A new campaign has been launched to raise awareness of rented properties being used by criminal gangs to produce cannabis. The charity Crimestoppers has launched a campaign after it received more than 14,000 anonymous reports in 2022 about cannabis being illegally grown in their community. It says that illegal cannabis cultivation can cause thousands of […]

And so, it came to pass – section 21 notices to gain possession of a rented property will be no more and there was only the wailing of landlords that could be heard. So, I guess, congratulations to Shelter and Generation Rent and all the others on a media campaign that focussed on the vilification […]

Hello, I own two flats in a block of four, so there are 3 lessees. There is a managing agent for the freeholder who is less than efficient and very expensive but that’s another matter. Major works are scheduled (and required) and we have agreed on the contractor after tenders went out. The agent has […]

Mark Smith, Head of Chambers at Cotswold Barristers said … “This (the Hybrid LLP Action Group) is not a knee-jerk reaction or an attempt to undermine other advisers’ work for the sake of it.  The Hybrid LLP Action Group arises from a number of landlords approaching us with concerns about the robustness of their structures […]

Hello, Can anyone from the Property118 community please offer me any advice? My tenant has not paid for a year (Don’t ask, that’s a whole other story!) and the gas and electric certificates are due but the tenant will not let anyone into the property or answer any communications directed to her at all! My […]

Many people believe that we are seeing “The Death of Property Investing” because single-let properties, just don’t stack up any more.  And for the 82% of landlords who only have single lets properties this might be true. However, at times like this, the only way to prosper with property is to control property which generates […]

The Green Party is calling for the Renters’ Reform Bill to go much further than the government is planning for – and says there should be an ‘immediate rent freeze’. The party is also urging for councils to get the power to implement rent freezes where they might be necessary. There is also a call […]

Hi, Our block of flats has recently had a section 20 notice issued, with a large cost attributed to the four leaseholders in the building. All of us have contested this as we believe that not only are the works unnecessary, the costs are unfair and unreasonable. We feel that the lease is ambiguous on who […]

Hello, I have adequate landlord buildings insurance etc and that comes with legal protection etc. What I do not have is rent guarantee insurance. I don’t want to sign up to an agent to get access to this, nor do I need cover that overlaps with what I have. I also only want it for one […]

One firm says it has been seeing landlords panic and sell up over the prospect of what the Renters’ Reform Bill means for them. The eviction and housing law specialists Landlord Action says April was its busiest month for 23 years. It also says that the serving of section 21 notices has rocketed by 91% […]

The number of landlords in England and Wales using a section 21 ‘no-fault’ notice is higher than ever before, according to new government figures. The latest data from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) shows that there has been a 116% increase to 2,252 households being evicted by bailiffs under s21 proceedings between January and March, […]

Hello, my agent sent this in response to a tenant in arrears. Is this legal? Response: The tenant currently owes £2350 in rent arrears we will take steps to secure this debt by way of a CCJ. It will be about 14 days before we are in a position to submit the CCJ application, the […]

It is only a Bill and has just been published but the Renters’ Reform Bill appears at first sight worse than many have feared. All tenancies are to become periodic, meaning landlords will have no security of income and student landlords in particular will find the tenants will not pay for the summer holidays. One […]

If landlords were rushing to sell their properties before, there’s certainly yet another reason to get out now. Following Prime Minister’s Questions earlier this week, the news hit landlords hard: a Renters (Reform) Bill is to go ahead. The changes to Section 21 will now mean it will be increasingly difficult to evict tenants without […]

Hello, I have a tenant on a six month assured tenancy agreement who is currently refusing to pay rent. I have issued a section 8 notice and this is going through due process. The tenancy ends on 15th July 2023 with the last rent due on 16th June. My concern is, among others, that the […]

Hello, I own a flat on the top floor of a social housing block of 60 flats owned by Wandsworth Council. I’ve just had the EPC renewed in order to replace my mortgage as it is coming off its cheap deal and it has come in as a poor D on account of the flat […]

Hello 118ers, Some advice please. Can I apply for a Joint CCJ to recover the thousands of pounds my ex-tenants owe me for damages and rent arrears? They are a couple and were joint tenants and both signed the tenancy agreements and the inventory list. He has a well paid job and she looks after […]

Hello, There’s more red tape for landlords to come – From April 2026, self-employed individuals and landlords with an income of more than £50,000 will be required to keep digital records and provide quarterly updates on their income and expenditure to HMRC through MTD-compatible software Those with an income of between £30,000 and £50,000 will need […]

Labour is backing green belt developments to help solve the housing crisis. In an interview with the Times, Keir Starmer said he wants to relax planning restrictions and allow more homes to be built on the green belt. According to new research by Searchland just 1% of green belt land could deliver over 738,000 homes. […]

Hello, with all the ‘multi-agency landlord bashing’ that seems to be going on at the moment, I’ve been giving some thought about the stage when existing tenancies end and new tenancies begin. My concerns revolve around deposits when a new tenancy begins. Generally, a new tenant will pay a ‘deposit’ of one month’s rent + […]

Hello – long-time reader, first-time poster – many thanks in advance for any suggestions! I have a repair which has significantly overrun, due to mistakes made by the freeholder’s repair company. Looking for suggestions on appropriate compensation/mitigations for me to offer to tenants. I am the landlord of a 2-bed flat in London, shared by […]