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Midlands council reveals crackdown on unlicenced HMOs with unusual results

Midlands council reveals crackdown on unlicenced HMOs with unusual results

News

A council crackdown has uncovered four unlicensed HMOs and one being used as a cannabis factory in Kettering and Corby. North Northamptonshire Council joined forces with Northamptonshire Police in a week-long inspection of 76 HMOs, four of which are still being investigated.

Leading lawyer asks landlords for help to reverse 'morally wrong' HMO rules

Leading lawyer asks landlords for help to reverse 'morally wrong' HMO rules

News

HMO owners and associations are being urged to support calls for a rethink of plans to remove licensing requirements for HMOs used as asylum accommodation. Property lawyer at JMW, David Smith , wants the High Court to agree to a judicial review of changes o

LATEST: Rental homes stock plummets by 35% to four-year low

LATEST: Rental homes stock plummets by 35% to four-year low

News

The number of available private rental homes has dropped by more than a third since 2019 to a 14-year low. Only 241,000 PRS homes were available last month compared with 370,000 in June 2019, a fall of 35%, according to consultancy TwentyCi which analysed

Landlord couple fined thousands after ignoring property repair notices

Landlord couple fined thousands after ignoring property repair notices

News

A landlord couple have paid a heavy price for ignoring their tenant's request to fix a boiler after being fined �3,500. David and Emily Griffiths, of Tickhill Road, Harworth (pictured), Nottinghamshire left the tenant with no hot water or heating for three weeks. D

Renters (Reform) Bill: How will the changes to evictions affect landlords? - The Property Cast

Renters (Reform) Bill: How will the changes to evictions affect landlords? - The Property Cast

Podcast

In this episode of The Property Cast, Eddie and Paul are joined by special guest Paul Sowerbutts, Head of Legal at Landlord Action, to discuss how the proposed changes to evictions will affect landlords. How will scrapping Section 21 really impact tenancies and, given the delay

Likely cost of EPC upgrades for rental properties revealed by Government

Likely cost of EPC upgrades for rental properties revealed by Government

News

Energy efficiency improvement costs for most private rental homes work out at between �5,000 and �9,999 (46%), while almost a third (30%) could be improved for under �5,000, according to the latest government analysis. At the other end of the scale, 19% of homes would cost be

Higher mortgage rates driving more landlords to request rent guarantors

Higher mortgage rates driving more landlords to request rent guarantors

News

Landlords hit by mortgage rate hikes are demanding guarantors from increasing numbers of high earning tenants. Many tenants are seeing a greater proportion of their take-home pay go towards rent so are having to provide the additional security of a guarantor when signing new agr

Influential Labour group says tougher eviction rules needed to tackle poverty

Influential Labour group says tougher eviction rules needed to tackle poverty

News

Landlords should be prevented from serving an eviction notice for at least the first year of a tenancy, in the case of repossession for selling or occupying the property, according to a new report from the Fabian Society. The independent left-leaning

Rents soar as agents report rising tenant demand but landlord slump

Rents soar as agents report rising tenant demand but landlord slump

News

The Governments housing policies are coming home to roost as tenant demand continues to soar but the number of landlords advertising new properties to rent plummets, it has been revealed. RICS says that during June it found significantly more members (a net balance increase o

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Renting reforms 'to drive huge increase in tenancy disputes'

Renting reforms 'to drive huge increase in tenancy disputes'

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The Renters’ Rights Bill is expected to fuel a surge in tenancy disputes following a 20% rise last year.

Council to restrict HMOs despite 'no evidence' residents cause crime

Council to restrict HMOs despite 'no evidence' residents cause crime

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News
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A big Midlands council has revealed plans to introduce an Article 4 direction across the borough while admitting that there is no strong link between HMOs and crime.

Renting reforms 'will go nowhere unless courts properly funded'

Renting reforms 'will go nowhere unless courts properly funded'

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News
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Lawyers have warned that an underfunded justice system will hinder any progress made in strengthening renters’ rights.

'Hold your nerve: Watch, wait, and don’t panic'

'Hold your nerve: Watch, wait, and don’t panic'

Opinion
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The biggest news to hit the private rental sector in 25 years is here: the Renters' Rights Bill. Scheduled for its second reading today, 9 October, this Bill is poised to reshape the landscape for landlords and tenants alike.

Renters’ Rights Bill: how concerned should we be?

Renters’ Rights Bill: how concerned should we be?

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Here’s an initial reaction to the Renters’ Rights Bill, thoughts that could change as it progresses through parliament - the second reading is today.

Funding confirmed for EPC improvements – but will it be enough?

Funding confirmed for EPC improvements – but will it be enough?

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A new funding pot has been announced to support energy efficiency improvements in England.

MPs to debate renting reforms today as Rayner promises law 'ASAP'

MPs to debate renting reforms today as Rayner promises law 'ASAP'

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The Renters’ Rights Bill will become law ‘as soon as possible’ housing secretary Angela Rayner has promised as parliament debates her legislation for the first time.

HMO landlords' fine appeal leads to £100,000 increase

HMO landlords' fine appeal leads to £100,000 increase

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A judge has massively increased the fines given to two HMO landlords who have failed in a legal challenge against their sentence.

WARNING: Abolishing ASTs will push landlords into short lets sector

WARNING: Abolishing ASTs will push landlords into short lets sector

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Removing fixed-term tenancies will drive up rents as landlords switch to short-term lets, warns Propertymark.

Landlords can no longer obstruct broadband upgrades

Landlords can no longer obstruct broadband upgrades

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News
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New laws will make it easier for broadband companies to gain access to thousands of https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/latest-mps-gives-tenants-new-rights-to-have-high-speed-broadband-kit-installed-in-blocks/" blocks of flats across England and Wales. The Tel

Business rates revaluation 2023 will hit small retailers hardest

Business rates revaluation 2023 will hit small retailers hardest

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News
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All non-domestic properties usually have their business property Rateable Value (RV) revalued every five years by the Valuation Office Agency. The next revaluation is due to take place on 1 April 2023. What is Rateable Value? The value is determined by the Valuation

Get a move on with PRS reforms, council tells Gove

Get a move on with PRS reforms, council tells Gove

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Cherwell District Council has pressed the government to urgently introduce the long-awaited Renters Reform Bill to help it rebalance the relationship between landlords and tenants. The north Oxfordshire authority has written to Housing Secretary Michael Gove asking him to bring

Industry finds holes in energy scheme's bid to cut bills

Industry finds holes in energy scheme's bid to cut bills

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Propertymark has voiced fears that the governments ECO plus scheme risks excluding many landlords with low-rated properties. In its response to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategys consultation into the scheme to help fund home insulation, the indus

Ban for letting agent who claimed £100K in Bounce Back loans

Ban for letting agent who claimed £100K in Bounce Back loans

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A letting agency boss has been hit with an 11-year ban after repeatedly abusing the https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/landlords-who-took-out-bounce-back-loans-given-six-month-breathing-space/" Bounce Back Loan scheme. Laszlo Szabo, the sole director of Letti

Good relationships will make all the difference in a challenging year

Good relationships will make all the difference in a challenging year

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Landlords should think carefully before attempting to remove good tenants who resist rent increases, advises https://www.landlordaction.co.uk/ Landlord Action founder Paul Shamplina - or risk replacing them with tenants who stop paying rent. If you have a

Modest drop in rental costs heralds busy start to the year

Modest drop in rental costs heralds busy start to the year

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News
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The average cost of rent fell slightly during December, dropping 1.47% to �1,071, according to the latest Rental Index from https://www.goodlord.co/" Goodlord .<br><br>The South West saw the largest reduction of 2.68% to �1,066 while the only region to see an increase wa

BREAKING: Landlords cry foul over council's HMO planning rules change of mind

BREAKING: Landlords cry foul over council's HMO planning rules change of mind

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Long-term HMO landlords in Portsmouth risk losing their C3/C4 status with no chance of getting it back due to confusion over planning rules, it is claimed. Many took advantage of the option to switch between family use (C3) and HMO (C4) without needing planning permission in 201

TENANT BLOG: What I think of the Government's looming renting reforms

TENANT BLOG: What I think of the Government's looming renting reforms

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If you havent heard of it before, the Renters' Reform Bill is set to be voted on before May 2023, bringing with it a plethora of proposed changes for landlords and tenants alike. Shelter , who along with other organisations are cam

Legal & General reveals �5 billion investment in housing last year, including BTR.

Legal & General reveals �5 billion investment in housing last year, including BTR.

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Legal &amp; General Capital helped fund more than 17,000 new homes across affordable housing, suburban build-to-rent (BTR), modular housing, traditional build-to-sell, and key worker homes last year. The insurance group invested �5 billion towards levelling up the UKs towns

Majority of landlords will have to raise rents next year 'by at least 10%'

Majority of landlords will have to raise rents next year 'by at least 10%'

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Almost two-thirds of landlords (62%) will be forced to raise rents by at least 10% in the next 12 months if market conditions dont improve. Research by Aldermore Bank found that despite this, landlords feel conflicted about passing on costs in an alread

COMMENT: My top 10 priorities for landlords in 2023

COMMENT: My top 10 priorities for landlords in 2023

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News
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The rental sector is likely to see some of the biggest changes since the 1980s, so do your homework and keep yourself up-to-date. All the signs are that operating as a residential landlord in 2023 will be just as challenging as it was last year, if not more so here are my to

HONOURS: Leading property sector figure Kate Faulkner awarded OBE

HONOURS: Leading property sector figure Kate Faulkner awarded OBE

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News
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Leading property sector figure Kate Faulkner has been given an OBE in the New Years Honours List. Faulkners honour is for her involvement with landlords, estate agents and consumers including her work leading the property industry Home Buying and Selling Grou

Commercial landlords are 'left in the lurch'� as more business tenants go bust

Commercial landlords are 'left in the lurch'� as more business tenants go bust

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News
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The worst fears of a commercial landlord are realised when the flow on quarterly or monthly rent payments starts to dry up! Read on to find out what to do if you're faced with this. According to the latest available Office of National Statistics (ONS) figures, the number of comp

RISING panic reported among student landlords over plans for open-ended tenancies

RISING panic reported among student landlords over plans for open-ended tenancies

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The NRLA has backed the growing number of student landlords 'panicked' by the Governments plans to bring in periodic or open ended tenancies across the private rental sector. Concern is widespread within the student community, new research reveals, with 84% saying they

Is yours one of them? 64% of PRS properties 'will not reach minimum EPC in time'

Is yours one of them? 64% of PRS properties 'will not reach minimum EPC in time'

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Nearly two-thirds of private rental properties wont reach proposed minimum EPC levels, according to new research. Data compiled for property data platform LandTech shows that 64% of private rental properties would fail to reach an EPC rating of C or abo

Landlord launches petition to bring back mortgage interest tax relief for BTL

Landlord launches petition to bring back mortgage interest tax relief for BTL

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A landlord in the Midlands has launched a parliamentary petition calling on the Government to reverse its Section 24 tax changes for landlords, which since 2017 has gradually removed their ability to claim mortgage interest rate against their tax liability. Announced by George O

Abolishing Section 21 is 'sledge hammer to crack a nut' says property chief

Abolishing Section 21 is 'sledge hammer to crack a nut' says property chief

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One of Londons leading property management figures has said the Governments plans to abolish section 21 evictions is a sledge hammer to crack a nut and not an effective solution to the issue of bad landlords within the private rented sector. The comments come from An

BREAKING: HMRC completely rejigs and delays MTD scheme for landlords

BREAKING: HMRC completely rejigs and delays MTD scheme for landlords

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Only landlords with property incomes over £30,000 will now need to comply with HMRC's looming https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/making-tax-digital/overview-of-making-tax-digital" target="_blank" Making Tax Digital (MTD) https://www

BREAKING: 'Rent Smart Wales' style scheme revealed for Welsh holiday lets

BREAKING: 'Rent Smart Wales' style scheme revealed for Welsh holiday lets

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The Welsh Government wants to know what landlords who operate holiday accommodation in the country think of its proposed regulation of the sector. Following a https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/breaking-labour-and-plaid-cymru-to-jointly-force-through-rent-controls-in-w

Scots Minister shows 'blatant disregard' for landlords with higher BTL stamp duty

Scots Minister shows 'blatant disregard' for landlords with higher BTL stamp duty

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Landlords in Scotland have been hit with a stamp duty rise as the government strives to raise additional revenue. It announced legislation in the Budget statement to increase the rate of the Additional Dwelling Supplement from 4% to 6% for second home buyers and buy-to-let landl

Desperate landlord writes to Gove as bankruptcy looms over cladding rules

Desperate landlord writes to Gove as bankruptcy looms over cladding rules

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A landlord whos facing bankruptcy has written to Housing Secretary Michael Gove voicing his frustration that he is not eligible for any cladding funding despite only earning �63 a week from his properties. The landlord, who has BTL interest-only mortgages, has two freehold s

WARNING: Spray foam can lead to refused mortgage applications

WARNING: Spray foam can lead to refused mortgage applications

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In September the Government announced a �2bn plan to offer home insulation grants of up to �5,000 per household in England. This is to be known as the https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-the-green-homes-grant-scheme" target="_blank" Green Homes Grant and has replaced

LATEST: Government appears to confirm 'biggest change to tenancy law in a generation'

LATEST: Government appears to confirm 'biggest change to tenancy law in a generation'

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The Government appears to have confirmed that it will get rid of both Assured Periodic Tenancies and fixed-term tenancies in favour of a single, universal periodic tenancy. This was originally flagged up in its https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/latest-renting-re

NEW: Report says 87% of landlords will face full cost of EPC upgrades

NEW: Report says 87% of landlords will face full cost of EPC upgrades

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Just 0.2% of private landlords would qualify for full state support to help upgrade their properties under a proposed scheme to get the UKs walls insulated, while 87% would be liable for the full costs. The Economy 2030 Inquiry says simply basing hand-outs on means-tested ben