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Tenant activists call for 'harsher' renting reform bill

Tenant activists call for 'harsher' renting reform bill

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A lobbying group for renters’ rights is hoping to persuade MPs to make the Government’s renting reform legislation regulated landlords even harder.

COMMENT: Autumn Budget 2024

COMMENT: Autumn Budget 2024

News

Investors, business owners, landlords and pension savers were braced for a painful attack on their assets, gains and savings

Scotland to limit rent rises to official inflation rate

Scotland to limit rent rises to official inflation rate

News

The Scottish Government has announced a new inflation-linked rent cap in its Housing Bill in a bid to balance supporting tenants with protecting landlords’ property rights.

Leading research institute slams Chancellor over stamp duty hike

Leading research institute slams Chancellor over stamp duty hike

News

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has slammed the Stamp Duty rise for landlords, warning that tenants will suffer as a result of the Budget announcement.

Bringing back empty rental homes should be 'biggest priority' says landlord

Bringing back empty rental homes should be 'biggest priority' says landlord

News

Landlords should be encouraged to renovate and repurpose their empty properties to help resolve the housing crisis, according to one landlord.

Landlord to return deposit after odd attempt to charge for letters

Landlord to return deposit after odd attempt to charge for letters

News

A landlord has failed in a bizarre attempt to withhold her tenant’s deposit by billing hundreds of pounds for writing letters and taking photographs.

New Local Housing Allowance freeze is 'nonsensical' say landlords

New Local Housing Allowance freeze is 'nonsensical' say landlords

News

The government’s decision to freeze housing benefit rates next year, leaving private tenants facing financial hardship, has been labelled “nonsensical”.

Autumn Budget – A Halloween Horror Story

Autumn Budget – A Halloween Horror Story

News

After a huge amount of speculation in the press we can finally report what the new Labour Government has decided to do (and not to do) on the tax front

Stamp duty hike will add £7,000 to each purchase for landlords

Stamp duty hike will add £7,000 to each purchase for landlords

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Landlords will face an additional average charge of more than £7,000 from tomorrow when buying a property thanks to an uplift in Stamp Duty charges.

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Making tax digital as a landlord: What you need to know

Making tax digital as a landlord: What you need to know

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Making tax digital (MTD) for income tax is part of the governments long-term strategy to digitalise tax and will have implications for how landlords pay tax on their income. For those used to self-assessment, it will represent a change, but providing digital records will give businesses

What are the special rules for VAT on commercial property?

What are the special rules for VAT on commercial property?

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VAT on Commercial Property is a complex topic and anyone wishing to understand these complexities in relation to their own situation should seek specialist advice. This article should give a broad brush general overview but you really should seek advice because errors can be irredeemable an

Landlord banned from letting properties in England for five years

Landlord banned from letting properties in England for five years

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A rogue portfolio landlord has been banned from letting properties for five years after she admitted multiple offences relating to fire safety issues. Naomi Knapp, a landlord with 34 properties in Bristol, was convicted of eight banning order offences and will now be added to th

'Spray foam must be regulated to stop properties becoming un-mortgageable'

'Spray foam must be regulated to stop properties becoming un-mortgageable'

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Urgent regulation of the spray foam industry is needed to prevent making thousands of homes un-mortgagable, warn leading property groups. Sprayed polyurethane expanding foams are often used in lofts, either to stabilise a failing roof covering or to provide extra insulation. But

EXCLUSIVE: Landlords battle city council over HMO council tax re-valuations

EXCLUSIVE: Landlords battle city council over HMO council tax re-valuations

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Portsmouths HMOs are in the firing line again as growing numbers are being referred to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to have their council tax bands reassessed. Rather than paying tax on the whole property, each room can be classified as a band A at a cost of �1,200, wit

LEGAL LATEST: Can the eviction of a disabled tenant ever be fair?

LEGAL LATEST: Can the eviction of a disabled tenant ever be fair?

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A severely disabled tenant and his family have barricaded themselves into their home in a bid to prevent a controversial eviction. Quadriplegic Harvey Cowe, 62, and his wife Sheree, 55, have lived at the house in Brittany Road, Hove, for 25 years after Brighton & Hove C

'Selective licencing fees will push up rents as cost of living rises squeeze landlords too'

'Selective licencing fees will push up rents as cost of living rises squeeze landlords too'

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A leading letting agent has criticised the reasoning behind the UKs ever-growing list of selective licensing schemes. Selective licensing covers all rented property in a given area or council borough and landlords are required to pay a five-yearly fee of between �500 and �9

More HMO restrictions in Bristol as battle over fast-expanding sector hots up

More HMO restrictions in Bristol as battle over fast-expanding sector hots up

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Landlords in Bristol will soon be required to gain planning permission to convert properties into HMOs in three key areas, it has been revealed. South Gloucestershire Council is to bring in Article 4 directions in the Bristol neighbourhoods of Stoke Park and Cheswick and parts o

LATEST: London mayor urges private landlords to sell their homes to councils

LATEST: London mayor urges private landlords to sell their homes to councils

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Londons mayor Sadiq Khan has urged private landlords who are planning to exit the private rented market to sell their properties to local councils instead of other landlords. Khan made the comments within a self-congratulatory statement on his website l

Seasoned landlord apologises over £19,000 licencing error

Seasoned landlord apologises over £19,000 licencing error

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A landlord firm which tried to argue that its agent was responsible for failing to organise an additional HMO licence has been handed a £19,753 rent repayment order.

Booking.com under fire over 'ghost' and 'scam' properties

Booking.com under fire over 'ghost' and 'scam' properties

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A holiday lets platform used by thousands of landlords to generate income has come under fire over ‘ghost’ properties.

'Labour nightmare for landlords! No rent? Well, you can’t evict or sell now'

'Labour nightmare for landlords! No rent? Well, you can’t evict or sell now'

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There is some uncertainty to what it actually means in practice until the details are written down but could the proposed hardship test mean even if your tenants won’t pay their rent, you will not be able to evict them if that makes them homeless or financially disadvantaged?

Big council takes unusual new role 'policing' all privately rented homes

Big council takes unusual new role 'policing' all privately rented homes

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North Yorkshire Council has adopted a new housing enforcement policy to ensure all private rental properties across the county are up to scratch, the first time this has happened.

Tenant remanded in custody after landlord's death

Tenant remanded in custody after landlord's death

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A tenant accused of murdering her landlord and stabbing his cat to death has been remanded in custody.

NEW: 'Dream home' raffle helps tenants pay their rent

NEW: 'Dream home' raffle helps tenants pay their rent

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A property raffle has just handed out another £500,000 to a lucky winner to buy their dream house.

Council slammed for breaking property licencing scheme rules

Council slammed for breaking property licencing scheme rules

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Hackney Council has been called out for continuing to process additional and selective landlord licence applications five months after both schemes ended.

Will the commercial property market revive soon?

Will the commercial property market revive soon?

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The UK commercial real estate sector has faced significant challenges recently due to changing trends, will recent signs of a turnaround continue?

Rogue landlord and agent first to be banned from PRS in Essex

Rogue landlord and agent first to be banned from PRS in Essex

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A rogue landlord and also letting agent who let out grotty and overcrowded properties has been handed the first banning order in Essex.

Number of tenants looking for properties to rent drops 39%

Number of tenants looking for properties to rent drops 39%

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Rental growth has slowed to its lowest level for nearly three years while demand has dropped by 39% during the past 12 months.

Northern city named best BTL hotspot with 13.1% gross yield

Northern city named best BTL hotspot with 13.1% gross yield

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As house prices have risen sharply in recent decades, many had thought that the sub-£100,000 house that returned double-digit gross returns had gone for good.

Scottish rent rises top charts after controls end

Scottish rent rises top charts after controls end

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The Scottish government’s failure to plan for the end of temporary rent controls has led to rents rising faster than in most other parts of the UK.

Generation Rent boss urges landlords to absorb costs

Generation Rent boss urges landlords to absorb costs

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Landlords can bear the brunt of longer notice periods due to charging high rents, according to Generation Rent.

Manx council moves to restrict holiday let growth

Manx council moves to restrict holiday let growth

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An Isle of Man village has become the latest authority to clamp down on the growth in short-term lets.

NEW: Councillors vote through selective licensing and higher fees

NEW: Councillors vote through selective licensing and higher fees

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Burnley councillors have recommended that its three selective licensing schemes covering some 2,000 homes be extended for another five years following a three-month-long consultation. The schemes in Burnley Wood and Healey Wood, along with the Leyland Road area of the town, were

NEW: Royal family make £1.4m a year from holiday lets

NEW: Royal family make £1.4m a year from holiday lets

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The Royal Family could be raking in £118,775 each month from their holiday let portfolio, adding up to a lucrative annual rental income of more than £1.4 million.

3,000 landlords are under 21 years old, reveals finance data

3,000 landlords are under 21 years old, reveals finance data

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Gen Z are rushing to invest in buy-to-let property, with more than 3,000 buy-to-let landlords in the UK now under the age of 21.

Landlord given police caution after assaulting tenant over 'arrears'

Landlord given police caution after assaulting tenant over 'arrears'

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A landlord who reportedly attacked a tenant after he complained about serious disrepairs has been handed a police caution.

Rent controls reduce supply and housing quality, says new report

Rent controls reduce supply and housing quality, says new report

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A new report that evaluates the dozens of rent control schemes implemented over the past 60 years across the world has concluded that overall they are harmful to rental homes supply.

COMMENT: Did you know that tenants can claim compensation over disrepair?

COMMENT: Did you know that tenants can claim compensation over disrepair?

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Tenants can claim compensation from their landlord for repairs that are not done in a reasonable time; repairs that are of bad quality and do not fix things

EXPERT: 'Now is the time to convert from commercial to residential'

EXPERT: 'Now is the time to convert from commercial to residential'

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There’s never been a better time for landlords to convert a commercial building to residential use, according to a leading architect.

'Dont be afraid of the future' Zoopla boss tells landlords

'Dont be afraid of the future' Zoopla boss tells landlords

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Zoopla boss Richard Donnell has urged landlords and investors to steer clear of misinformation about the PRS and focus on the positives.

Landlord's rental properties seized in UK regulation 'first'

Landlord's rental properties seized in UK regulation 'first'

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A rogue landlord who persistently failed to license several rented properties has had them seized by Merton Council in one of the first actions of its kind in the country.

Sadiq Khan goes quiet on rent controls after Labour 'slap down'

Sadiq Khan goes quiet on rent controls after Labour 'slap down'

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London Mayor Sadiq Khan has been slapped down by Labour’s national leadership after asking to be given rent control powers, it has been reported.

Coventry to extend HMO licencing for five years

Coventry to extend HMO licencing for five years

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Coventry councillors look set to give the go-ahead to extending the city’s additional licensing scheme, raising the fee for a five-year licence from £840 to £916.