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
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
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
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
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
A landlord in London must now pay �40,000 after losing his appeal against his fine for breaching Mandatory HMO licensing conditions at a bedsit property above a pub. Earlier this year Islington council brought a prosecution against Mohammed Shahid for fai
For years now, what would appear to have been successive waves of anti-landlord legislation have been bearing down on buy to let, but will this change under a new prime minister? From George Osborne to Rishi Sunack, the Treasury, it would seem, has been milking the buy to let la
The next chapter in the troubling story of property guru Glenn Armstrong has begun after court records have revealed that the infamous �3m seven-bedroom trophy mansion he often used within his marketing effort has been repossessed by bailiffs. The 62-year-olds now form
Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak continue to battle it out to become Prime Minster, but what will this mean for housing? Sunak and Truss have talked about homeownership and with the challenges that many face getting onto the housing ladder, but have remain tight-lipped about detailed p
One of the seismic changes for landlords and letting agents this year will be when the Renters’ Rights Bill bans taking rent in advance.
Camden Council wants to renew its additional licensing scheme with a potential £82 hike in fees.
Landlords in Grimbsy are being asked for their views on a new selective licensing scheme for parts of the East Marsh ward.
Over two thirds of private renters in the UK believe it is ‘too easy’ for landlords to take advantage of tenants, much higher than the global average of 59%.
The energy specialist, comparison website operator Uswitch, has released its latest “Mouldy Nation Report”
Landlords have been warned to swap their Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meters at rental properties by 30th June or face possible legal action.
The Scottish Government is to upgrade its Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) system.
A new consultation has been launched into how tenants at risk of unfair eviction could benefit from a £20 million a year boost in legal aid.
A rogue tenant has been prosecuted for running an illegal dog breeding service inside her filthy rented property.
A council plans to buy 65 private rental properties through its housing company in a bid to address the shortage of homes.
Landlords in Middlesbrough have vowed to fight plans to expand selective licensing and a fee hike.
A landlord who failed to remove dangerous mould from a children’s bedroom has been handed a £10,451 fine.
A landlord living in Shropshire’s largest block of flats has vowed to stay put, despite his neighbours moving out during serious flooding.
The Socialist Party has called for rent controls, compulsory control of private landlords and the nationalisation of house builders.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has warned rogue landlords that they will soon have nowhere to hide.
The Military is shunning heat pumps in favour of cheaper to install cutting-edge electric boilers in homes
Landlords are being encouraged to consider adding lucrative short lets and assisted living developments to their property portfolios this year.
Landlords and letting agents have been warned to be more careful when handling tenants’ personal data under GDPR rules.
Steeper fines for landlords flouting Right to Rent rules in England come into force on 22nd January.
Middlesborough Council has launched a consultation into plans to extend a selective licensing scheme in parts of its Newport ward.
The PRS is “broken” according to Shelter, which claims lone parents are bearing the brunt of the housing crisis.
Lobbying group Acorn has issued a statement apologising for incorrectly accusing the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) of ‘campaigning against the abolishment of Section 21 evictions’.
A BTL investment firm has had its wrist slapped by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for potentially misleading landlords over its prices.
Councillors in Derby hope to get tougher on HMO landlords by introducing an Article 4 direction in the city.
A landlord in Somerset has revealed his highly unusual path to becoming a buy-to-let investor.
More than 144,000 private landlords coming to the end of five-year fixed deals face re-mortgaging at starkly higher rates in 2024.
Nottingham benefits landlord Mick Roberts has blamed the city’s licensing schemes for rising rents and homelessness.
Manchester Council has revealed penalties of more than £86,000 handed to landlords under previous selective licensing schemes to justify expanding it to nine more areas.
A landlord has won an unusual Tribunal victory after their local council tried to prevent a property being rented out because, it alleged, its spiral staircase was too dangerous for workmen over 60 years old to use.
A leading landlord has received an OBE within the New Year Honours List along with one other property figure.
As much as £100 million in tax avoidance could have disappeared before taxation expert Dan Neidle of Tax Policy Associates (TPA) “blew the whistle” on the schemes
The Tory Government’s assault on the student accommodation sector will see the number of private landlords operating within it halve by 2033, it has been claimed.
Landlords are becoming increasingly worried about both rising costs and the Government’s plans to scrap ‘no fault’ Section 21 evictions next year, it has been claimed.
