12 Apr, 2025

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Bristol significantly expands HMO and selective licensing schemes

Bristol significantly expands HMO and selective licensing schemes

News

Bristol has approved plans to extend landlord licensing in Brislington West, Bedminster and Horfield wards in a bid to raise PRS standards. The scheme includes additional licensing - HMOs with three or more unrelated people sharing facilities and selective licensing - privat

EXCLUSIVE: 'We listened to landlords' claims Durham selective licensing chief

EXCLUSIVE: 'We listened to landlords' claims Durham selective licensing chief

News

Durham has been given the green light for a huge new selective licensing scheme although it is 40% smaller than its original plan. The scheme will cover about 29,000 homes, 42% of the countys private rented sector, and will go live on 1st April when landlords will need a

Test Case: Council advising tenants to stay put after valid s21 notice served

Test Case: Council advising tenants to stay put after valid s21 notice served

News

This is a Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman case involving an unnamed landlord (LandlordX or MrX) and Brentwood Borough Council. The case revolves around a common situation where the landlord required possession of the property after serving a valid section 21 notice un

'Let’s not forget property remains the best performing investment'

'Let’s not forget property remains the best performing investment'

Opinion

I've been in the property investment business for almost 30 years and during this period opportunities have come and gone but I've yet to discover an asset class that perf

OPINION: The EPC ratings system is 'not fit for purpose'

OPINION: The EPC ratings system is 'not fit for purpose'

Opinion

Ever since I started to market one of my commercial buildings around 10 years ago now, I began to doubt the efficacy of the EPC rating system. The guy that came along to do the inspection told me himself he had just completed a 6 week course, or whatever it was, to train to be a

BREAKING: Government toughens up smoke and C0 alarm regulations

BREAKING: Government toughens up smoke and C0 alarm regulations

News

Social and private landlords are to face tougher new rules which make it mandatory to fit smoke alarms in all rented accommodation regardless of tenure, and widen the conditions under which they must be fitted. Revisions to the smoke and carbon monoxide detector regulations also

ANALYSIS: Does buy-to-let still beat the stock market?

ANALYSIS: Does buy-to-let still beat the stock market?

News

If you had �50k to invest right now, where would you put it, buy-to-let property or stocks and shares? Certainly leaving it in a traditional savings account, with interest rates as they are at rock bottom, thats out of the question. And with the threat of rising inflation ea

EXCLUSIVE: Costliest and most common landlord insurance claims

EXCLUSIVE: Costliest and most common landlord insurance claims

News

Research carried out by LandlordZONEs insurance partner, Hamilton Fraser Total Landlord Insurance, revealed that the vast majority of landlords, https://hamiltonfraser.co.uk/knowledge/good-landlord-quiz-results/?utm_source=landlordzone&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=lz_november

Opinion: Should landlords dive into heat pumps?

Opinion: Should landlords dive into heat pumps?

Opinion

The move to provide home heating and hot water by this method is part of a Government strategy aimed at making deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonizing the UK's power sector by 2035. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the scheme was designed to bring low-carbon hea

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EPC changes, what’s coming and what do you need to do?

EPC changes, what’s coming and what do you need to do?

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News
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The new Labour Government has been busy changing the rules on EPCs for rentals and there’s ongoing consultation exercises to decide what changes are needed

Repeat offender landlord fined £5,000 over illegal HMO

Repeat offender landlord fined £5,000 over illegal HMO

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News
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A landlord has been fined almost £5,000 after being found guilty for a second time of operating an illegal HMO.

Big NE town brings in HMO planning restrictions

Big NE town brings in HMO planning restrictions

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News
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Middlesborough Council has brought in new planning restrictions to clamp down on the “wrong sort of HMOs”.

Big city to expand licensing five-fold despite landlord concerns

Big city to expand licensing five-fold despite landlord concerns

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News
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Gateshead is to push ahead with new property licensing schemes despite local landlords and letting agents opposing them including 93% saying the fees are ‘too high’.

Is development more attractive than landlording?

Is development more attractive than landlording?

News
News
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Rental property yields are shrinking as the costs created by more regulations and legislation eat into landlord profits – so is it time more BTL landlords became SME developers?

Tenant group says 'landlords can't be trusted' to regulate themselves

Tenant group says 'landlords can't be trusted' to regulate themselves

News
News
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Scotland’s tenants’ union has warned that removing rent rise reprotections will lead to an uptick in de facto evictions and homelessness.

Big Kent council latest to offer landlords 'guaranteed rent'

Big Kent council latest to offer landlords 'guaranteed rent'

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News
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Maidstone Borough Council has become the latest authority hoping to entice private landlords to hand over their properties in exchange for guaranteed rent.

Landlord to pay £37,000 after running overcrowded illegal HMO

Landlord to pay £37,000 after running overcrowded illegal HMO

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News
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A rogue landlord who squeezed six people into one room of his HMO has been told to pay £37,000 in fines and costs.

CLAIM: Labour's 'new towns' will be all about BTR not private landlords

CLAIM: Labour's 'new towns' will be all about BTR not private landlords

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News
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The UK’s new towns will favour build-to-rent developers rather than private landlords, according to a think tank which labels them “profit-seeking institutional investors”.

After disastrous rent controls, SNP goes quiet on landlords

After disastrous rent controls, SNP goes quiet on landlords

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News
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The SNP has published its manifesto in the run-up to next month’s general election – but renters and landlords barely get a look in.

'Rookie landlords now more at risk from selective licencing'

'Rookie landlords now more at risk from selective licencing'

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News
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A leading law firm has warned that newbie landlords are at risk of ‘significant consequences’ because many are unaware that selective licencing is spreading rapidly across most urban areas of the UK.

OUT OF TOUCH? Minister claims landlords 'support rent controls'

OUT OF TOUCH? Minister claims landlords 'support rent controls'

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News
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Scotland’s new housing minister Paul McLennan has surprised landlords by controversially claiming that the country’s private rented sector supports rent controls.

Labour casts doubt on Tory's CGT exemption scheme for landlords

Labour casts doubt on Tory's CGT exemption scheme for landlords

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News
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Labour has cast doubt on the Conservatives’ proposal for a two-year temporary capital gains tax break for landlords who sell to their existing tenants

New report says EPCs 'riddled with inaccuracies'

New report says EPCs 'riddled with inaccuracies'

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News
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A snapshot investigation by Which? has revealed that property owners are being given Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) riddled with inaccuracie.

BLOG: What next for leaseholders facing remediation nightmares?

BLOG: What next for leaseholders facing remediation nightmares?

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News
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Cross-bench peer the Earl of Lytton reveals his attempts to make the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill a better piece of legislation for landlords and leaseholders.

Political parties largely misunderstand the business rates issues

Political parties largely misunderstand the business rates issues

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News
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The three main parties manifestos' proposals fail to instil confidence in Colliers business rates expert, John Webber.

17% of deposits 'don't cover rent arrears or damage by tenants'

17% of deposits 'don't cover rent arrears or damage by tenants'

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News
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Cash deposits increasingly don’t cover landlords’ claims for rent arrears or damage, according to a new study.

55% of tenants support rent controls says Generation Rent

55% of tenants support rent controls says Generation Rent

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News
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More than half of private renters (55%) reckon a new government should introduce rent controls.

Welsh nationalists back rent controls in manifesto

Welsh nationalists back rent controls in manifesto

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News
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Plaid Cymru has come out in favour of rent controls in the PRS as part of its housing strategy in the party’s manifesto.

BLOG: Why accurate inventories are more important than ever

BLOG: Why accurate inventories are more important than ever

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News
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The first thing I tell anyone is how important 'evidence' is in both deposit disputes and, now more than ever, monitoring fire safety compliance.

Renting £300 a month cheaper than owning says big lettings firm

Renting £300 a month cheaper than owning says big lettings firm

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News
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Despite politicians and campaign groups claiming that the nation’s rental market is unaffordable, new research out today reveals that renting remains cheaper on average than buying a property with a 5% deposit.

GUIDE: Tenancy agreements as a deed instead of a contract

GUIDE: Tenancy agreements as a deed instead of a contract

Information
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A tenancy agreement is just like any other contract, so as soon as both tenant and landlord have signed the agreement, it becomes a legally binding contract.

Definitive leasehold reform is still far from a done deal

Definitive leasehold reform is still far from a done deal

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News
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Labour might be no more likely to deliver on promises to overhaul the leasehold system than the Conservatives, according to property experts.

Surveyors warn parties to focus on generation rent

Surveyors warn parties to focus on generation rent

News
News
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A huge mismatch in the private rented sector has left tenants tackling ever-rising living costs and plummeting affordability levels.

Demand grows for greener properties to lower energy bills

Demand grows for greener properties to lower energy bills

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News
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Most portfolio landlords have been asked to make energy efficient improvements by their tenants in the past year, according to a new poll.

Labour manifesto sets deadline for more energy efficient PRS

Labour manifesto sets deadline for more energy efficient PRS

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News
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Private rented homes will have to meet minimum energy efficiency standards by 2030 if Labour get the keys to Number 10 next month.

Farage will push for urgent repeal of Section 24

Farage will push for urgent repeal of Section 24

News
News
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Reform UK wants mortgage interest tax relief brought back as part of ‘critical reforms’ suggested by the party following the general election.

Legal appeal aims to protect landlords' postal rights

Legal appeal aims to protect landlords' postal rights

News
News
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The NRLA has stepped in to help fight a legal battle over whether it is acceptable for vital rental documents to be served by post.

COMMENT: Aiming for net zero makes good business sense

COMMENT: Aiming for net zero makes good business sense

Opinion
News
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Increasing the energy efficiency of a property is undoubtedly of value - regardless of the election outcome.

Logbooks should be made compulsory for landlords, claims expert

Logbooks should be made compulsory for landlords, claims expert

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News
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Landlords could have to start keeping a digital logbook to demonstrate their compliance with energy efficiency measures.

Greens vow to power up plans for warmer rental homes

Greens vow to power up plans for warmer rental homes

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News
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Green MPs will push for rent controls and tenants’ right to demand energy efficiency improvements if they win more seats in the election.

PRS should be cut dramatically, campaigners tell Martin Lewis

PRS should be cut dramatically, campaigners tell Martin Lewis

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News
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Property expert Julie Ford has called out tenant union Acorn for suggesting the private rented sector should be greatly reduced.

Utilita Homes boss says landlords need more help to retrofit properties

Utilita Homes boss says landlords need more help to retrofit properties

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In a bold appeal to the country’s incoming policymakers, George Walters, Chief Home Services Officer at Utilita Energy, is urging political parties to prioritise helping landlords to retrofit their properties in a bid to make millions of tenants more comfortable

Landlords promised cash incentive under new Tory government

Landlords promised cash incentive under new Tory government

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News
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Groups representing both tenants and landlords have reacted coolly to the Conservative manifesto which was deemed short on new initiatives.