Hello, Although such cases may be in the minority, we had a tenant who turned out to be a criminal. He passed our excellent usual letting agents checks, but DBS checks are not done and would anyway require agreement from the individual, hardly likely to be given by someone with a “dodgy” past. He viciously […]

An industry body has slammed selective licensing schemes as “ineffective” and a “poor use of public money”. Propertymark’s policy paper on the effectiveness of landlord licensing schemes claims selective and additional licensing schemes can “risk duplicating existing regulatory functions rather than enhancing them”. The industry body has also warned that high licensing fees place an […]

Landlords lose most damp and mould disputes because of how they handle complaints, rather than the law itself, according to property barrister Jeffrey Zitron. He says that landlords who cannot show when a property was last inspected are in a weaker position to contest a tenant’s claim. And repeated mould washes can leave a repair […]

GB Bank has increased its maximum loan from £20m to £25m as it relaunches lending for commercial property investors. Borrowers can combine a bridging loan and longer-term finance within a single funding arrangement. The bank will consider purchases and refinancing of income-generating properties, including retail units, offices and buildings with multiple tenancies. Loans are available […]

The government has claimed councils should allow pets in temporary accommodation where it is suitable. In a parliamentary written answer, Labour peer Baroness Taylor of Stevenage encouraged councils to consider allowing elderly people to keep their pets while living in temporary accommodation. The move comes as the Renters’ Rights Act gives private renters the right […]

Buy to let mortgages have recorded lower arrears rates than owner-occupier loans in every year but one since records began. The fact is revealed in Paragon’s 30 Years of Buy-to-Let report, published to mark three decades since the buy to let mortgage product’s were launch. During that time, the buy to let market has weathered […]

Councils across England are spending £2.9 billion on temporary accommodation as homelessness costs rise. Data released by the government reveals that the amount spent on temporary accommodation has increased by 4%, from £2.8bn the previous year. The news comes as councils will now be required to inform schools and GP practices when a child is […]

Homes to rent in Birkenhead and Wallasey attracted an average of 30 enquiries apiece during July and August, research reveals. That was the highest figure in Great Britain, and both towns recorded average monthly rents below £1,000. Rightmove’s analysis of 1,000 locations put Carlisle third, with 29 enquiries for each available property. Across Britain, the […]

Landlords are being urged to familiarise themselves with the revamped Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) after the government updated its guidance for landlords and letting agents. The government updated its HHSRS landlord and agents guidance this month to clarify how the system works, following the introduction of the revamped framework in June. Housing […]

Despite buyers prioritising EPC ratings, homeowners are struggling to afford EPC upgrades, according to new research. Data from Together reveals that three in four (74%) buyers would be willing to pay more for a home with a better EPC rating, with buyers prepared to spend an average of £5,293 more for a property with improved […]

Demand for rent guarantors has surged by 50% since the Renters’ Rights Act came into effect in May, according to new data from Housing Hand. The guarantor provider said applications have risen sharply over the past 100 days as landlords and letting agents adjust to new rules on rent paid upfront. Under the Renters’ Rights […]

The government claims the new way to challenge rent increases will be “quicker and more proportionate”. The government has announced that HMRC’s Valuation Office will be responsible for making initial rent determinations when tenants challenge rent increases, replacing the First-tier Tribunal as the first stage of the process. However, it is not yet clear when […]

More than a quarter of landlords are unaware of EPC exemptions as older buildings struggle to meet the EPC C target by 2030. Research by the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) reveals that 28% of landlords were unaware that EPC exemptions existed, while fewer than 2% had registered an exemption in the past two years. […]

Houses account for most of the homes attracting high tenant demand outside London, research reveals. According to property management firm Rushbrook, London is the odd one out, with flats making up 71.9% of the capital’s high-demand properties. Across England, however, houses account for 65.7% of the 15,583 properties identified as experiencing strong demand. Flats remain […]

Around nine in 10 landlords have not had their latest tenancy agreement reviewed by a solicitor. Lendlord’s survey findings also reveal that 79% of landlords in its sample now use rolling or periodic tenancies. The property management and finance platform examined agreements held by 5,235 UK landlords with a current tenant. In England, the Renters’ […]

Article by Vanessa Griffiths, ALEP Member The government’s consultation on leasehold enfranchisement valuation rates is important because it will help determine what leaseholders pay to extend leases or buy freeholds, and what freeholders receive in return. But I think the debate risks becoming too narrowly focused on which percentage should be chosen. The Leasehold and […]

I signed up for the beta PRS database so I could understand what information they required and how easy it would be to upload all the information. In part, I did it so I could potentially have an input on how it would be developed (although I guess to a degree that was more wishful […]

High-rent tenancies may fall outside the scope of the upcoming PRS Database, as private landlords will be required to pay £65 per year to register their properties. Glenfield Property Management explains that non-housing tenancies with annual rents above £100,000 may not be required to register on the database. The database will launch regionally, beginning in […]

More than 54,000 additional homes have come onto the market in just two weeks, giving sellers much more competition as the autumn property market gets under way. Estate agents Yopa counted 385,565 homes for sale across England on 14 September, up from 331,255 at the end of August. That represents a 16% increase in available […]

Landlords with smaller HMOs in one council authority’s area have avoided proposed licensing fees of more than £1,500 per property after the council withdrew its scheme. The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) challenged the council over its consultation and the charges landlords would have faced. The additional licensing scheme would have covered houses with three […]

HI, I have been slapped with a £1,000 odd fee from Westminster Council for a licence to rent out my one and only property. I have given the council all the necessary documentation, and they have acknowledged this. Why do I need to register the same information on a national database? And why am I […]