Tenancy Deposits: According to TDS (Tenancy Deposit Scheme) less than 1% (0.85%) of tenancies they handle have resulted in a deposit dispute in the year to March 2018, nevertheless its important to get it right when dealing with tenants' deposits.Cleaning was the most com
Viewpoint by Tom Entwistle As winter approaches outside temperatures drop and the perennial landlords problem of winter condensation and black mould rear their ugly heads again.The question is, how do you know if this is caused by the building or the tenant, or is it a co
Landlords' Tax: Internet sites, such as AirBnB, have increased the number of landlords letting to lodgers and to guests on short stays. There are specific tax benefits to this type of letting business which are expanded upon below.Furnished holiday letting</st
Section 21: Most tenancies will never require the service of a Section 21, Housing Act 1988, (eviction) notice. However, on those occasions when it does become necessary, and you just never know, landlords (and agents) will thank their lucky starts they complied with the rul
Asbestos:Asbestos regulations were last updated in 2012 , bringing the UK in line with EU regulations, which means the current regulations have been in place long enough for most
The Application Form You should always use a comprehensive Tenancy Application Form when taking on a new tenant. You need a completed application for each adult tenant in the property.The Tenancy application form is a very important starting point for any residential or comm
End of an AST: Questions: What happens when an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) comes to an end? Will the tenant have to leave or does she need to sign a new agreement? What if a tenant wants to leave early? How long can a periodic tenancy last?When the fixed term (minimum of
Landlords often buy flats which are either Leasehold or Shared Freehold. What are these tenures and what should landlords look out for in these different forms of ownership?Leasehold is one of three forms of tenure (property/land ownership) almost exclusively peculiar to the United Kingdom, thoug
Landlord's Access to Property: Many landlords will have experienced a tenant denying them access to a property - whether for an inspection, viewings or legal duties. Its easy to understand the view of Its my property, I can enter when I want, but unfortunately th
The Law Society of England and Wales has called for a multi-million-pound investment in renters’ representation via legal aid following a rise in eviction numbers.
Landlords in Scotland should be made to routinely provide data rather than simply respond to requests from local authorities, according to a report into the Housing Bill by the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee.
More landlords are selling their properties than those buying, new research has highlighted
Landlords are having to wait longer and longer to evict tenants particularly for those using London’s County Courts, says specialist firm Landlord Action, which blames the problems to a greater extent on a lack of bailiffs.
It seems it’s one step forward, two steps back for landlords with the recent Budget introducing significant changes to Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) that will impact property transactions from April 2025. The changes have caused panic amongst landlords, with a spike in numbers looking to sell before Ch
It is likely that under the Renters’ Rights legislation due in 2025, tenancy documentation will be highly scrutinised before an eviction trial is allowed
The time taken for landlords to evict tenants has increased, latest Government figures show.
We know that households across the UK will need to adopt a low carbon alternative to traditional heating solutions such as oil, gas, coal or wood burning in the future. Air source or geothermal ground source heat pumps are being touted as just such an alternative to help the UK
During these difficult times many tenants have found themselves in the position of wanting to divest themselves of surplus property, to reduce rental commitments by ending a lease agreement before it full term has expired. Perhaps the only way of doing this from the tenants p
Landlords who own leasehold properties in low and medium-rise apartment blocks affected by the cladding scandal will no longer have to supply an EWS1 form when selling or remortgaging their properties, the government has announced. Thousands of landlords who have been unable to
Spiralling fraud and overpayments in the benefits system now stand at the highest rate ever recorded, admits the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), as it identifies housing payments as an area of concern. Housing benefit fraud is particularly rife after the pandemic resulted
The private rented sector wont meet new energy efficiency targets unless the government stumps up more cash for any replacement to the Green Homes Grant, it has been claimed. Latest https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-housing-survey-2019-to-2020-private-
Bury Council in Manchester has adopted new measures to fine landlords up to �30,000 if their properties dont meet the recently-introduced electrical safety standards. Although the standards came into force in June 2020, they had not been adopted and implemented by the counci
A commercial landlord whose building was damaged by two fires has been handed an 18-month suspended prison sentence, it has been reported. Wayne Braund, 52, owner of the former Strachan and Henshaw building in Foundry Lane, Bristol (pictured), admitted six fire safety breaches i
They may look the same but there is a big difference between a standard door and fire door.A fire door is an engineered safety device, designed to save lives and protect property. Unfortunately, it is only once a fire has broken out that we see the dangers of poorly-installed and maintained fire...
The Court of Appeal has ruled that landlords are able to evict a tenant whose Assured Shorthold Tenancy commenced before 1st October 2015 even if the prescribed paperwork such an EPC or gas safety certificate have not been served. Most solicitors and landlords h
Property investor Rod Turner didnt find the thought of having tenants and being a landlord very appealing, but the turning point came in 2014 when he realised the London market wasnt proving positive for developments and that he needed to hold onto properties long term. As
The tragic death in a house fire of a tenant who was undergoing daily care for complex health conditions, has highlighted the need for landlords to comply with fire regulations. LandlordZONE insurance partner, https://hamiltonfraser.co.uk/landlordzone-landlord-insuranc
Using a SIPP to invest in commercial property is perfectly possible and many business owners include their business premises in their pension pot, say Tom Entwistle.</h4>The Self-invested Personal Pension (SIPP) rules are quite complex so you need professional advice before embark
A Radio 5 podcast claims that growing numbers of landlords are asking tenants with a lack of renting history or poor credit score to stump up six months rent in advance, exacerbated by the climate of Covid-hit incomes. While the Tenant Fees Act bans most letting fees and caps
Harrow council has renewed its selective licensing scheme in a key ward despite opposition from landlords and the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA). Under the scheme, all private rented properties in the London boroughs Wealdstone ward will have to pay �580 f
If you buy a rental property with a tenant in place, a sitting tenant�, there are some important issues you need to address.</h4>When a landlord decides to sell a rental property, they have two options: give notice to the tenant and obtain vacant possession before selling, or
Landlords who invest in Buy to Let properties will be keen to maximise the return on their investments (sometimes referred to as rental yield). But how can you best achieve th
This week saw LandlordZONE's Paul Shamplina join forces with Landlord Sales Agency's David Coughlin in a packed webinar at The Ultimate Landlord Show. The two Landlord hea
Its a sensitive time to be talking about increasing the rent, but the time will come when this question needs to be addressed </h4>Most landlords have done their utmost to help their tenants through the pandemic crisis, when they can afford it, but as the
Research into the value of the tax relief claimed using the Rent a Room scheme shows huge take-up. </h4>Since 2009, the total value of relief declared as a result of the governments Rent-a-Room Scheme has increased by 187%, according to the latest availabl
It's the upcoming online event that's got everyone talking, and with just days to
New shadow housing minister Lucy Powell has taken aim at the governments failure to protect renters, leaseholders, first-time buyers and local communities, in her maiden speech in the role. During a debate on affordable and safe housing, she told the Commons that its housing
Troubled property developer Martin Skinner has died of a heart attack while trying to rebuild his business during a trip to Dubai. The 42-year-old founded Inspired Asset Management and pioneered micro apartment developments, which was one of the largest firms doing office-to-res
Given that the deposit protection rules were introduced in 2004, most landlords are aware of them by now, but people still fall foul of the rules, says Tom Entwistle. The legislation introduced by the Housing Act 2004 gives tenants and their
A landlord whos been waiting for a court to hear his application to evict a drug-dealing tenant for more than a year fears his case could be further delayed due to a lack of police co-operation, he has told LandlordZONE . CCTV captured the woman letting
