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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

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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

'Disaster' renting reform bill to enter parliament tomorrow after PMQs

'Disaster' renting reform bill to enter parliament tomorrow after PMQs

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The much-delayed Renters Reform Bill is rumoured to be getting its first reading tomorrow after Prime Ministers Questions, although the 'full meat' of the proposals will come later. Rumoured to be renamed the Rented Homes Bill or Renters (Reform) Bill, landlords are waitin

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There’s never been a better time to convert commercial buildings to residential

There’s never been a better time to convert commercial buildings to residential

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Architect Matthew Robinson argues that there’s never been a better time to convert commercial buildings to residential use...

TECH: New app gives tenants ability score landlords' properties

TECH: New app gives tenants ability score landlords' properties

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A new app aims to help prospective tenants decide whether a rental property ticks all the right boxes.

Councils urged to follow Merton's lead and repossess landlord homes

Councils urged to follow Merton's lead and repossess landlord homes

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A councillor has called for more local authorities to follow Merton’s lead and strip rogue landlords of their properties.

Renters' campaigners push for 'under-fire' landlord MP to resign

Renters' campaigners push for 'under-fire' landlord MP to resign

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Calls are growing for the Labour MP who was shamed for renting out mouldy and unlicensed flats to step down.

NRLA wins 'gold' for staff dedication to supporting private landlords

NRLA wins 'gold' for staff dedication to supporting private landlords

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The NRLA has won Gold status from the Investors in People (IIL) scheme following a wide-ranging accreditation process that scrutinised its commitment to deliver a positive work environment for the organisation’s staff.

London council U-turns over 'onerous conditions' for new licensing scheme

London council U-turns over 'onerous conditions' for new licensing scheme

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Lambeth has ignored landlord protests to launch its selective licencing scheme but backtracked on many onerous conditions.

Huge new selective licensing scheme goes live on South Coast

Huge new selective licensing scheme goes live on South Coast

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Brighton & Hove City Council has set its controversial new selective licensing scheme live, which now covers 17 of its 23 wards.

'Make rent guarantee insurance for council-referred tenants mandatory'

'Make rent guarantee insurance for council-referred tenants mandatory'

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A landlord association has called for councils and charities that refer homeless or vulnerable tenants to take out mandatory rent guarantee insurance.

Landlord couple fined £141,000 over failings at London HMO

Landlord couple fined £141,000 over failings at London HMO

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A landlord and his wife are to pay a total of some £141,000 in fines and costs after failings at their HMO.

Jeremy Corbyn backs rent controls for England

Jeremy Corbyn backs rent controls for England

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Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has warned the government that renter reforms would still allow landlords to make “excessive profits” unless rent controls are introduced.

Midlands city to extend HMO licensing until 2030

Midlands city to extend HMO licensing until 2030

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Councillors in Worcester have agreed to extend the city’s additional licensing scheme for another five years.

Prolific rogue tenant faces jail over renting scams

Prolific rogue tenant faces jail over renting scams

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A prolific fraudster has admitted scamming numerous would-be tenants out of hundreds of pounds.

Landords warn of 'huge consequences' if reforms go live un-amended

Landords warn of 'huge consequences' if reforms go live un-amended

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The NRLA has warned of potentially devastating consequences for the PRS unless the House of Lords approves new amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill.

CLAIM: Rent in advance demands 'widespread among landlords'

CLAIM: Rent in advance demands 'widespread among landlords'

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The use of ‘rent in advance’ is widespread among landlords in the UK, the leader of a coalition of tenants’ rights groups has claimed

UK rents fall, house sales rise and the commercial property recover stalls

UK rents fall, house sales rise and the commercial property recover stalls

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It’s a mixed picture in the UK property markets - UK rents fall for first time in five years, house sales rise and commercial recovery property stalls

RICS warns landlords over 'unqualified' fire assessors' paperwork

RICS warns landlords over 'unqualified' fire assessors' paperwork

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The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has urged flat owners to check assessors’ credentials after a fire engineer was sanctioned by the Institution of Fire Engineers for unprofessional conduct.

Council moves to ban 'To Let' boards in central London

Council moves to ban 'To Let' boards in central London

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Letting agents have warned Westminster Council that its plan to ban advertising boards outside landlords' properties borough-wide could cause delays for renters.

Tenants in England now pay half their income in rent

Tenants in England now pay half their income in rent

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Rightmove says the average rent in the UK now eats up 50% of the net income of those living within the private rented sector where the monthly rent per property is now £1,526.

Housing quality in rented sector rising - but so's damp

Housing quality in rented sector rising - but so's damp

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Numbers of non-decent homes and Category 1 hazards in the PRS have fallen in recent years, although problems with damp are on the rise.

Rent controls in Scotland 'favour landlords' says Generation Rent

Rent controls in Scotland 'favour landlords' says Generation Rent

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The Scottish government’s proposed rent control formula is generous to landlords but would leave tenants vulnerable to unaffordable rent rises, says Generation Rent.

Big council urges public to report rogue HMO landlords

Big council urges public to report rogue HMO landlords

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Croydon Council is calling on local residents to report concerns about unauthorised HMOs as it ramps up action against errant landlords.

Landlords 'bewildered and frustrated' by Scotland's latest rent controls

Landlords 'bewildered and frustrated' by Scotland's latest rent controls

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There is still widespread frustration and bewilderment among landlords and agent that rent controls are the only policy intervention to help tackle affordability in Scotland

CLAIM: Investors 'moving out of residential into commercial'

CLAIM: Investors 'moving out of residential into commercial'

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Investors have started buying up shops and offices in London rather than houses in order to turn a profit.

Midlands landlord to pay £20,000 after ignoring improvement notice

Midlands landlord to pay £20,000 after ignoring improvement notice

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A landlord in Telford is to pay a huge fine after his local council took him to court over a substandard property he rented out within the town.

Landlords caught up in latest cladding remediation problems

Landlords caught up in latest cladding remediation problems

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A Lib Dem MP has highlighted what he describes as an unfolding EWS1 form scandal after a fire safety consultant was sanctioned for unprofessional conduct.

How will landlords handle risky tenants when 'rent in advance' is banned?

How will landlords handle risky tenants when 'rent in advance' is banned?

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One of the seismic changes for landlords and letting agents this year will be when the Renters’ Rights Bill bans taking rent in advance.

Big London borough to renew HMO licensing and raise fees

Big London borough to renew HMO licensing and raise fees

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Camden Council wants to renew its additional licensing scheme with a potential £82 hike in fees.

NE town reveals plans to start selective licensing for landlords

NE town reveals plans to start selective licensing for landlords

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Landlords in Grimbsy are being asked for their views on a new selective licensing scheme for parts of the East Marsh ward.

NEW: Research reveals key reason for political action on 'unfair' PRS

NEW: Research reveals key reason for political action on 'unfair' PRS

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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%.

Uswitch has produced the latest ‘Mouldy Nation Report’

Uswitch has produced the latest ‘Mouldy Nation Report’

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The energy specialist, comparison website operator Uswitch, has released its latest “Mouldy Nation Report”

TV presenter warns landlords over Ofgem's eletricity meter 'cliff face'

TV presenter warns landlords over Ofgem's eletricity meter 'cliff face'

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Landlords have been warned to swap their Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meters at rental properties by 30th June or face possible legal action.

Is Scotland getting ready for its own EPC minimum for landlords?

Is Scotland getting ready for its own EPC minimum for landlords?

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The Scottish Government is to upgrade its Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) system.

Government raises legal aid fees for tenants' eviction solicitors

Government raises legal aid fees for tenants' eviction solicitors

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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.

Rogue tenant prosecuted after running barking business from filthy home

Rogue tenant prosecuted after running barking business from filthy home

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A rogue tenant has been prosecuted for running an illegal dog breeding service inside her filthy rented property.