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HMOs offer TWICE the returns of traditional rental properties, it is claimed

HMOs offer TWICE the returns of traditional rental properties, it is claimed

News

A costly HMO conversion could prove a worthwhile long-term investment, with the average 8.1% HMO yield far higher than the 4.4% generated by a regular rental property, according to research by Octane Capital.

Property Portal could be deathknell for big selective licencing schemes, says MP

Property Portal could be deathknell for big selective licencing schemes, says MP

News

The mandatory national Property Portal for landlords to be introduced by the Renters (Reform) Bill next year will stop the spread of borough-wide selective licencing schemes, a leading MP has claimed.

Gove slams rent controls and defends Section 21 abolition

Gove slams rent controls and defends Section 21 abolition

News

Michael Gove used his speech to introduce the second reading of his Renters (Reform) Bill to pour cold water on calls for rent controls while also trying to reassure ‘good’ landlords that the abolition of Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions will not affect them.

BLOG: 'Landlords as well as tenants face a cost of renting crisis'

BLOG: 'Landlords as well as tenants face a cost of renting crisis'

Opinion

Following months of uncertainty, this year will be looked back upon as a tumultuous one for landlords.

Legal matters: terminology, lease or licence, what's the difference?

Legal matters: terminology, lease or licence, what's the difference?

Information

Yes, legal terms confuse and like many specialisms, the confusion is added to by the fact that different terms often have essentially the same meaning.

Landlords told to check tenancy contracts after landmark court case

Landlords told to check tenancy contracts after landmark court case

News

A judge has opened the door to higher compensation being paid by landlords if they fail to protect their tenants’ rental deposits within one of the official schemes.

Details of compulsory national Portal for landlords revealed

Details of compulsory national Portal for landlords revealed

News

More detail on what information landlords will have to provide to the looming Property Portal have been revealed by the Government.

LATEST: Landlords WILL be allowed to demand tenants have pet insurance

LATEST: Landlords WILL be allowed to demand tenants have pet insurance

News

The Government has said it supports measures that will allow landlords to either charge tenants with cats or dogs both pet insurance at the beginning of tenancies or request that they take out a policy themselves.

Majority of renters support banning Section 21 evictions and rent controls - claim

Majority of renters support banning Section 21 evictions and rent controls - claim

News

A renters’ lobbying says its polling of England’s private renters has found a majority support the changes within the looming Renters (Reform) Bill getting its second reading today in parliament.

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Winchester council latest to become big private landlord

Winchester council latest to become big private landlord

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News
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Winchester City Council has set up its own housing company, Venta Living, one of a growing number of councils going down the private route to help meet the growing demand for rental properties.

Landlord fined £6,500 after member of public reports HMO

Landlord fined £6,500 after member of public reports HMO

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News
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A landlord in Norfolk has been fined £6,500 after a significant investigation by local housing officers.

Mental health – are we doing enough in the HMO sector?

Mental health – are we doing enough in the HMO sector?

Opinion
News
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One might immediately answer 'no' to this question, but does the HMO property industry possess adequate understanding of this delicate subject to address it effectively?

Lawyer warns landlords NOT to blame tenants for mould

Lawyer warns landlords NOT to blame tenants for mould

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News
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A senior lawyer has told landlords that they cannot blame their tenants if mould appears within privately rented homes.

Letting agent avoids jail after defrauding seven landlords

Letting agent avoids jail after defrauding seven landlords

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News
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A fraudulent letting agent who ripped off landlords by failing to register their deposits has escaped a jail sentence.

Absentee landlord to pay tenants £10k over mouldy, unlicenced property

Absentee landlord to pay tenants £10k over mouldy, unlicenced property

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News
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Three tenants have pocketed £10,060 between them after winning a rent repayment order against their landlord for letting out a mouldy HMO with “lamentable” fire safety.

Tribunal orders big landlord to pay £16m toward cladding costs

Tribunal orders big landlord to pay £16m toward cladding costs

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News
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One of the UK’s largest private landlords has been ordered to pay £16 million towards the cost of fixing cladding-related fire safety problems at a group of five residential towers in London.

Warwick latest town to start borough-wide big HMO licencing

Warwick latest town to start borough-wide big HMO licencing

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News
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An Additional Licencing scheme covering all larger HMOs in Warwick has now gone live following approval of the scheme last year and a consultation.

MPs say private landlords must face same rules as social housing

MPs say private landlords must face same rules as social housing

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News
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Select committee report is arguing for a change in the law to force private landlords to have to fix mould within days

Record rent rises revealed by latest official PRS data

Record rent rises revealed by latest official PRS data

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News
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UK rents increased by 6.2% in the year to December 2023 - the joint highest annual percentage change since 2016.

MPs told Commonhold is best replacement for leasehold

MPs told Commonhold is best replacement for leasehold

News
News
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Experts and campaigners giving evidence to the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill committee have endorsed a commonhold system.

Landlord slams 'over the top' DWP demands on tenants

Landlord slams 'over the top' DWP demands on tenants

News
News
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Information

Tenants across the UK are being asked to comply with an extensive fraud checklist to confirm their eligibility for Universal Credit.

Landlords in Wales not obliged to flag homelessness risk

Landlords in Wales not obliged to flag homelessness risk

News
News
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Propertymark has welcomed the Welsh government’s commitment that private landlords shouldn’t have to refer tenants at risk of homelessness.

Family build-to-rent urged to meet PRS shortfall

Family build-to-rent urged to meet PRS shortfall

News
News
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Opinion
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Information

Up to one million new rental homes will be needed to accommodate growing demand by 2031, particularly from young families, across England and Wales.

Fewer tenancies trigger letting agency closures

Fewer tenancies trigger letting agency closures

News
News
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Almost 2,000 letting agent branches shut up shop last year which meant 2023 ended with 659 fewer branches on the high street.

Funding concerns continue to stall retrofit plans

Funding concerns continue to stall retrofit plans

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News
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Nearly a fifth of landlords believe the government should prioritise better access to finance so they can carry out retrofitting plans.

More landlords in cost-saving drive to incorporate

More landlords in cost-saving drive to incorporate

News
News
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A record 50,004 limited BTL companies were set up last year, driven by landlords looking to shelter themselves from higher interest rates.

Landlords told to fix mouldy homes within 24 hours 

Landlords told to fix mouldy homes within 24 hours 

News
News
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Opinion
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Information

Michael Gove says that under Awaab’s Law, social housing landlords must deal with condensation issues without delay.

What is in store for landlords in 2024?

What is in store for landlords in 2024?

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Get ready for an intriguing year ahead in 2024, particularly if you're a hands-on landlord, as several forthcoming announcements are poised to reshape the landscape of property management.

Court agrees a vital new 'green lease' clause

Court agrees a vital new 'green lease' clause

News
News
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Information

The importance of keeping commercial lease clauses up-to-date with changes in new legislation, in particular there's one clause that should be inserted into every commercial lease to take account of the new energy efficiency rules. Under the Landlord

Tribunal rules tenant at fault for safety check breach

Tribunal rules tenant at fault for safety check breach

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News
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Information

A landlord who was unable to conduct an electrical safety check due to his hoarding tenant has had a £3,500 fine quashed.

Commercial landlords to get more EPC breathing space

Commercial landlords to get more EPC breathing space

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News
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The government has confirmed that commercial landlords won’t have to meet a proposed 2025 deadline to raise their properties to an EPC band C.

Tech tie-up helps tenants report rent payments

Tech tie-up helps tenants report rent payments

News
News
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CreditLadder has teamed up with Digital ID Connect so app users can report rental payments into credit reference agencies.

Rent fall 'no breakthrough' in challenging market

Rent fall 'no breakthrough' in challenging market

News
News
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Monthly rental costs fell by 0.9% across the UK during December and by 2.2% in Greater London - one of the biggest drops seen in 2023.

No law on cards for private landlords to tackle mould

No law on cards for private landlords to tackle mould

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News
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The government has rejected calls for private landlords to be given similar deadlines to the social housing sector for dealing with damp and mould.

New year brings change in top jobs at NRLA

New year brings change in top jobs at NRLA

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News
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The NRLA has made two top-level appointments to bolster its service at the start of a crucial year.

Letting agencies join forces to create franchise supergroup

Letting agencies join forces to create franchise supergroup

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News
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The Property Franchise Group (TPFG) and Belvoir Group have agreed to a merger to create a wide-reaching property franchise business.

Drugs gang hid behind student lets firm to make millions

Drugs gang hid behind student lets firm to make millions

News
News
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An organised crime group which used a student letting firm as a front for their multi-million-pound empire have been guilty of drug offences.

Wales on track to license all holiday homes

Wales on track to license all holiday homes

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News
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All short-term lets in Wales will soon have to be registered and licensed under plans announced by the Welsh government.

New year heralds brighter BTL mortgage outlook

New year heralds brighter BTL mortgage outlook

News
News
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Information

Mortgage market drama should subside this year, thanks to stable property prices, strong rental demand, rising rents and softening mortgage interest rates.

Warning: New-look Scottish rent controls risk backfiring

Warning: New-look Scottish rent controls risk backfiring

News
News
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A new adjudication process for rent controls in Scotland could add further layers of bureaucracy without benefitting landlords or tenants.

Legal case: rent repayment orders - honesty the best policy

Legal case: rent repayment orders - honesty the best policy

News
News
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Information

A Rent Repayment Order (RRO) is an order that allows a tenant or local authority to reclaim rent or housing benefit where a landlord rents out an unlicensed property such as a house in multiple occupation (HMO). Rent Repayment Orders are obtained through a residential property t

Landlords forced to take a hit on costs by asking lower rents

Landlords forced to take a hit on costs by asking lower rents

News
News
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More landlords are being forced to reduce advertised rents in the cost-of-living crisis.

Council bids to buy more private rented homes

Council bids to buy more private rented homes

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News
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A council plans to buy 65 private rental properties through its housing company in a bid to address the shortage of homes.