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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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Gove’s ambitious plan to reform leasehold is quietly being sidelined

Gove’s ambitious plan to reform leasehold is quietly being sidelined

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Abolishing leasehold is far from the easy process some of our politicians would have us believe – there are some powerful forces ready to counter the move.

Former housing minister facing questions over rented property

Former housing minister facing questions over rented property

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Former Housing Minister Esther McVey has been claiming tens of thousands of pounds in Parliamentary expenses for renting a London flat, despite her husband owning a property a mile away, it has been claimed.

MPs tell Government to protect landlords from rogue agents

MPs tell Government to protect landlords from rogue agents

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The government has been urged to stop “sitting on its hands” and bring forward changes to protect tenants, leaseholders and landlords from poor practices in the lettings industry.

DIY lettings service for landlords launches with big promise

DIY lettings service for landlords launches with big promise

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A new DIY lettings service for landlords should help Hello Neighbour fulfil its ambition of becoming the biggest letting agent in England, according to co-founder Richard Jenkins.

Council closes HMO after surprise visit reveals nightmare property

Council closes HMO after surprise visit reveals nightmare property

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A landlord who rented out his unlicensed, seven-bedroom HMO to 13 tenants has been ordered to pay £3,000.

COMMENT: Rent rises not profiteering but just 'landlords tracking costs'

COMMENT: Rent rises not profiteering but just 'landlords tracking costs'

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News
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In February the average BTL mortgage rate fell to 5.5% which is the lowest since September 2022.

MPs urge Ministers to 'sort out' Local Housing Allowance rises

MPs urge Ministers to 'sort out' Local Housing Allowance rises

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News
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Landlord and tenant groups have welcomed proposals by MPs on the Work and Pensions Select Committee to introduce an annual ‘uprating guarantee’ to the Local Housing Allowance (LHA).

REFORMS: Many landlords have 'no idea what's about to hit them'

REFORMS: Many landlords have 'no idea what's about to hit them'

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Only one in five (18%) landlords understand the Renters (Reform) Bill, while just 3% have read guidance surrounding the legislation, according to a new Propertymark poll.

Landlord warns: "sell now” as Government urged to further reduce PRS

Landlord warns: "sell now” as Government urged to further reduce PRS

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The Guardian suggests that Government may start to veer towards a “surprisingly simple solution to the UK housing crisis” which could see them squeeze landlords further, blaming them for the current housing crisis affecting home-buyers.

Landlords swarm as the Renters Rights Bill sends shock waves through the property market

Landlords swarm as the Renters Rights Bill sends shock waves through the property market

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Landlords packed the National Landlord Investment Show in London, sounding the alarm over the game-changing Renters Rights Bill. With no-fault evictions on the chopping block, experts warn that the bill could cripple landlords with skyrocketing legal costs and a loss of control over their properties

Trickle vents can be one of the best ways to combat damp and mould in rental properties

Trickle vents can be one of the best ways to combat damp and mould in rental properties

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News
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Trickle vents can be one of the best ways to combat damp and mould, according to one architect who explains why houses are getting damper, ahead of Awaab’s Law.

Labour MP reiterates calls for a short-lets registration scheme

Labour MP reiterates calls for a short-lets registration scheme

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A Labour MP has reiterated calls in the House of Commons this week for a short-lets registration scheme.

Tenants want speedier repairs rather than more regulation, reveals new LRG survey

Tenants want speedier repairs rather than more regulation, reveals new LRG survey

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More communication and speedier repairs would improve the relationship between tenants and landlords rather than more regulation, a new industry survey has revealed.

Number of rental homes stuck at same level for nine years - but the type of landlord has changed

Number of rental homes stuck at same level for nine years - but the type of landlord has changed

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Number of rental homes stuck at same level for nine years - but the type of landlord has changed

Landlords must be given time to adjust to Renter’s Rights Bill

Landlords must be given time to adjust to Renter’s Rights Bill

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The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has predicted “confusion and chaos” unless the Government gives landlords sufficient time to adjust to new reforms.

Rent increase restrictions lead to sharp rise in tenants challenging rent hikes

Rent increase restrictions lead to sharp rise in tenants challenging rent hikes

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Temporary restrictions on rent increases in the Scottish private rented sector have led to a more than eightfold increase in renters challenging rent hikes.

Landlords in Northern Ireland face huge fines if they fail to comply with new electricity laws

Landlords in Northern Ireland face huge fines if they fail to comply with new electricity laws

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Landlords in Northern Ireland face large fines if they don’t comply with electrical safety rules introduced this week.

COMMENT: Spring Statement 2025 – how will it affect the property sector?

COMMENT: Spring Statement 2025 – how will it affect the property sector?

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News
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Tom Entwistle reflects on the Spring Statement which he says was not so much an emergency budget, more an update on the state of the economy with a few tweaks.

Boost in BTL data reflects activity of larger wealthier landlords

Boost in BTL data reflects activity of larger wealthier landlords

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Financial experts have greeted resurgent buy-to-let market data with caution, suggesting that larger wealthier landlords are simply taking a bigger share of the sector.

Average rents in England rise for the third month in a row to £1,213 in March

Average rents in England rise for the third month in a row to £1,213 in March

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The average price of a rental property in England rose for the third month in a row to £1,213 in March, it has been revealed.

Desirable London properties at historic discounts, suggests Savills

Desirable London properties at historic discounts, suggests Savills

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Investors can snap up prime central London properties at historic discounts equivalent to those seen in the early 1990s, according to new research by Savills.

Half of private renters don’t have contents insurance or don’t know what it is, claims Monzo

Half of private renters don’t have contents insurance or don’t know what it is, claims Monzo

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Half of private renters either don’t have contents insurance or don’t know what it is, leaving them financially vulnerable to theft, damage, or loss.

Only 2.5% of rented homes in England are affordable for those on housing benefit, Crisis reveals

Only 2.5% of rented homes in England are affordable for those on housing benefit, Crisis reveals

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Only 2.5% of private rented properties listed in England were affordable for people on housing benefit between April and October last year according to Crisis, down from 12% in 2021 to 22.

Billionaire landlord ordered to repay tenants £263,555 for operating two buildings as unlicensed HMOs

Billionaire landlord ordered to repay tenants £263,555 for operating two buildings as unlicensed HMOs

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A billionaire landlord has been ordered to repay tenants £263,555 for operating two East London buildings as unlicensed HMOs.

House price growth remains steady, but is expected to soften as stamp duty rates change today

House price growth remains steady, but is expected to soften as stamp duty rates change today

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House price growth remained steady last month, but is expected to soften in the coming months as the stamp duty holiday comes to an end.

More than a third of landlords to offload properties, Landbay survey suggests

More than a third of landlords to offload properties, Landbay survey suggests

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More than a third of landlords plan to offload some of their rental properties in the next 12 months, according to a new survey.

Scottish lawmakers urged not to repeat the mistake of restricting rents

Scottish lawmakers urged not to repeat the mistake of restricting rents

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Letting agents have urged Scottish lawmakers not to repeat the mistake of restricting rents that has ultimately increased costs for tenants.

Almost £13M a week raised in property tax for Scottish Government

Almost £13M a week raised in property tax for Scottish Government

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Almost £13million a week was raised in property taxes for the Scottish Government, new analysis has revealed.

Student rents could surge due to Renters’ Rights Bill, landlords warn

Student rents could surge due to Renters’ Rights Bill, landlords warn

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Student rents could surge following the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Bill, say landlords, who have warned that it also discriminates against foreign students.

Landlords could face CGT hike if economy dips, IFS warns

Landlords could face CGT hike if economy dips, IFS warns

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Landlords could face a hike in Capital Gains Tax (CGT) if the economy dips before the Autumn Budget, the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) has warned.

The Making Tax Digital net is closing on landlords

The Making Tax Digital net is closing on landlords

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Plans to Revolutionise the UK's Tax System will take a step forward from April 2028 when MTD will be expanded to include those earning more than £20,000 per year

With the RRB on the horizon, is it better to manage your rental yourself or hire an agent?

With the RRB on the horizon, is it better to manage your rental yourself or hire an agent?

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A letting agent ensures compliance with the Renters' Rights Bill and simplifies property management.

Choice of BTL mortgage deals hits record high

Choice of BTL mortgage deals hits record high

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Landlords searching for a new deal will find the choice of buy-to-let mortgages has hit a record high, with 3,860 products available.

Spring Statement did “nothing” to tackle the rental crisis, says NRLA

Spring Statement did “nothing” to tackle the rental crisis, says NRLA

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The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has labelled the Spring Statement a missed opportunity to improve the chronic supply crisis in the private rented sector.