The following email was sent to Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook a few weeks ago yet NO response. Dear Mr Pennycook, Once upon a time, landlords in the Private Rented Sector (PRS) were seen as vital contributors to housing Britain’s population. They provided homes where the government failed to, took financial risks, maintained properties, and dealt […]

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has ruled against a council following a complaint from a landlord, identified as Mrs X, who faced delays and financial strain after the council failed to rehouse her tenant. The decision, released today, highlights the council’s failure to adhere to statutory homelessness guidance, resulting in significant frustration for […]

The Housing Ombudsman has slammed social housing landlords for failing to act on safety complaints which left one disabled woman unable to leave her home due to a faulty lift. The Ombudsman has released a report involving 23 complaints related to safety issues, including asbestos, fire, water, and gas. The organisation is calling for social […]

Well if there was evidence required as to why you are unable to let a property to a benefit tenant POST RRB – this is it. Please read Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) latest own guidance here The discrimination between how private and social landlords are treated is stark. Even when ‘explicit consent’ is […]

A new amendment to the Renters’ Rights Bill will see landlords having to accept fibre broadband installation requests from tenants. As with the proposed new rules on accepting pets, landlords cannot ‘unreasonably refuse’ permission for a broadband upgrade. A government spokesman told Property 118: “We are determined to close the digital divide and ensure everyone […]

My older brother and I are executors of our late father’s estate, and we are also beneficiaries along with two other siblings. I currently live in the property with the youngest sibling, who is one of the beneficiaries. We’ve obtained a possession order from the court, which required him to leave by a certain date, […]

Landlords are being targeted by two councils who claim they are clamping down on ‘negligent’ landlords. In Knowsley, a new housing civil penalties policy has been agreed by the council which gives them the power to slap landlords with fines reaching £30,000. This applies to those neglecting property upkeep or flouting Housing Act 2004 rules. […]

Nottingham City Council has vowed to transform its housing services ‘within six months to a year’ after a scathing assessment by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) exposed critical shortcomings. That led to the council being handed a near-bottom rating. The pledge comes as the Labour council grapples with longstanding issues in its 24,500 properties, […]

Shelter claims NHS workers are being priced out of the private rented sector. According to the housing charity, in almost half (45%) of local authorities in England, renting in the private sector is unaffordable for newly qualified nurses. Last year, Generation Rent called for rents to be capped for key workers, despite the fact that […]

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) Doves came out on top today, voting 8-1 to hold the Bank Base Rate at 4.5%. One MPC member voted for a 0.25% reduction in the rate. This coincides with the US Federal Reserve’s decision yesterday to also maintain their rate at the range of 4.25 to […]

Hi everyone, I am in court for compensation against a tenant who is now thankfully evicted. I have a judgment of debt, but I am pursuing a Charging Order securing the debt against a property he now owns. Straightforward you would think, but it’s now been 18 months of no order, and no enforcement. During […]

A video by the NRLA reveals that 5,000 retrofits would need to be completed every working day to meet EPC C targets. The Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, has announced that all private rented properties must meet Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) targets by 2030, with a stricter deadline of 2028 for new tenancies. The NRLA warns […]

Strong buyer demand is seeing house prices surge in the north of England with Yorkshire and the west Midlands leading the way, Home.co.uk says. Its latest index also reveals that rents in the north are also increasing ahead of London’s rates. The platform says that the property market is showing resilience, but London is lagging […]

Estate agents are lining up behind Rightmove in urging the government to extend the existing stamp duty relief thresholds. According to a survey from GetAgent.co.uk, 86% of agents support extending the tax break to ease the burden on homebuyers navigating purchases. Rightmove has championed a modest continuation of the current relief levels, aiming to shield […]

The popularity of larger homes has propelled UK house prices upwards by £10,431 in the past year, marking a robust 3.7% climb, Halifax data shows. As borrowing costs softened with falling interest rates, buyers shifted their sights to bigger properties, leaving flats trailing with a 3.2% uptick, averaging £168,569. Meanwhile, detached residences soared by 4.1% […]

Tenants aged 18-27 are facing soaring rents and many now fear homeownership is slipping further away as rising costs hurt their ability to save, Barclays reveals. Its latest Property Insights report points to a phenomenon known as ‘rentflation’ which has seen nearly six in 10 renters (58%) have their housing costs climb over the past […]

News that Britain’s landlords have increasingly moved from holding property in their personal names to limited companies has been slammed by one journalist as ‘widespread tax avoidance’. Writing on the left-wing website, Novara Media, Harriet Williamson said: “Let’s call this what it is: widespread tax avoidance by a workshy, parasite class – and at a […]

Many landlords are upset and concerned at the legal changes being brought in by the Renters’ Rights Bill. Some landlords take the view that the government is actively hostile towards landlords and that the bill is an exercise in malice. At the recent Renters’ Rights Bill Conference run by Landlord Law on 11 and 12 […]

Two prominent buy to let lenders, Accord Mortgages and The Mortgage Works, have announced reductions to their BTL offerings. The revamped ranges are aimed at a variety of borrowers, from those wanting short-term deals to others eyeing longer commitments. Accord Mortgages has trimmed its buy to let line up by as much as 0.15%. Two- […]

As Awaab’s Law is set to be introduced in the social housing sector in Scotland, there are plans to extend it to the private rented sector, though one organisation has warned against regulations that could “impede landlords.” The Scottish government has announced amendments in the Scottish Housing Bill will require social housing landlords to address […]

A surprising 71% of homebuyers with accepted offers will fail to meet the 31 March stamp duty deadline, a survey reveals. The research from estate and lettings firm Benham and Reeves, highlights that sluggish conveyancing is the main reason slowing down property transactions across the nation. The study, which questioned more than 1,000 British buyers […]