Capital Letters, an organisation established by several London councils to tackle the growing homelessness issue and cut costs on temporary housing, stands on the verge of closure, according to Inside Housing. Launched in 2019, Capital Letters describes itself as a ‘not-for-profit landlord and service provider’. It was connecting private landlords with 21 member boroughs to […]

The Scottish Greens have unveiled proposals aimed at curbing the ability of landlords to raise rents on properties that fail to meet basic living standards. Maggie Chapman MSP has submitted amendments to the upcoming Housing (Scotland) Bill, which would prohibit rent rises unless homes achieve a minimum criteria. That criteria would be set by government […]

Nearly one in three landlords are considering quitting the private rented sector, driven by escalating maintenance costs and tougher regulations, research reveals. The findings from Aldermore also highlight that nearly a third of landlords have already begun selling off properties. The potential mass departure – 31% say they’re looking to quit altogether – will increase […]

The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS) is offering its acclaimed dispute webinars for on-demand viewing to help landlords and tenants. The initiative allows viewers to access educational content whenever it suits their schedule. These free online sessions, featuring dispute adjudicators from The DPS, help to deliver a free learning platform about safeguarding deposits. The series […]

Landlords are focusing on purchasing properties requiring renovation – and spend £8,500 on improvements, research reveals. The study by Paragon Bank of more than 500 landlords found that 44% prefer to buy homes needing upgrades, while 25% opt for properties ready for immediate letting. Meanwhile, 32% show no preference between the two approaches. The findings, […]

A new amendment to the Renters’ Rights Bill clarifies that landlords can still reclaim their properties by serving notice prior to the Bill’s enactment, even if they pursue a court order post-implementation. The amendment is being championed by Baroness Taylor, the housing minister in the Lords, and the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) says this […]

Does anyone know what the legal position is as far as security lights and cameras are concerned, when it comes to landlords allowing private tenants to set up these things? First a few logistical comments. The rental properties in question comprise of two semi-detached cottages; at the front there is a communal path to allow […]

The average price of homes in the UK fell by 0.5% in March, marking a sharper decline compared to the 0.2% drop seen in February, Halifax reports. It says that the average property value is £296,699, a drop of £1,575 from £298,274 the previous month. Despite the monthly downturn, the annual increase in house prices […]

The lettings sector in London’s most sought-after areas is experiencing big upheaval as landlords abandon the market in response to the impending Renters’ Rights Bill, an analysis reveals. The findings from Knight Frank says the Bill’s aim to bring in stricter eviction rules and heighten risks for rent collection is not going down well. The […]

Fleet Mortgages has published a helpful guide to HMOs for landlords to address the growing demand for these investments. The lender also says that the guide reinforces its commitment to educating and supporting buy to let customers with enhanced product offerings. The publication, ‘A Guide to HMOs: Licencing, Planning & Article 4’ will also help […]

An industry body is urging the government to provide greater support for disabled people to access accessible housing in the private rented sector. According to Propertymark, 62% of letting agents said it was difficult or very difficult for people with disabilities to secure accessible or adapted homes. The government has responded to a report on […]

Hi Everyone, We have 13 apartments for people over 45 years old. I have tried to increase my lease that only has 62 years left. The cost to get a quote was £500. The quote came back £35,000 to increase it to 99 years. Would it be better and cheaper to wait for part 2 […]

You’d think that landlords would have had enough of hearing about selling. With many of us recovering from incorporation and downsizing, it’s easy to understand why we might have taken our foot off the gas. Are we really in as much trouble as they say we are? Or do we have time to recoup and […]

The Renters’ Rights Bill and its mission to abolish Section 21 so called ‘no-fault’ evictions isn’t just a slap in the face of landlords everywhere – it’s a ticking time bomb that will blow up the private rented sector (PRS) and leave landlords and tenants in the rubble. The government, cheered on by anti-landlord loons […]

Ready for a 29.8% cost increase? After detailed analysis, the government has decided to: Introduce legislation to increase the data protection fees across all tiers by 29.8%, as set out below in the table; Retain the existing three-tier structure, including the applicable criteria for determining fees payable; retain the £5 discount applicable to Direct Debit […]

Only a small number of tenants believe the Renters’ Rights Bill will improve their rights and some haven’t even heard of it, claims a new report. According to a survey by estate agent group LRG, only 22% of tenants believe the Bill will improve their rights, and more than 37% said they were unfamiliar with […]

An industry body is calling for energy performance certificates (EPCs) to be abolished to measure fuel poverty. Currently, fuel poverty is defined by a property’s energy efficiency rather than a household’s ability to afford its energy bills. Propertymark argues the government should instead focus on affordability to define fuel poverty. One-size-fits-all approach does not work […]

A private landlord has had the management of his eight properties taken over by a council after they were described as ‘disgusting’. Property118 readers will be horrified by the photographs from the council published on this page – and they do little to promote the effort and work being done by good landlords. Newcastle City […]

Hi, I recently had a tenant who refused to handover the keys after the check out unless I agreed, in writing, to return the entire deposit (held in a government approved scheme). He insisted on an email confirmation before handing over the keys. There was damage to the property and appliances, other than normal wear […]

An industry body is warning over rent spikes in Scotland due to the end of rent control measures. The news comes after rules that allowed tenants to challenge rent hikes and capped increases at 12% if they appealed to a rent officer were ended this week. However, Propertymark members operating in Scotland warn that this […]

With the new warm home £30,000 grants it’s difficult to imagine a more inefficient way of improving energy efficiency,when so much can be done with much less. The government say they are looking for growth yet are implementing a policy of cash burn and waste? This new system may put huge amounts of money into […]