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Hardship test “bombshell” for landlords

Hardship test “bombshell” for landlords

News

Labour’s housing minister Matthew Pennycook is said to be planning a “hardship test”

New minister says transfer from housing benefit to Universal Credit 'smooth' but expert disagrees

New minister says transfer from housing benefit to Universal Credit 'smooth' but expert disagrees

News

Claims by the new Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) minister of state Stephen Timms that the transfer of remaining housing benefit claimants to Universal Credit is being done ‘as smoothly as possible’ have been questioned by a leading expert.

Landlord fined £10,000 over failure to do £169 safety check

Landlord fined £10,000 over failure to do £169 safety check

News

Booking in a five-yearly Electrical Safety Installation Certificate (ESIC) check for your rented property often seems like one of the plethora of minor tasks on the ‘to do’ list.

Higher BTL repossessions making rental shortage worse says Law Society

Higher BTL repossessions making rental shortage worse says Law Society

News

An increase in buy-to-let repossessions is exacerbating the rental supply shortage and leaving evicted families without legal aid needed to fight their case.

'We're seeing mostly older landlords selling up' says agency boss

'We're seeing mostly older landlords selling up' says agency boss

News

An exodus of older landlords is paving the way for build-to-rent investors and younger landlords looking to capitalise on higher yield properties, according to a big estate agency boss.

Landlord property repossessions continue upward trajectory

Landlord property repossessions continue upward trajectory

News

At least 710 buy-to-let mortgaged properties were repossessed in the second quarter of the year, 13% up on the previous quarter and 51% up year-on-year.

OpenRent and Rightmove's 'war of words' ends with new deal

OpenRent and Rightmove's 'war of words' ends with new deal

News

Online lettings firm OpenRent and Rightmove have signed a new property listings deal after several weeks of corporate brinkmanship over fees.

COURTS: Time to evict a tenant jumps 15% to 25 weeks

COURTS: Time to evict a tenant jumps 15% to 25 weeks

News

The average time from claim to landlord repossession has jumped to 25.4 weeks, up from 22.1 weeks in the same period in 2023, according to the latest government figures.

'Supply of rented property thinning out, and Labour's not helping'

'Supply of rented property thinning out, and Labour's not helping'

News

Gloomy letting agents have reported a fall-off in private rentals coming onto the market around the country.

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Planners green light first rental homes from John Lewis

Planners green light first rental homes from John Lewis

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John Lewis has finally received the green light to begin its transformation into a build-to-rent landlord after Bromley Council approved its plans for 353 rental homes.

AI firm launches that pairs up tenants with ideal rental properties

AI firm launches that pairs up tenants with ideal rental properties

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A new tech start-up using AI to pair tenants with the most suitable rented homes has been launched.

Former minister who ushered in unpopular 'evictions ban' seeks Tory leadership

Former minister who ushered in unpopular 'evictions ban' seeks Tory leadership

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News
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Former housing secretary Robert Jenrick who brought in the controversial 'evictions ban' during Covid has joined the Conservative party leadership race.

EXCLUSIVE: Senior figures slam ongoing court delays for landlords

EXCLUSIVE: Senior figures slam ongoing court delays for landlords

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Two leading figures from the private rented sector have slammed the ongoing nightmare many landlords are facing when waiting for evictions to pass through the courts.

Shelter calls for radical changes for landlords, but will Labour listen?

Shelter calls for radical changes for landlords, but will Labour listen?

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Shelter has called for indefinite tenancies as well as rent increases restricted to once a year and limited to a rise either in line with inflation or wage growth. 

Is Labour about to give councils full powers to licence landlords?

Is Labour about to give councils full powers to licence landlords?

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Housing minister Matthew Pennycook has hinted heavily that councils will be given powers to introduce large licencing schemes without his approval as part of Labour’s push for greater devolution.

REVEALED: Real cost of making a property energy efficient

REVEALED: Real cost of making a property energy efficient

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While the new Labour government has talked about making rented homes more energy efficient, one company has shone a light on how much it will cost landlords to achieve it.

Lettings agency chiefs call for minimum property standards

Lettings agency chiefs call for minimum property standards

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New minimum standards for rental properties and industry training are needed to improve quality and safety in the PRS, the government has been told.

Landlord to return £800 deposit over jaw-dropping contract clause

Landlord to return £800 deposit over jaw-dropping contract clause

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A landlord who tried to charge a prospective tenant for having overnight guests has been ordered to repay the holding deposit.

Landlord who ignored outbuilding demolition order fined £23,000

Landlord who ignored outbuilding demolition order fined £23,000

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A landlord who built an illegal outbuilding to store his tenants’ belongings has been ordered to pay more than £23,000.

EXPERTS: What will happen next to BTL mortgage interest rates?

EXPERTS: What will happen next to BTL mortgage interest rates?

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Buy-to-let mortgage rates could fall slightly soon after creeping up since the Autumn Budget, according to financial experts.

BTL bounces back as lenders reveal surprise jump in lending

BTL bounces back as lenders reveal surprise jump in lending

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Activity within the buy-to-let market is reviving after months of uncertainty and political interference, new official landlord lending data suggests.

Get your energy-efficient house in order with Safe2

Get your energy-efficient house in order with Safe2

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With the Government launching a consultation on the way EPCs are calculated – and with another on energy efficiency standards in the pipeline, we know that the rental homes of the future will need to reach much higher standards.

Welsh landlords to return two months' rent to evicted tenants

Welsh landlords to return two months' rent to evicted tenants

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News
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Letting agents have called out Welsh Government plans to enable tenants facing eviction to keep their final two months’ rent as ‘compensation’.

EXCLUSIVE: National Trust rebuffs MPs claims over empty rental homes

EXCLUSIVE: National Trust rebuffs MPs claims over empty rental homes

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News
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The National Trust has rejected claims that it stopped renting out its properties to avoid the growing legislative burden.

Property firm and landlord fined £14,000 over 'slum conditions' at house

Property firm and landlord fined £14,000 over 'slum conditions' at house

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A Liverpool landlord has been hit with a fine of almost £14,000 for allowing tenants to live in a “house of horrors”.

POLL: 44% of landlords support most extreme form of rent control

POLL: 44% of landlords support most extreme form of rent control

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Nearly half of landlords and three quarters of the general public support rent controls, a poll by YouGov on behalf of wealth inequality not-for-profit Common Wealth has revealed.

Welsh MS says reforms will push too many landlords out of rental market

Welsh MS says reforms will push too many landlords out of rental market

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A Welsh politician has sounded the alarm over new legislation which risks exacerbating the mass exodus of private landlords.

Agent warns renting reforms will throw tenancy starts into disarray

Agent warns renting reforms will throw tenancy starts into disarray

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A leading agency has warned that tenants could move into a property without having paid any rent once the Renters’ Rights Bill becomes law.

60% of tenants preparing to move home before end of July

60% of tenants preparing to move home before end of July

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The next six months will see a huge increase in demand for rental properties, landlords and letting agents have been told.

'Wicked' directors given suspended sentences over illegal eviction

'Wicked' directors given suspended sentences over illegal eviction

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The directors of a supported housing company who illegally evicted a vulnerable tenant have been handed suspended jail sentences.

Comment: Renters’ Rights legislation in place before Easter?

Comment: Renters’ Rights legislation in place before Easter?

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News
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The Government is evidently taking decisive steps to ensure swift progress of the Renters’ Rights Bill through the Commons and the Lords, with a view to having the Act implemented before Easter

Landlords win legal battle to protect postal rights

Landlords win legal battle to protect postal rights

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A landlord couple have won their legal case against a tenant who claimed her section 21 notice was invalid.

Government promises EPC study is imminent

Government promises EPC study is imminent

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The government looks set to launch its overdue consultation into new energy efficiency standards in the PRS during the next few weeks.

Is now the perfect time to sell your properties before the Renters' Rights Bill becomes law?

Is now the perfect time to sell your properties before the Renters' Rights Bill becomes law?

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The Renters’ Rights Bill returned to Parliament this week and it getting ever closer to becoming law by the summer has sent alarm bells ringing.

Peers scheduled to debate fast-tracked Renters' Rights Bill

Peers scheduled to debate fast-tracked Renters' Rights Bill

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The Renters’ Rights Bill has had its first reading in the House of Lords and is due for a full debate on 4th February.

Cash announced for empty shop auction scheme

Cash announced for empty shop auction scheme

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Local councils will be offered up to £79,000 to refurbish an empty property under the government’s new High Street Rental Auctions initiative.

North West council extends selective licensing

North West council extends selective licensing

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Burnley has given the green light to a bigger selective licensing scheme covering 3,700 private rented properties.

Big corporates hoovering up homes from exiting small landlords

Big corporates hoovering up homes from exiting small landlords

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News
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Letting agents have reported that institutional and portfolio landlords are moving in to buy stock from exiting landlords.

How will Rachel Reeves' Budget affect property investors and landlords?

How will Rachel Reeves' Budget affect property investors and landlords?

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News
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Budget changes present businesses including landlords and letting agents with some real stiff challenges in 2025

Live-in landlord mocked for seeking 'part-time' tenant

Live-in landlord mocked for seeking 'part-time' tenant

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Social media users have ridiculed a landlord for advertising an expensive room - but asking would-be tenants to stay out until after 8.30pm.

Rising rents fall back from record high

Rising rents fall back from record high

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Average rent in England increased 9.2% to £1,369 in the 12 months to December - slightly down on the previous record-high annual growth.

Pensioner landlords demanded to take over tenant's room

Pensioner landlords demanded to take over tenant's room

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A landlord couple who moved into their tenant’s spare bedroom while she was still living there have been fined.

MPs send amended Renters' Rights Bill to the Lords

MPs send amended Renters' Rights Bill to the Lords

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The Bill has moved another step closer to becoming law, with MPs agreeing amendments that include preventing landlords from taking more than one month’s rent.