A housing legal expert says that councils are guilty of severe maladministration, excessive enforcement and unfair licensing conditions against private sector landlords while neglecting their own housing stock and ignoring tenants’ complaints. That’s the view of Des Taylor, a director of Landlord Licensing and Defence, a company that helps landlords comply with regulations and defend […]

What do you want from the upcoming budget? A journalist at The Times wants to hear from landlords about what help they would like to see in the budget. Lucy Alderson, the money reporter for The Times wants to ask landlords about the upcoming budget and their experience of the market and ask: Are you thinking […]

Hello, I am in the middle of protracted litigation with my Residents Management Company. I have discovered lease assets such as garages have been sold between leaseholders on the estate in contravention of an Absolute prohibited Covenant. The covenant says ‘Not any time to assign transfer sublet charge or part with possession or occupation of […]

Hi all, I have unfortunately found myself in the position where I need to sell the house that I rent out to a young family. I served them with a section 21 notice 6 weeks ago and as expected they are finding it very difficult to find anywhere else. Only one partner working and also […]

Hi all, not too sure how to proceed with this tenant, the tenant has paid rent regularly for about 1.5 years late at times but never ridiculously late. The tenant has not paid rent for either January or February because their father passed away in tragic circumstances, I let it slide for a while but […]

The number of couples living in a flatshare has increased dramatically since the pandemic. New data from Spareroom reveals the number of people flat sharing as a couple increased by 67% in 2023 (compared to 2019). The website says almost half of couples (47%) state that the primary reason for deciding to move in together […]

Scotland has experienced a dramatic fall in new build starts across all sectors in the last year, a report reveals. DJ Alexander Ltd, Scotland’s biggest lettings and estate agency, analysed the most recent quarterly housing statistics until September 2023. It found that new build starts fell by 24.4% from 21,534 in 2022 to 16,274 the […]

Tenants of NCH Enterprises, a council-owned company, are facing eviction as the firm tries to sell 44 properties to repay a £18m debt to Nottingham City Council, the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) reveals. The news comes just days after it was revealed that the council had failed to ringfence its selective licensing fees. The company, […]

Are you a landlord who is using a letting agent to manage your property and frustrated by the fees charged by estate agents for tenancy renewal? Then Alexa Phillips a journalist from the i newspaper wants to speak with you. Alexa Phillips a reporter from the i newspaper, wants to ask Property118 readers about: • […]

The housing charity Shelter has condemned the government for ‘bowing to vested interests’ and delaying the implementation of the Renters (Reform) Bill, which would ban section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions. It points to Ministry of Justice figures revealing that 9,457 households were evicted by bailiffs in 2023, a 49% increase from 2022. Also, 30,230 landlords started […]

Landlords evicted more tenants in the final quarter of 2023 than they have since 2018, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) reveals. It says that in the last quarter of 2023, there were 23,382 landlord claims, 18,003 landlord orders, 9,833 landlord warrants and 6,649 landlord repossessions in the county courts of England and Wales. These figures […]

The government has abandoned a plan that would have exempted landlords of asylum seekers from houses in multiple occupation (HMO) regulations, which ensure safety and quality standards for shared properties. The government claimed that this would have increased the availability of housing for asylum seekers, who are often placed in hotels or other temporary accommodation. […]

Landlords in the UK are witnessing a surge in property licensing schemes and consultations in 2024, according to Kamma. The firm helps landlords and letting agents comply with licensing regulations and its data points to 2024 gearing up to beat 2023’s record of 32 new schemes. There are 19 schemes and consultations already taking place […]

A landlord has expressed his worries about the possible problems that tenants could cause for him and other landlords with properties in selective licensing areas, due to councils delaying renewing their licenses. The landlord, who wished to remain anonymous, owns an HMO (house in multiple occupation) in a London borough that requires a license to […]

As a UK property investor, finding the right tenant is crucial for a smooth and profitable rental experience. Selecting a reliable and responsible occupant minimizes risks of rent arrears, property damage, and disruptive behaviour, ensuring long-term stability and peace of mind. But with so many potential tenants out there, how do you make the best […]

Landlords in the UK are struggling to regain their properties from tenants who have breached their tenancies or stopped paying rent, due to inefficiencies and backlogs in the court system, a leading tenant eviction specialist says. The situation is expected to worsen with the potential abolition of Section 21, which allows landlords to evict tenants […]

Hi, I need some advice as my tenancy agreement ends in August 2025, I want my property back as I am getting divorced and need a place to live! I have a rental agreement with a housing association, who have a tenant in place. I intend to advise the housing association that I rent the […]

The Government has been accused of breaking its promise to increase the funding for disabled people to adapt their homes, leaving many in a housing crisis. The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is a fund that helps disabled people in England pay for home adaptations, such as ramps, stairlifts, or wet rooms, that enable them to […]

The UK housing market showed further signs of recovery in January 2024, according to the latest survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The survey, which covers various aspects of the residential market, revealed that all key indicators improved in the first month of the year. However, the survey also indicated that the […]

Hello, We are slowly (and thankfully) escaping the world of rental properties after almost 20 years, which involves selling our portfolio of 13 properties. We haven’t had the best advice and went with the wrong agent with the wrong “fixed price” option, but we are back on track with an alternative for some of them. […]

Hello, I’m interested to hear your thoughts on the following: • Flat rented out to Party A on a 1 year AST with no break clause. All tenant checks came back green. • Property fully managed by a reasonably big estate agent. • Sublet agreement obtained to rent to Party A from the freeholder. • […]