a Happy News Year to all our readers

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The past 12 months have been a momentous time for private landlords as tax changes and looming new regulations have been unveiled by politicians of various hues.

'What's the point of good landlords if rogues aren't policed?'

'What's the point of good landlords if rogues aren't policed?'

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Councils are sending the wrong message to law-abiding landlords by failing to investigate those who can’t provide a valid EPC certificate.

Northern landlord fined £38,000 over multiple HMO offences

Northern landlord fined £38,000 over multiple HMO offences

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A landlord in Liverpool has been prosecuted by its city council for 23 offences under national HMO management regulations.

Heat pumps 'don't help upgrade EPCs' warns new report

Heat pumps 'don't help upgrade EPCs' warns new report

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Despite enthusiasm in Whitehall for heat pumps they not the best way to upgrade a rented property EPC rating, a new report has claimed.

Two thirds of private renters struggling to pay rent

Two thirds of private renters struggling to pay rent

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Nearly two-thirds of working private renters - 4,450,000 people - are falling behind with rent payments or struggling to pay their rent.

COMMENT: Year end 2024 heralds both optimism and some pessimism for property investing…

COMMENT: Year end 2024 heralds both optimism and some pessimism for property investing…

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Tom Entwistle recalls the year in property and looks forward to the year ahead

Labour to help landlords trapped by unsafe cladding

Labour to help landlords trapped by unsafe cladding

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Landlords who own flats in blocks with unsafe cladding have been given an assurance that developers must meet repair deadlines next year following the publication of the government’s Remediation Acceleration Plan (RAP).

'Bills-included' tenancies are more profitable, says EPC expert

'Bills-included' tenancies are more profitable, says EPC expert

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Landlords offering a bills-included rental could dramatically increase their profit margins by improving its energy efficiency.

Council boasts about landlord prosecution success

Council boasts about landlord prosecution success

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Sheffield Council has boasted that it’s one of the keenest prosecutors of rogue landlords in the UK.

Savills’ optimistic outlook for property in 2025 

Savills’ optimistic outlook for property in 2025 

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Unveiling its 2025 cross-sector UK forecasts, Savills strikes an optimistic note and predicts highest returns for North West buy-to-let

Licensing expert slams Labour's selective scheme rule change

Licensing expert slams Labour's selective scheme rule change

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An expected expansion in selective licensing schemes next year may fill council coffers but won’t improve housing standards, a leading landlord figure has claimed.

Labour's 'peverse' renting reforms will raise rents, warns TV landlord

Labour's 'peverse' renting reforms will raise rents, warns TV landlord

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The Renters’ Rights Bill will discourage landlords from renting out their properties and raise rents, according to Talk TV presenter and private landlord, Cristo Foufas (main image).

Famous landlord offers rental home at £180,000 a MONTH

Famous landlord offers rental home at £180,000 a MONTH

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Renters with only the deepest pockets will be getting the keys to what is understood to be the most expensive ever rental home marketed in the UK.

Every rental property 'chased by 11 tenants on average'

Every rental property 'chased by 11 tenants on average'

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UK letting agents are still receiving nearly double the number of enquiries about each available rental property than they were pre-pandemic.

Corporate landlords to be exempt from Decent Homes Standard

Corporate landlords to be exempt from Decent Homes Standard

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The Government has revealed more details about how the ‘corporate’ student sector, which competes with traditional landlords for tenants, will be regulated in the future.

Landlord fights council over £15,000 HMO fine... and wins

Landlord fights council over £15,000 HMO fine... and wins

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A landlord has successfully fought a licensing fine after an Upper Tribunal judge ruled it couldn’t be proved that a fifth tenant was living permanently in his HMO.

'Landlord bashing won't help solve housing crisis'

'Landlord bashing won't help solve housing crisis'

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A mortgage lending expert has warned that landlord bashing risks pushing out more smaller landlords, creating a vicious circle of fewer available rental properties and higher rents for tenants.

Landlords spending 'too much' on EPC upgrades

Landlords spending 'too much' on EPC upgrades

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Most landlords’ ignorance of the points-based EPC system means they can sometimes spend more money than necessary on energy efficiency improvements.

Tenants can now pay landlords via their credit card

Tenants can now pay landlords via their credit card

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A digital platform that enables tenants to pay their rent via their credit or debit card rather than a BACS payment has officially launched in the UK.

Local authorities’ new powers to auction leases of vacant commercial premises

Local authorities’ new powers to auction leases of vacant commercial premises

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Local authorities' now have new powers to auction off leases of vacant commercial units in Britain’s town centres and high streets

Landlords worried about missing payments discover agent in jail

Landlords worried about missing payments discover agent in jail

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Landlords who complained about a missing letting agent have discovered that he had been jailed for assaulting a sex worker.

Government to spend millions stopping landlord evictions

Government to spend millions stopping landlord evictions

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More money will be spent persuading landlords not to evict tenants as part of a huge cash boost to help prevent homelessness.

Northern council to expand selective licensing

Northern council to expand selective licensing

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More landlords in Wirral could have to pay for a selective licence under plans being drawn up by the local council.

Rents rising by 9.1% a year on average, official figures reveal

Rents rising by 9.1% a year on average, official figures reveal

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Rents charged for new tenancies across the UK continue to rise as landlords seek to offset higher costs and supply continue to be weak, latest Government data shows.

Labour to allow councils to 'take over' empty rental properties

Labour to allow councils to 'take over' empty rental properties

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Councils will be given more power to force landlords to rent out vacant residential properties as part of the government’s English Devolution white paper.