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Gove to approve looser rules for HMO landlords housing asylum seekers

Gove to approve looser rules for HMO landlords housing asylum seekers

News

Housing Secretary Michael Gove is set to push through new rules on HMO safety for housing asylum seekers with little fanfare on the same day that the Renters Reform Bill is published. The changes outlined in the proposed https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2023/9780

BLOG: 'Reform bill will solve the problem of pet damage for landlords'

BLOG: 'Reform bill will solve the problem of pet damage for landlords'

News

The long-awaited Renters (Reform) Bill will finally be introduced in parliament after Prime Minister's Questions today. Setting out plans for 12 key reforms to the private rental sector, the 11th pledge - to give tenants the right in law to request a pet, which should not be unr

Agents who lack licencing law know-how 'putting landlords at risk'

Agents who lack licencing law know-how 'putting landlords at risk'

News

Bungling letting agents with a lack of legal understanding are putting landlords at risk of prosecution, it has been claimed. One landlord expert has advised caution when signing up with a firm in the current climate of increasing legislation and falling profits, particularly fo

Opinion: does Michael Gove know something we don't?

Opinion: does Michael Gove know something we don't?

Opinion

It would seem that successive Tory governments have waged an ongoing and progressively more vicious war on buy-to-let landlords, but this latest layer of legislation goes much further. Yes, this latest iteration, and one thats https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/1768/s

EXTRA red tape, scams and repairs drive more landlords to use agencies

EXTRA red tape, scams and repairs drive more landlords to use agencies

News

Almost two thirds (63%) of private landlords who manage their own properties are tired of sorting out repairs and dealing with red tape and considering using a letting agency or property manager instead.  A Uswitch poll of 2,000 landlords found that the most common reason t

Labour to 'go further than Tories' with harsher Decent Homes Standard

Labour to 'go further than Tories' with harsher Decent Homes Standard

News

Labour has promised to ramp up the pressure on private landlords by introducing a legally binding Decent Homes Standard 2. Its latest draft policy programme a provisional blueprint likely to shape the next general election manifesto includes a proposal to take the

Starmer 'set to U-turn on rent controls' as London Mayor pleads for more powers

Starmer 'set to U-turn on rent controls' as London Mayor pleads for more powers

News

Keir Starmer is set to rebuff previous calls by London mayor Sadiq Khan to bring in a rent freeze, it has been reported. Khan has been banging his rent freeze drum for months now as the cost-of-living crisis has hit many tenants personal finances, telling the BBC in Oct

'Disaster' renting reform bill to enter parliament tomorrow after PMQs

'Disaster' renting reform bill to enter parliament tomorrow after PMQs

News

The much-delayed Renters Reform Bill is rumoured to be getting its first reading tomorrow after Prime Ministers Questions, although the 'full meat' of the proposals will come later. Rumoured to be renamed the Rented Homes Bill or Renters (Reform) Bill, landlords are waitin

BREAKING: Renters (Reform) Bill to get first airing after PMQs today

BREAKING: Renters (Reform) Bill to get first airing after PMQs today

News

The Government is to finally introduce its long-delayed renting reforms into parliament later today following Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs) in the Commons. The Bill, which is to be called the Renters (Reform) Bill, will get its first reading just aft

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Average rent arrears jump 27% to £1,800 in a year

Average rent arrears jump 27% to £1,800 in a year

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Average rent arrears owed by tenants to landlords have climbed by 27% so far this year, new data reveals.

Minister slams gas boiler suppliers over price rises

Minister slams gas boiler suppliers over price rises

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The government has urged the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to review the boiler supply market amid fears that a lack of competition is leading to higher prices.

Evictions expert calls for national 'rogue tenant' database

Evictions expert calls for national 'rogue tenant' database

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Evictions expert Paul Shamplina has called for a rogue tenant database to be established, pointing out that bad letting agents and landlords face being named and shamed via official schemes, but tenants do not.

Protestors slam 'landlord lobby' outside Gove's London home

Protestors slam 'landlord lobby' outside Gove's London home

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Rental reform campaigners have staged a protest outside Michael Gove’s official residence in central London, calling on the housing secretary to implement his promised Section 21 evictions ban.

Campaigners blame Section 21 evictions for homelessness rise

Campaigners blame Section 21 evictions for homelessness rise

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More than 84,000 households have been put at risk of homelessness due to no-fault evictions since 2019, renting campaigners have claimed.

Landlords: we’ll sell your buy-to-let properties, fast, for the best price

Landlords: we’ll sell your buy-to-let properties, fast, for the best price

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As we enter April it’s been a mixed bag for landlords, with many “nervous" landlords looking to sell amidst a growing apprehension of market conditions and general elections.

Tycoon urges ALL rental homes to be inspected regularly

Tycoon urges ALL rental homes to be inspected regularly

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A leading businessman has entered the political fray with a book in which he lays out his ideas on how to solve the housing crisis including planning and rental market reform.

HMO landlord to pay £26,000 after adding storey to house

HMO landlord to pay £26,000 after adding storey to house

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An HMO landlord who added another storey on his property to squeeze in more tenants has been ordered to pay £26,535 for breaching numerous safety rules.

More landlords turn to 'safer' HMOs as economy remains tough

More landlords turn to 'safer' HMOs as economy remains tough

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HMOs are becoming more popular among landlords as many turn to them as a ‘surer bet’ than other types of rental property in a time of economic uncertainty, it has been claimed.

Landlords still want to buy despite stamp duty hike, survey reveals

Landlords still want to buy despite stamp duty hike, survey reveals

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Hikes in stamp duty rates have failed to dampened landlords’ appetite to buy more properties, a new survey has revealed.

The areas where landlords face the most challenges with deposits are revealed

The areas where landlords face the most challenges with deposits are revealed

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The areas where landlords face the most challenges with deposits have been revealed, with Oxford leading the way.

Landsec rebalancing to residential signifies a growing trend…

Landsec rebalancing to residential signifies a growing trend…

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Land Securities (Landsec), last week reaffirmed its intention to reduce exposure away from office developments towards higher-yielding residential assets

Landlord couple told to pay £8,748 back to five tenants

Landlord couple told to pay £8,748 back to five tenants

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News
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A landlord couple who blamed Lambeth Council’s maladministration of its online application system for their unlicensed HMO have been told to pay £8,748 back to five tenants.

Concerns raised in House of Commons about new EPC rules for landlords

Concerns raised in House of Commons about new EPC rules for landlords

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Concerns have been raised in the House of Commons about the impact of new EPC regulations on landlords.

Risk to rental sector in Wales as taxes raised, Propertymark warns

Risk to rental sector in Wales as taxes raised, Propertymark warns

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Letting agents have warned that stifling rental home supply in Wales through higher taxes or by landlords passing on costs to tenants could jeopardise the PRS.

Scottish First Minister warned against promoting hydrogen boilers

Scottish First Minister warned against promoting hydrogen boilers

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Housing and industry groups have warned Scottish First Minister John Swinney against promoting hydrogen boilers to heat homes.

North Hants Council creates tenants’ charter to boost standard of homes

North Hants Council creates tenants’ charter to boost standard of homes

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North Herts Council has created a tenants’ charter to set out the rights and responsibilities of tenants, landlords and the council, in a bid to keep private rented homes up to scratch.

Rents grow at slowest level for three and a half years

Rents grow at slowest level for three and a half years

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Rents are growing at their slowest level for more than three years, but a limited supply of new rental homes will help keep prices high, it has been revealed.

Sex offender landlord banned from letting property

Sex offender landlord banned from letting property

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A landlord has been banned from letting property in Edinburgh after he failed to report that he was a registered sex offender.

International Women’s Day: Elevating women in property

International Women’s Day: Elevating women in property

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Discover how women are transforming the property sector on International Women's Day. Read Victoria Valentine's inspiring story from a landlord to estate agency owner, and learn about the impact of female leadership and all-women teams in the traditionally male-dominated property industry.

Tenant activists insist "landlords need us”

Tenant activists insist "landlords need us”

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Acorn has taken aim at private landlords again, this time questioning whether their existence is even necessary.

Ban on new leasehold flats moves closer

Ban on new leasehold flats moves closer

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Government vows to finish the job of ending ‘feudal’ leasehold system in England and Wales

Rents rise and void periods shorten, reveals Goodlord

Rents rise and void periods shorten, reveals Goodlord

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Average rents in England jump 4% in a year to February while voids dropped from 24 to 20 days

Younger people targeted in tenant fraud

Younger people targeted in tenant fraud

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Almost three quarters of rental fraud involves young people, official data has revealed.

Book Review: Carl Bayley’s book, Shelter your Family from the Taxman: How to Save Inheritance Tax

Book Review: Carl Bayley’s book, Shelter your Family from the Taxman: How to Save Inheritance Tax

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Carl Bayley is the author of more than twenty ‘Plain English’ TaxCafe published tax guides designed for the layperson and the non-specialist

Expert sounds alarm over rent arrears court decision

Expert sounds alarm over rent arrears court decision

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An expert has warned that a court's decision to allow tenants to challenge landlord-requested rental arrears deductions from their UC payments will see more landlords shun tenants in receipt of benefits.

Big East of England town rushes in anti-HMO rules

Big East of England town rushes in anti-HMO rules

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Fenland Council has introduced an immediate Article 4 Direction before its consultation in a bid to clamp down on burgeoning HMOs in Wisbech.

Northern council heralds landlord fines of £1.38 million... so far!

Northern council heralds landlord fines of £1.38 million... so far!

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Landlords in County Durham have had to fork out fines totalling £1.38 million in the three years since selective licensing was introduced.

Dozens of new amendments proposed for Renters' Right Bill

Dozens of new amendments proposed for Renters' Right Bill

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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 must boost rental homes supply or risk economy'

'Chancellor must boost rental homes supply or risk economy'

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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.

Build-to-rent giant celebrates as landlords exit student sector

Build-to-rent giant celebrates as landlords exit student sector

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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.

Labour rejects new calls for rent controls

Labour rejects new calls for rent controls

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The government has repeated its rejection of “heavy handed” rent controls despite pressure from peers in the House of Lords.

Northern city to clamp down on 'too many' HMOs

Northern city to clamp down on 'too many' HMOs

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Preston Council has proposed new powers to reject HMO applications amid fears that the city is already being over-run by shared homes.

Landlords offered significantly discounted carpets in Scotland

Landlords offered significantly discounted carpets in Scotland

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Landlords in Scotland who are members of the country’s landlord association are to get discounted carpets when refitting their rented properties,