The shift to remote working has transformed how homes are used, but rental laws lag, causing disputes and financial strain for tenants and landlords alike, a report reveals. According to Inventory Base, furnishings in rental properties, such as carpets and sofas, are deteriorating 30% faster than before the pandemic due to increased home use. With […]

A council with more than 800 fire safety checks outstanding and which failed to track damp and mould cases has been criticised by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH). It has handed Swindon Borough Council a C3 grading – which means there are ‘serious failings’ in the landlord’s service delivery – after an inspection revealed […]

Landlords and property professionals are being urged to take part in a survey aimed at gathering critical insights into how the High Court can better deliver property possession enforcement. Propertymark, in collaboration with the High Court Enforcement Officers Association (HCEOA) and other industry partners, says the process needs to be reformed. The questionnaire, crafted by […]

I have had 3 HMOs in Brighton since 2007 and have exclusively rented to the student market. I use an agent as I live out of the area. For most of this period, I have been confident of fully letting the properties each year with little difficulty The market has certainly become more difficult due […]

Reform has launched a campaign to protect British tenants from being evicted by landlords cashing in on lucrative government contracts to house illegal migrants. The party, which secured 31% of the vote and 42% of seats in the May 1 local elections, accuses Labour and past Tory governments of enabling a ‘betrayal on a biblical […]

Members of the House of Lords warn that new enforcement financial penalties in the Renters’ Rights Bill will hurt small landlords and need to be fair. Lord peers debated until 1am in the morning in the final week of the Renters’ Rights Bill, committee stage with the final debate taking place today (Wednesday 14 May) […]

New rules coming into force today will affect all letting agents across England. The government is making it mandatory for letting agents to carry out sanctions checks on all prospective landlords at the point of instruction, and on all tenants before a tenancy agreement is finalised. Failure to comply with the rules, even by mistake, […]

Landlords in southern England are markedly more hopeful about their buy to let (BTL) ventures compared to their counterparts in the Midlands and north, a study reveals. The survey by Landbay, which gathered insights from landlords managing around 2,000 properties, highlights a regional divide in sentiment. In the south, 23% of landlords express a positive […]

Bridging loans are emerging as a more robust option for property investors compared to buy to let mortgages in today’s higher interest rate landscape, one specialist lender says. According to Octane Capital, which examined bridging trends and Bank of England figures, there was a significant narrowing of the cost gap between the two financing methods […]

Glenrothes in Fife, Scotland, has emerged as the top destination for families seeking budget-friendly homes, according to Zoopla. It says an average three-bedroom house priced at £136,900, requiring monthly mortgage payments of £540, offers a serene lifestyle an hour from Edinburgh. The platform’s study highlights that eight of the 10 most cost-effective towns for families […]

The buy to let mortgage sector has experienced a sharp decline, with searches last month dropping to 14.74% of the total market – the lowest since tracking began in January 2020, research reveals. According to Twenty7tec, this marked a stark contrast to the previous month, when BTL activity was near record highs. It says that […]

North Devon Council will re-enter the social housing sector for the first time in 25 years, launching its own housing company to address local needs. The decision follows strong public support and a new housing plan. The council’s Strategy and Resources Committee greenlit the initiative after a six-week public consultation earlier this year, where 84% […]

Landlords who make a minor selective licensing mistake, such as missing a renewal notice, can be plunged into severe financial distress, with penalties reaching astronomical sums, one expert warns. Local councils, which are intensifying their enforcement of selective licensing schemes, are imposing hefty fines that threaten landlords’ economic stability. Phil Turtle, a property compliance specialist […]

It might not surprise many landlords in Scotland, but a poll organised by the Scottish Greens shows that most people support rent controls. The survey shows that 74% of respondents endorse restrictions on rent rises, while 83% view current rent rates as disproportionately high relative to earnings in Scotland. However, the Scottish Association of Landlords […]

As the Renters’ Rights Bill draws ever closer, more landlords are deciding whether to sell, according to an industry body. According to Propertymark’s Housing Insight report, a growing number of landlords have been leaving the market in recent years due to regulation and financial pressures. The Renters’ Rights Bill is currently going through the Lords’ […]

The government have announced plans to train more than 18,000 retrofit professionals to meet energy-efficiency targets. The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has welcomed the news but says more work needs to be done to support landlords to meet those targets. Ed Miliband, Energy Security and Net-Zero Secretary, has proposed all private rented properties need […]

The Welsh government have announced a Welsh housing survey will take place next year. Propertymark and the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) have campaigned for a housing survey similar to the English Housing Survey to provide accurate data. The NRLA have welcomed the survey but says the Welsh government should introduce regular landlord surveys. Provide […]

A leading law firm has raised concerns about a sharp rise in landlord possession claims across London, pointing to a cost-of-living crisis facing renters – and not their behaviour. Higgs LLP says that despite falling property prices in the capital, tenants are struggling to cope with escalating rents, stagnant wages and persistent inflation. These factors […]

My wife and I have five rental flats in South London, zone 3/4. Each are worth approximately £300,000 (£280,000 to £350,000), and we charge £1,500 to £1,650 pcm. Our three outstanding mortgages were £145,000 and we had £105,000 invested in stocks and shares ISAs. We invest mainly in low cost tracker funds such as Fidelity […]

Labour peers will be forced to sit late into Wednesday night to push the Renters’ Rights Bill through the committee stage, according to The Telegraph. The final two committee stage debates are scheduled for this week, with one taking place today (Monday 12 May) and the other on Wednesday. The Conservative Party has criticised Labour […]

While London lays claim to the highest average rent being paid by tenants, it isn’t home to the priciest rental postcode, research reveals. That accolade goes to Buckinghamshire’s HP9 postcode where tenants face an average monthly rent of £5,920. According to a study by Cohab, a property management platform, this figure dwarfs the South East’s […]