The PRS faces uncertainty as the Renters’ Rights Bill amendment to bring in a pet deposit for tenancies leaves landlords, tenants and agents confused. That’s the view of property inspection platform Inventory Base, which is warning that the latest policy shift, allowing landlords to charge a pet deposit capped at three weeks’ rent, raises more […]

Buying landlord insurance may seem straightforward, but many landlords are caught out by the small print or by assuming a cheap policy offers full protection. In reality, landlord insurance varies widely between insurers, and what’s included in one policy may not be covered in another. Landlord insurance can be a minefield, and landlords can end […]

The government is under pressure for refusing to disclose its Justice Impact Test for the Renters’ Rights Bill after one committee revealed there are severe delays in county courts. The crucial document details the Bill’s effects on courts, tribunals and legal aid. The decision to withhold the assessment comes in response to a Freedom of […]

Generation Rent has claimed more than two million extra renters will be able to vote after the government’s change in plans for voting reforms. The Labour government announced that 16- and 17-year-olds will be able to vote at the next general election and that it will introduce automatic voter registration. Automatic Voter Registration will mean […]

The number of homeless households in England has reached an unprecedented 131,140, government data reveals. The figure for the end of March is a 12% increase from last year’s 117,350. Among these, the 169,050 homeless children is also a record high. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s latest figures also highlight that 69,410 […]

Has anyone managed to get rent arrears deductions from a tenant’s Pension Credit income? If so – how? I filled an form in to request this and sent it off to the address as given by PC over a month ago – no response. (NB there is no option to do this online, it has […]

Private renters in the UK have endured sharper increases in their housing expenses compared to mortgaged homeowners since 2022, research reveals. According to Zoopla, the average monthly rent now stands at £1,283, surpassing the £1,154 average mortgage repayment. Over the past three years, renters have seen their monthly costs climb by £221, slightly outpacing the […]

New powers to carry out surprise inspections of landlord properties have raised fears that they will be ‘exploited’ by councils. The warning comes from Phil Turtle, a landlord law expert at Landlord Licensing & Defence, who says the sector should be worried. Under the Renters’ Rights Bill, landlords don’t have to be notified before an […]

The Renters’ Rights Bill has cleared the final report stage in the Lords and now heads back to the House of Commons for further debate and amendments. It will then be voted on and move towards Royal Assent – which looks set to be the Autumn since there is no Parliamentary time scheduled until September. […]

The Scottish Housing Secretary, Mairi McAllan, is being urged to prioritise the private rented sector (PRS) in her Autumn plan to tackle the nation’s housing emergency. The call is being made by David Alexander, the chief executive of the DJ Alexander lettings and estate agency. He says that a big shift in policy is essential […]

UK property prices have seen their biggest July drop in more than two decades, according to Rightmove’s latest House Price Index. According to the property portal, the average price of property coming to the market for sale dropped by 1.2% (-£4,531) in July to £373,709. The firm claims during the summer months more sellers are […]

The government has hinted at combining the registration process for the PRS database and Ombudsman, but stays silent on whether landlords will have to pay multiple fees for signing up. Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook has revealed that the government is exploring options to align the registration process for the PRS Database and PRS Ombudsman, but […]

Nearly half (46%) of renters are unaware they can contest deposit deductions they believe are unwarranted, which means renters are losing out on ‘millions’. The survey from Generation Rent also reveals that only 4% tenants have used the formal dispute resolution process to recover their cash. The campaign group says it now wants the process […]

A landlords’ organisation has enlisted lawyers to contest a council’s proposed selective licensing scheme, which would cover 5,000 PRS homes. The move by the Eastern Landlords Association (ELA) is aimed at Great Yarmouth Borough Council, which wants landlords to pay a £784 licensing fee per property. It follows in the footsteps of landlords in Leicester […]

The private rented sector is experiencing some relief as more landlords grow their portfolios, research reveals. According to TDS Charitable Foundation, 23% of landlords have expanded their rental portfolios over the past year, up from 19% last year. The study of more than 2,000 landlords in England also found that the number of landlords selling […]

Two leading lenders, Atom Bank and ModaMortgages, have announced rate reductions to support businesses and landlords seeking cheaper financing. Atom has lowered rates by 0.25% across its fixed-rate standard commercial mortgage portfolio. For commercial investment properties, new applications now start at 5.88%, while owner-occupied business cases begin at 5.68% for loans at 45% loan-to-value (LTV) […]

This morning at around 7:50 am, Alex Soble, Labour MP for Leeds Central and Hedingley, demonstrated just how uninformed MPs are about the private rental market. During a discussion about his desire to see the use of guarantors, he stated, “any good landlord will have rent guarantee insurance “, when talking about a care leaver […]

A leading lettings professional has raised concerns about a potential increase in County Court Judgments (CCJs) for tenants as the Renters’ Rights Bill nears enactment. The legislation aims to improve tenant protections but may inadvertently expose renters to significant financial risks. The law will abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions and instead landlords must provide […]

In response to Mark Alexander and others regarding the pros & cons of the Renters Rights Bill, there may be a potential pro. The removal of the s21 Notice, that the landlord WISHES to regain possession of their property, will backfire on government intentions and on tenants previously “evicted” under s21. How? I hear you […]

The Housing Minister has confirmed councils should not profit from selective licensing fees, despite a council landing itself in hot water over mishandling of fees. Matthew Pennycook has warned councils “not to use selective licensing fees to fund other local authority services,” emphasising that fees must be ringfenced for running the schemes alone. However, a […]

Paragon Bank is celebrating three decades since launching its inaugural mortgage for landlords, a move that helped shape the UK’s private rental landscape. The bank’s first loan, issued in 1995 for £31,150 at a 70% loan-to-value ratio on a £45,000 property, came a year before the term ‘buy to let’ was coined. This pioneering step, […]