Date

Library

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

When does a tenancy legally commence?

When does a tenancy legally commence?

News

A tenancy agreement between the landlord and the tenant is just like any other contract, it is legally binding on both parties.

Letting agent's contract renewal email spurs author to write book

Letting agent's contract renewal email spurs author to write book

News

A private tenant has been inspired to pen her first novel by a contract renewal email sent by a letting agent - and has even named it after the letting platform involved.

Irony of ironies: Gove 'evicted' from his Ministerial home!

Irony of ironies: Gove 'evicted' from his Ministerial home!

News

Housing Secretary Michael Gove faces eviction from his government-owned mansion on 5th July, the morning after the election.

HMO group wins gong for changing official tax policy

HMO group wins gong for changing official tax policy

News

HMO Reform Group won a Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s annual HMO Awards for its campaigning work to change the law on council tax being imposed on individual HMO rooms.

Next Government 'must fund better enforcement of rogue landlords'

Next Government 'must fund better enforcement of rogue landlords'

News

Rogue landlords continue to give the sector a bad name because many councils enforce private rented sector standards weakly or not at all, a new report reveals.

Labour to help thousands of tenants get on the property ladder

Labour to help thousands of tenants get on the property ladder

News

Labour has revealed an uncosted plan to help 80,000 young renters get onto the property ladder, assuming his party gains power atthe General Election.

WARNING: 'Bashing landlords will make PRS as bad as social homes'

WARNING: 'Bashing landlords will make PRS as bad as social homes'

News

Standards in the PRS will soon fall to those in the social sector if regulation and licensing continues to push smaller landlords out, a leading letting agent and landlord has warned.

Landlords must update their home address or face fines, says judge

Landlords must update their home address or face fines, says judge

News

Landlords need to update their home address with their local council’s property licensing department or risk a penalty, an appeal judge has ruled.

Landlords take council to High Court over 'rapacious' licensing fee

Landlords take council to High Court over 'rapacious' licensing fee

News

Disgruntled landlords have started legal action against Middlesbrough Council in a bid to squash its upcoming selective licensing scheme.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Section 21 evictions ban will not be 'immediate' Rayner interview reveals

Section 21 evictions ban will not be 'immediate' Rayner interview reveals

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has admitted her promise to ban Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions immediately after a General Election win isn’t quite what it seems.

BLOG: What do the new 'material information' rules mean for landlords?

BLOG: What do the new 'material information' rules mean for landlords?

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Letting agents and landlords must now provide much more information before a property can be advertised 'to rent' on portals, new National Trading Standards stipulate - but what does that mean in practice for the UK's 2.4 million landlords?

TOM's Ultimate Guide for landlords, whose tenants can't pay the rent

TOM's Ultimate Guide for landlords, whose tenants can't pay the rent

Information
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

More than half of landlords have reported having lost some rental income due to their tenants struggling to afford the rent

'Rent rises must be allowed in Scotland or supply will dwindle more'

'Rent rises must be allowed in Scotland or supply will dwindle more'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A leading Scots letting agent has warned that unless the Scottish government amends its rent control plans to allow for future increases, the level of investment in the country’s PRS will continue to slide.

Elderly landlord to pay £23,000 after tenant's complaint

Elderly landlord to pay £23,000 after tenant's complaint

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A rogue landlord has been ordered to pay more than £23,000 after letting out a dilapidated and dangerous house to a family in Camber.

'Labour's plan to devolve power will see rent controls by back door'

'Labour's plan to devolve power will see rent controls by back door'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Labour could introduce rent controls via the back door by devolving power to regional and city mayors, a property expert warns.

UK's largest renting trade bodies warn political parties

UK's largest renting trade bodies warn political parties

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Two of the UK’s biggest trade organisation representing the private rental sector have revealed their concerns over the big political parties’ electoral promises to crack down against landlords.

Major housebuilder switches to renting, not selling homes

Major housebuilder switches to renting, not selling homes

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Housebuilder Berkeley has announced its ambition to become a big player in the build-to-rent market amid sluggish demand from buyers.

Rent controls do not work and never will, expert warns Labour

Rent controls do not work and never will, expert warns Labour

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Rent controls are a potential bombshell in Labour’s manifesto that could have unintended consequences, according to one property expert.

REPORT: Leading HMO sector figures gather to debate rising energy prices

REPORT: Leading HMO sector figures gather to debate rising energy prices

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A group of 40 leading HMO operators have gathered at an an unusual conference to discuss the big issues facing the sector including one of the most pressing how to manage costs when many properties come with bills included. The HMO ManorMinds event, hosted by

Link landlord EPC costs to rents instead of �10k cap' politicians told

Link landlord EPC costs to rents instead of �10k cap' politicians told

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Landlords financial contribution to upgrading properties in Wales should be linked to average market rents in any given area, suggests the NRLA . Under its proposals, landlords would need to contribute a minimum of �5,000, while those renting properties

BIG GUIDE: How to spot a terrible tenant before you sign them up

BIG GUIDE: How to spot a terrible tenant before you sign them up

Sponsored
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

I'm Richard Jackson. Here are some of the best tips I've learnt in my 30 years of being a landlord, designed to help you spot a potential problem tenant before you sign a tenancy agreement.

BREAKING: Supreme Court rules 'superior landlords' not liable for rent repayment orders

BREAKING: Supreme Court rules 'superior landlords' not liable for rent repayment orders

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The Supreme Court has ruled that Rent Repayment Orders cannot be made against a superior landlord. The landmark ruling has implications for rent-to-rent arrangements and means tenants cannot go after superior landlords property owners or leaseholders - when seeking redress.

REPORT: Landlords spend £34,000 over lifetime maintaining a property

REPORT: Landlords spend £34,000 over lifetime maintaining a property

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A landlord will need to carry out repair or maintenance work on a buy-to-let property 72 times during their ownership, costing them more than £34,000, it has been revealed. Research by lettings and estate agent Benham and Reeves found that while pests are

NEW: Competition watchdog to probe 'consumer rights' within rental market

NEW: Competition watchdog to probe 'consumer rights' within rental market

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The UKs competition watchdog is to launch an investigation into consumer rights for those rent their homes and the activities of landlords and letting agents. This announcement, which has been made by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), reveals that it intends to she

MPs say landlords who don't upgrade homes should pay higher mortgages

MPs say landlords who don't upgrade homes should pay higher mortgages

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A cross-party group of MPs and peers has suggested that landlords who dont upgrade their properties should be liable for mortgage penalties. The All-Party Group on a Green New Deal believes there should be a 1% mortgage interest rate premium levied on all buy-to-let propertie

Government adds thousands of HMOs to energy bills support scheme

Government adds thousands of HMOs to energy bills support scheme

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The government has announced support for thousands more households including tenants living in HMOs - to help pay their energy bills. Households without a direct relationship to an electricity supplier are covered by thehttps://www.gov.uk/get-help-energy-bills/getti

Council wins �1m funding for HMO improvements

Council wins �1m funding for HMO improvements

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

As part of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) levelling up� fund the money is to be used by the council to work proactively and engage with landlords�, in particular with those landlords who rent out houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) and own con

Bailiffs accused of confusing vulnerable tenants with 'lookalike' police outfits

Bailiffs accused of confusing vulnerable tenants with 'lookalike' police outfits

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Private bailiffs dressed in stab vests, wearing bodycams and driving white vans covered in fluorescent police-style trim have been accused of confusing vulnerable tenants, a housing charity warns. Safer Renting is worried it is becoming a growing problem after stepping in during

'Why won't Government regulate agents like it does social housing managers?'

'Why won't Government regulate agents like it does social housing managers?'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Property expert Kate Faulkner (main pic) says new rules to introduce professional qualifications for social housing managers are a slap in the face for the PRS� after years of lobbying for similar standards. The government has a

WARNING: Scots rent cap will 'shrink stock and push up costs for tenants'

WARNING: Scots rent cap will 'shrink stock and push up costs for tenants'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The Cost of Living Act is prompting greater numbers of landlords to quit the sector in Scotland or increase rents between tenancies to cover future costs. Giving evidence to the Scottish Parliaments Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee on the temporary legislation

Official �3 million evictions mediation service 'offered too late' to landlords

Official �3 million evictions mediation service 'offered too late' to landlords

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A paltry nine cases were mediated in the governments pilot Rental Mediation Service - nowhere near the 3,000 cases it expected, it has been revealed. The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Minister of Justice had hoped that the pilot, which offered te

Half of landlords unaware of boiler upgrade scheme, expert warns parliament

Half of landlords unaware of boiler upgrade scheme, expert warns parliament

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Landlords and letting agents need more information and financial help if the Boiler Upgrade Scheme is to succeed, according to Propertymark. In its evidence to the Lords Built Environment Committee inquiry into the scheme, the group says 48% of Propertymar

Test Case: enforcing legal protections for leaseholders

Test Case: enforcing legal protections for leaseholders

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

New leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act 2022 came into force on 28 June 2022, with new financial protections for leaseholders in buildings above 11 metres or five storeys, those with historical safety defects. The new Building Safety Act 2022 was introduced follow

OPINION: It's time Facebook took action to stop rent scams on Marketplace

OPINION: It's time Facebook took action to stop rent scams on Marketplace

Opinion
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Facebook is facing mounting calls to more effectively police its Marketplace classified listings platform after numerous investigations by national media outlets. The most recent was last night (23rd February)https://www.itv.com/news/channel/2023-02-23/prolific-scammer-

LAW: Landords who illegally evicted tenants landed with �22,300 rent repayment order

LAW: Landords who illegally evicted tenants landed with �22,300 rent repayment order

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A landlord pair who assaulted one of their tenants while trying to illegally evict her from their unlicensed HMO have been handed a rent repayment order totalling more than �22,300. Guangyu Chen and Xing Guo argued that their poor English and understanding of the PRS was an exc

EXCLUSIVE: 'End of an era' for Shamplina as he steps back from popular TV show

EXCLUSIVE: 'End of an era' for Shamplina as he steps back from popular TV show

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Evictions expert Paul Shamplina has revealed that hes stepping back from his long-running role in TV series Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords. <figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type- " data-rt-type="" data-rt-align=""><div><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/

York landlord group says 'collaboration not conflict way forward on HMO licencing'

York landlord group says 'collaboration not conflict way forward on HMO licencing'

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Yorks Residential Landlords Association (York RLA) wants to clarify why it decided not to proceed with further legal action over the city councils proposals to bring in an Additional Licencing scheme for HMOs. Both local media and LandlordZONE recently reported that it had

NEW: Unions and campaigners call on Michael Gove to 'freeze' rents

NEW: Unions and campaigners call on Michael Gove to 'freeze' rents

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Council leaders, unions and renters groups have urged Housing Secretary Michael Gove to bring in an immediate rent freeze in a bid to prevent widespread homelessness. In an open letter, the 34 groups and individuals including London Renters Union, mayor of London Sadiq Kh

Landlord wins reprieve from huge RRO claiming 'technical issues' at council website

Landlord wins reprieve from huge RRO claiming 'technical issues' at council website

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A disgruntled landlord has convinced a judge to have his rent repayment order case re-heard after arguing that council systems hindered his ability to apply for an HMO licence during the pandemic. Paul Fashade was told to pay three tenants a total of �11,

'Exploitative' landlords should be taxed harder says Joseph Rowntree Foundation

'Exploitative' landlords should be taxed harder says Joseph Rowntree Foundation

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

The government should raise the stamp duty surcharge on BTL purchases to favour those buying their own home, according to a new report from Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF). The social change group believes the surcharge should at least double to effectively disincentivise specu

NEW: Citizens Advice says Awaab's Law must be extended to PRS

NEW: Citizens Advice says Awaab's Law must be extended to PRS

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Citizens Advice has urged the government to extend Awaabs law to the PRS to help the estimated 1.6 million children living in damp, mouldy or excessively cold privately rented homes. Awaab Ishtak died aged just two years old after living in a mouldy and

Landlords leaving the sector 'not as bad as claimed' says leading estate agent

Landlords leaving the sector 'not as bad as claimed' says leading estate agent

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

A new survey has downplayed the scale of landlords ready to quit the sector due to heavy-handed government regulations and upcoming legislation. Leaders Romans Groups poll of 271 landlords found that only 7% plan to sell up in the next year while 12% aim to reduce their portf

Council green lights more HMO licencing despite proof on higher rents

Council green lights more HMO licencing despite proof on higher rents

News
News
Podcast
Opinion
Sponsored
Information

Nottingham councillors have voted through a contentious additional HMO licensing scheme. The current scheme, covering central areas of the city, will soon come to an end and the council plans to introduce a new citywide scheme in January 2024. It says this would pre