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Renters (Reform) Bill - we take a first look at the radical new legislation

Renters (Reform) Bill - we take a first look at the radical new legislation

News

The Renters (Reform) Bill has finally had its first reading in Parliament, promising a fair deal to renters, faster redress for landlords and giving more details on how 'pets with lets' will work. Heralded as a once-in-a-generation overhaul of housing laws�, the government

Purplebricks sold to rival for �1 after senior team throw in the towel

Purplebricks sold to rival for �1 after senior team throw in the towel

News

Purplebricks, which at one stage was used by thousands of landlords to manage their properties, has announced that its assets and business are to be sold to rival Strike for �1, pending approval by its shareholders. Any funds remaining in the firm some �5.5 million are

Gove to approve looser rules for HMO landlords housing asylum seekers

Gove to approve looser rules for HMO landlords housing asylum seekers

News

Housing Secretary Michael Gove is set to push through new rules on HMO safety for housing asylum seekers with little fanfare on the same day that the Renters Reform Bill is published. The changes outlined in the proposed https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2023/9780

BLOG: 'Reform bill will solve the problem of pet damage for landlords'

BLOG: 'Reform bill will solve the problem of pet damage for landlords'

News

The long-awaited Renters (Reform) Bill will finally be introduced in parliament after Prime Minister's Questions today. Setting out plans for 12 key reforms to the private rental sector, the 11th pledge - to give tenants the right in law to request a pet, which should not be unr

Agents who lack licencing law know-how 'putting landlords at risk'

Agents who lack licencing law know-how 'putting landlords at risk'

News

Bungling letting agents with a lack of legal understanding are putting landlords at risk of prosecution, it has been claimed. One landlord expert has advised caution when signing up with a firm in the current climate of increasing legislation and falling profits, particularly fo

Opinion: does Michael Gove know something we don't?

Opinion: does Michael Gove know something we don't?

Opinion

It would seem that successive Tory governments have waged an ongoing and progressively more vicious war on buy-to-let landlords, but this latest layer of legislation goes much further. Yes, this latest iteration, and one thats https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/1768/s

EXTRA red tape, scams and repairs drive more landlords to use agencies

EXTRA red tape, scams and repairs drive more landlords to use agencies

News

Almost two thirds (63%) of private landlords who manage their own properties are tired of sorting out repairs and dealing with red tape and considering using a letting agency or property manager instead.  A Uswitch poll of 2,000 landlords found that the most common reason t

Labour to 'go further than Tories' with harsher Decent Homes Standard

Labour to 'go further than Tories' with harsher Decent Homes Standard

News

Labour has promised to ramp up the pressure on private landlords by introducing a legally binding Decent Homes Standard 2. Its latest draft policy programme a provisional blueprint likely to shape the next general election manifesto includes a proposal to take the

Starmer 'set to U-turn on rent controls' as London Mayor pleads for more powers

Starmer 'set to U-turn on rent controls' as London Mayor pleads for more powers

News

Keir Starmer is set to rebuff previous calls by London mayor Sadiq Khan to bring in a rent freeze, it has been reported. Khan has been banging his rent freeze drum for months now as the cost-of-living crisis has hit many tenants personal finances, telling the BBC in Oct

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Midlands council slams 'horrendous' local private rented sector

Midlands council slams 'horrendous' local private rented sector

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Peterborough Council’s selective licensing scheme has uncovered some “horrendous” living conditions since its launch last March.

Landlord who ignored licensing for second time given huge fine

Landlord who ignored licensing for second time given huge fine

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A rogue landlord has been fined for a second time this year for failing to license his portfolio of houses.

PM's own rental house will soon fail EPC rules

PM's own rental house will soon fail EPC rules

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Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing an EPC upgrade bill of up to £28,000 for the property he rents out in North London.

Merry Christmas and a Happy News Year to all our readers

Merry Christmas and a Happy News Year to all our readers

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The past 12 months have been a momentous time for private landlords as tax changes and looming new regulations have been unveiled by politicians of various hues.

'What's the point of good landlords if rogues aren't policed?'

'What's the point of good landlords if rogues aren't policed?'

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Councils are sending the wrong message to law-abiding landlords by failing to investigate those who can’t provide a valid EPC certificate.

Northern landlord fined £38,000 over multiple HMO offences

Northern landlord fined £38,000 over multiple HMO offences

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A landlord in Liverpool has been prosecuted by its city council for 23 offences under national HMO management regulations.

Heat pumps 'don't help upgrade EPCs' warns new report

Heat pumps 'don't help upgrade EPCs' warns new report

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Despite enthusiasm in Whitehall for heat pumps they not the best way to upgrade a rented property EPC rating, a new report has claimed.

Two thirds of private renters struggling to pay rent

Two thirds of private renters struggling to pay rent

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Nearly two-thirds of working private renters - 4,450,000 people - are falling behind with rent payments or struggling to pay their rent.

COMMENT: Year end 2024 heralds both optimism and some pessimism for property investing…

COMMENT: Year end 2024 heralds both optimism and some pessimism for property investing…

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Tom Entwistle recalls the year in property and looks forward to the year ahead

Famous landlord offers rental home at £180,000 a MONTH

Famous landlord offers rental home at £180,000 a MONTH

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Renters with only the deepest pockets will be getting the keys to what is understood to be the most expensive ever rental home marketed in the UK.

Every rental property 'chased by 11 tenants on average'

Every rental property 'chased by 11 tenants on average'

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UK letting agents are still receiving nearly double the number of enquiries about each available rental property than they were pre-pandemic.

Corporate landlords to be exempt from Decent Homes Standard

Corporate landlords to be exempt from Decent Homes Standard

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The Government has revealed more details about how the ‘corporate’ student sector, which competes with traditional landlords for tenants, will be regulated in the future.

Landlord fights council over £15,000 HMO fine... and wins

Landlord fights council over £15,000 HMO fine... and wins

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A landlord has successfully fought a licensing fine after an Upper Tribunal judge ruled it couldn’t be proved that a fifth tenant was living permanently in his HMO.

'Landlord bashing won't help solve housing crisis'

'Landlord bashing won't help solve housing crisis'

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A mortgage lending expert has warned that landlord bashing risks pushing out more smaller landlords, creating a vicious circle of fewer available rental properties and higher rents for tenants.

Landlords spending 'too much' on EPC upgrades

Landlords spending 'too much' on EPC upgrades

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Most landlords’ ignorance of the points-based EPC system means they can sometimes spend more money than necessary on energy efficiency improvements.

Tenants can now pay landlords via their credit card

Tenants can now pay landlords via their credit card

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A digital platform that enables tenants to pay their rent via their credit or debit card rather than a BACS payment has officially launched in the UK.

Local authorities’ new powers to auction leases of vacant commercial premises

Local authorities’ new powers to auction leases of vacant commercial premises

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Local authorities' now have new powers to auction off leases of vacant commercial units in Britain’s town centres and high streets

Landlords worried about missing payments discover agent in jail

Landlords worried about missing payments discover agent in jail

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Landlords who complained about a missing letting agent have discovered that he had been jailed for assaulting a sex worker.

Government to spend millions stopping landlord evictions

Government to spend millions stopping landlord evictions

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More money will be spent persuading landlords not to evict tenants as part of a huge cash boost to help prevent homelessness.

Northern council to expand selective licensing

Northern council to expand selective licensing

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More landlords in Wirral could have to pay for a selective licence under plans being drawn up by the local council.

Rents rising by 9.1% a year on average, official figures reveal

Rents rising by 9.1% a year on average, official figures reveal

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Rents charged for new tenancies across the UK continue to rise as landlords seek to offset higher costs and supply continue to be weak, latest Government data shows.

Labour to allow councils to 'take over' empty rental properties

Labour to allow councils to 'take over' empty rental properties

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Councils will be given more power to force landlords to rent out vacant residential properties as part of the government’s English Devolution white paper.

Letting agents warn over Labour's plan to increase licensing

Letting agents warn over Labour's plan to increase licensing

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Letting agents have slammed plans to ease licensing rules that will mean local councils can introduce large selective schemes without government approval.

HMO landlords warned as London council begins 1,000s inspections

HMO landlords warned as London council begins 1,000s inspections

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Ealing Council has ramped up its crackdown on rogue landlords with a rigorous programme of HMO inspections.

Councils given more powers to licence landlord properties

Councils given more powers to licence landlord properties

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Local authorities will no longer have to ask the Secretary of State for permission to introduced selective licensing schemes in England and Northern Ireland, it has been revealed.

Lenders warn of 'challenging' year ahead for landlords

Lenders warn of 'challenging' year ahead for landlords

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Economic headwinds are set to shrink purchases in the buy-to-let market by 7% next year to £9 billion, predicts UK Finance.

Norwich landlords fume over missing rental payments

Norwich landlords fume over missing rental payments

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Landlords in Norwich are chasing thousands of pounds in rent payments from a letting agency which appears to have gone under.

Tenant demo in London calls for rent controls

Tenant demo in London calls for rent controls

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Hundreds of tenants have staged a protest in central London calling for the government to introduce rent controls.

Major national park moves to restrict holiday lets

Major national park moves to restrict holiday lets

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One of the UK’s larger national parks is planning to stop any new homes that are built within it being used as holiday/short lets or second homes.

Legal Matters: Serving notices, don’t fall foul of the law

Legal Matters: Serving notices, don’t fall foul of the law

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A crucial task for landlords and agents is to correctly serve statutory notices and other documents

What should the new rental contracts be called? Have your say!

What should the new rental contracts be called? Have your say!

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Property experts are pondering what the government might name new tenancies created by the Renters’ Rights Bill.

Council takes unusual approach to signing off HMOs

Council takes unusual approach to signing off HMOs

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A district council has come up with a set of exceptional circumstances to help decide when to give the go-ahead to new HMOs.

Student landlord lands £2.3 million refinancing deal

Student landlord lands £2.3 million refinancing deal

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A landlord in Liverpool has secured £2.3 million to refinance eight student HMOs within the city and unusually has gone public about the deal.

Letting agent slams police over 'lack of justice'

Letting agent slams police over 'lack of justice'

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A letting agent has criticised police who failed to act when vandals threw a brick through one of his tenant’s windows.