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Landlords slam 'infuriating' licencing rules now driving evictions

Landlords slam 'infuriating' licencing rules now driving evictions

News

Landlords in Portsmouth say vulnerable tenants are being unfairly displaced due to the council’s draconian additional licencing scheme.

Rebel MPs demand ground rents abolished for existing leaseholds

Rebel MPs demand ground rents abolished for existing leaseholds

News

A group of 30 Tory MPs have written to the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt warning that they may vote against the Government’s Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill unless ground rents are abolished for both future and existing leaseholds.

Rent controls 'will undermine investment in PRS' says expert

Rent controls 'will undermine investment in PRS' says expert

News

Rent controls will undermine investment in Scotland’s PRS unless there is more long-term certainty, according to one leading lettings expert.

London landlord narrowly avoids refunding tenant £32,000

London landlord narrowly avoids refunding tenant £32,000

News

A landlord has avoided a £32,000 rent repayment order after a judge ruled his flat was at an address not covered by a licensing scheme, but only just.

Section 21 increasingly being used by landlords to evict as ban looms

Section 21 increasingly being used by landlords to evict as ban looms

News

The latest quarterly homelessness figures from the Government for the final months of last year reveal that Section 21 notices as a reason for homelessness reached record levels during 2023.

'Time for bold action with rent controls has come' says mayor hopeful

'Time for bold action with rent controls has come' says mayor hopeful

News

The Green Party’s mayoral candidate in London has said she will bring in rent controls saying the time for ‘bold action’ has come.

Landlords promised compensation as huge estate faces bulldozer

Landlords promised compensation as huge estate faces bulldozer

News

Landlords have been promised fair compensation by a developer planning to bulldoze scores of homes on one of England’s most deprived housing estates.

Letting agents call for short-lets crackdown in London

Letting agents call for short-lets crackdown in London

News

Propertymark has urged London’s Mayor to crack down on short-term lets through licensing in a bid to tackle over-supply in the capital.

Struggling HMO giant sells off more properties

Struggling HMO giant sells off more properties

News

Troubled property development company Home Holdings has put another raft of HMOs onto the market in a bid to shore up losses.

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Covid's long shadow over rental market 'finally fading'

Covid's long shadow over rental market 'finally fading'

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The Covid years’ extreme effect on the capital’s lettings market appears to be significantly easing – although demand remains abnormally high.

No-fault evictions ban 'an attack on basic property rights'

No-fault evictions ban 'an attack on basic property rights'

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A basic tenet of property rights that landlords should be able to reclaim their property after an agreed period from a tenant is being undermined by Michael Gove’s push to end Section 21 evictions, a leading free market thinktank has claimed.

Government to relax rules on heat pumps, Gove reveals

Government to relax rules on heat pumps, Gove reveals

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The government is considering relaxing heat pump rules in England which manufacturers believe could result in a boost in sales.

Letting agent slams Scotlands' 'nightmare' new repairs rules

Letting agent slams Scotlands' 'nightmare' new repairs rules

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New safety regulations due to impact private landlords in Scotland have been labelled a logistical nightmare by one Edinburgh letting agent.

University launches first ever degree for letting agents

University launches first ever degree for letting agents

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Estate agents might have been deemed more untrustworthy than lawyers and traffic wardens in public polls, but the Royal Agricultural University aims to demonstrate the profession’s value by launching the UK’s first university course in residential estate agency.

It's time to stop blaming private landlords for the rental crisis

It's time to stop blaming private landlords for the rental crisis

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Government ministers, housing campaigners, landlords, letting agents and many of the other actors in the drama that is the private rented sector have been arguing hard about who is to blame for the high rents and lack of supply within the market.

Welsh city reveals 10% hike in HMO licencing fee

Welsh city reveals 10% hike in HMO licencing fee

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Newport City Council is expected to back a 10% rise in HMO fees as part of changes to the authority’s additional licensing scheme.

Landlord mortgage rates slip below 4% for first time in 18 months

Landlord mortgage rates slip below 4% for first time in 18 months

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Paragon Bank is showing some love for landlords on Valentine’s Day by offering its lowest rate on two-year fixes for new customers in more than 18 months.

Legal aid for evictions 'about to collapse entirely' says Law Society

Legal aid for evictions 'about to collapse entirely' says Law Society

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Housing legal aid providers are on the brink of collapse, according to the Law Society of England and Wales, which has urged the government to invest in the service before it’s too late.

Landlord home buying slumps to lowest level for 13 years

Landlord home buying slumps to lowest level for 13 years

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Landlords are selling more homes than they’re buying, according to Hamptons’ monthly letting index, although the sell-off is slowing down.

Debate rages: Will banning Section 21 evictions reduce supply?

Debate rages: Will banning Section 21 evictions reduce supply?

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Fears that banning section 21 will harm the PRS in England are entirely misplaced, based on contradictory evidence in Scotland, according to The Social Market Foundation (SMF).

Tax liability – how to minimise it as a landlord

Tax liability – how to minimise it as a landlord

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As a landlord, you want to ensure your property business is as profitable as possible – and that means minimising your tax liability, so you don’t pay HMRC any more than you need to. Here are some options that can help you do that.

Tenants using the home to run a business - how safe are you?

Tenants using the home to run a business - how safe are you?

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The Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 Part II provides security of tenure to tenants of premises occupied for business purposes, or mixed residential and business purposes. Under the provisions of the 54 Act, it is possible for a lease or tenancy of a property, used for both resid

A new wave of investors rush in to buy properties off landlords looking to sell

A new wave of investors rush in to buy properties off landlords looking to sell

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After a slew of bad news, this week’s headlines come as a welcome relief for landlords looking to sell. The Telegraph reported that despite higher rates and regulatory risks around rentals, a wave of new investors had entered the market, stepping in to take portfolios off landlords’ hands.

Airbnb service for landlords raises £1.75m but still isn't profitable

Airbnb service for landlords raises £1.75m but still isn't profitable

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A business that rents out properties via Airbnb on behalf of landlords has raised another £1.75 million from investors, taking its total raised since 2016 to £12 million.

Record year for build-to-rent construction, says Savills

Record year for build-to-rent construction, says Savills

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The Build-To-Rent (BTR) sector now accounts for 10% of all UK real estate investment after a record-breaking year.

Gove reveals plans to slash ground rents for ALL leasehold properties

Gove reveals plans to slash ground rents for ALL leasehold properties

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The government has launched plans to slash ground rents on existing leaseholds as part of a consultation into widescale reform.

Evictions taking over six months on average, says MoJ

Evictions taking over six months on average, says MoJ

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County courts are taking over half a year on average to process legitimate evictions by landlords and agents, it has been revealed.

Student landlord slams council over 'unfair' £45,000 licencing fee

Student landlord slams council over 'unfair' £45,000 licencing fee

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A property management company has slammed its local council for charging a student accommodation block nearly £45,000 under the selective licensing scheme.

LibDems promise to give landlords tax breaks for green upgrades

LibDems promise to give landlords tax breaks for green upgrades

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Landlords should be allowed to offset spending on insulation and energy-saving improvements against tax, according to the Liberal Democrats.

Landlord mortgage arrears jump by 29%, official figures show

Landlord mortgage arrears jump by 29%, official figures show

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The tough economic conditions bearing down on landlords are starting to push up mortgage arrears, latest data from lenders’ trade body UK Finance has revealed.

Mystery shopper research 'proves landlords racially profile applicants' - claim

Mystery shopper research 'proves landlords racially profile applicants' - claim

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New research by Generation Rent reveals that white people are 36% more likely to receive a positive response when applying to rent on SpareRoom than black people.

Agents report fewer landlord instructions as 'unintended consequences' kick in

Agents report fewer landlord instructions as 'unintended consequences' kick in

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Signs that the Government’s assault on landlords coupled with higher mortgage costs are chasing more out of the market than usual have come from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) this morning.

Tory MP says court delays MUST be fixed before Section 21 is abolished

Tory MP says court delays MUST be fixed before Section 21 is abolished

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Tory MP and former cabinet minister Theresa Villiers (main picture) has warned her own Government that the ongoing delays within the court system risk persuading more landlords to leave the sector and worsen the already acute rented home supply problem.

New way to control HMOs revealed in Coventry - but will rest of UK follow suit?

New way to control HMOs revealed in Coventry - but will rest of UK follow suit?

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Coventry Council is hailing its crackdown on unlicensed HMOs a success after it fined landlords more than £100,000 in just two of the city’s streets.

Notorious landlord to pay staggering £480,000 fine over damp HMO

Notorious landlord to pay staggering £480,000 fine over damp HMO

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A notorious rogue landlord and his property management company have been handed a staggering £480,000 fine for renting out an HMO so damp that mushrooms were growing on the upper floors.

Property market 'past peak pain' but values still down 7% in 12 months

Property market 'past peak pain' but values still down 7% in 12 months

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The UK’s housing market is past ‘peak pain’ after a rollercoaster 12 months and is forecast to grow by 17.9% – equivalent to a £45,521 gain on the average home – within five years.

Airbnb 'irresponsible' for encouraging tenants to sublet rented homes

Airbnb 'irresponsible' for encouraging tenants to sublet rented homes

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A legal expert has warned that landlords face prosecution for running illegal HMOs if tenants follow Airbnb’s suggestion that they sub-let their homes.

Landlords WILL get eviction certainy from reform Bill, King tells MPs

Landlords WILL get eviction certainy from reform Bill, King tells MPs

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King Charles has heralded the government’s commitment to the Renters Reform Bill in his first King’s speech as monarch.

'Short-lets offer returns of up to five times traditional rents'

'Short-lets offer returns of up to five times traditional rents'

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Homes bought by landlords to rent out via short-let contracts create gross returns of between 12% and 20%, an estate agency has claimed.

The Section 21 Ban, will it progress?

The Section 21 Ban, will it progress?

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Will the Renters (Reform) Bill progress and ban Section 21, despite mounting opposition from Conservative back-benchers?

Landlord fined thousands AGAIN for same offence in same building

Landlord fined thousands AGAIN for same offence in same building

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A rogue landlord firm has been handed a £18,300 fine for letting out an unsafe, unlicensed property - only three months after being fined for the same offence in the same building.

Concern mounts over Government's 'weak' leasehold reforms

Concern mounts over Government's 'weak' leasehold reforms

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New leasehold reform legislation faces tough scrutiny from MPs and leasehold groups who are frustrated by an expectation that it will only cover houses, not flats.

Goverment tax grab on landlords prompts a third to go 'limited'

Goverment tax grab on landlords prompts a third to go 'limited'

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A third of landlords who own rental property in their personal name plan to incorporate their portfolio into a limited company structure within the next three years, according to Paragon Bank.