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Tenant deposit and rent arrears

Has anyone used a Zero Deposit scheme?

6th July 2023

Hello, has anyone used a Zero Deposit (ZD) scheme? I’m coming into the ZD scheme from fresh having always taken traditional deposits up front so I’m wary of the scheme at the moment. I have been advised it might be a way of getting tenants to come forward. Despite the housing shortages, I rent in […]

Fast-rising rents are creating an ‘unstable market’

6th July 2023

Both tenants and landlords are facing an ‘unstable market’ as rent prices reached record highs in June 2023, one expert says. HomeLet’s latest Rental Index data shows that the average rent in the UK is now £1,229 per month – a 10.4% increase from the same period last year and a 1.3% rise from May. […]

Does my tenant have the right to remove an air source heat pump?

6th July 2023

Hello, looking for advice, please. My tenant took it upon himself to install an air source heat pump without informing me. The property already has efficient underfloor electric heating (EPC C) I would have refused had he asked. He broke his tenancy agreement and left before the break clause. Now he wants to have ‘his’ […]

Multiple estate agent boards showing rental properties let in the UK housing market.

London’s rental crisis is a ‘disastrous’ situation

6th July 2023

The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll on London’s private rental sector (PRS), with new research revealing a 41% drop in the number of properties available for rent since March 2020. The study, conducted by the LSE and Savills and commissioned by a group of organisations led by London Councils, warns that this trend […]

BTL landlords should share capital gains profit with tenants – call

5th July 2023

Since tenants pay for their landlord’s buy to let mortgage repayments, they should get a share of the profits, one leading commentator says. John Bird is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Big Issue, a social enterprise and street newspaper, and in the latest issue he says that ‘making money from buy-to-let properties has long […]

pic of man with a dilemma about a b2l mortgage for a leasehold property property118

Lease dilemma when securing a B2L mortgage?

5th July 2023

Hello, My company owns the freehold of a property which is divided into 2 self-contained flats, one of which is sold on a long lease and the other let on an AST. We are looking to secure a B2L mortgage but the lender requires that the AST flat is held on a long lease. That […]

pic of cornish village for landlord holiday lets property118

Landlords and second homeowners exploit tax loophole that costs councils millions

5th July 2023

Thousands of landlords and second homeowners are exploiting a legal loophole to avoid paying council tax, leaving local authorities with a huge shortfall in revenue, the Daily Telegraph reveals. The loophole allows owners of holiday lets and second homes to register as small businesses and pay lower business rates instead of council tax, if they […]

Andy Hulme of Hyde Housing Association responding to Housing Ombudsman report

Social landlord slammed for ‘apathy’ and failures

5th July 2023

A damning report by the Housing Ombudsman has exposed a ‘culture of apathy’ at the London Borough of Haringey, which has failed to address serious issues such as leaks, damp and mould in its properties. The report, based on 32 individual investigations and six months of engagement with the landlord, found that Haringey had a […]

Pic of leasehold word and explanation property118

Extending lease on freehold owned by me?

5th July 2023

Hello, I have a property which is two flats where I own the share of freehold with the other flat owner. Our leases are at about 80 years each and I want to extend the leases to 199 years, but the other flat owner is refusing to engage in this. How can I extend my […]

Landlords eye more properties as tenant demand rises

5th July 2023

A survey reveals that landlord confidence is strong as 41% of landlords say they are planning to buy more properties over the next 12 months. Landbay has polled 1,127 landlords and found that the main reason for expanding their portfolio was the high demand from tenants, cited by 35% of respondents. Another factor was the […]

Pic of freeholder key landlord leasehold property118

Purchasing Freehold – legal position?

5th July 2023

Hello, I live in a block of 9 flats and we are interested in buying the Freehold. I understand that if the Freeholder wants to sell the Freehold they will need to offer it to us first before a third party. Before I moved in, the Freeholder offered the Freehold for purchase to the existing […]

Another UK city wants powers to impose rent controls

4th July 2023

In a bid to combat its growing housing crisis, one UK city has launched an appeal for the government to hand over powers to impose rent controls. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to help private tenants, who make up nearly one-third of the city’s residents. The Bristol Living Rent Commission has published […]

Blue fire door safety sign reminding to keep the door shut.

New laws regarding fire doors?

4th July 2023

Hello, I am trying to find out how the law has changed regarding fire doors in converted buildings with 3 flats and one communal staircase leading to the main front door. I understand that a new law came in this January. The doors were renewed about 5 years ago and are 30 minute fire doors. […]

Pic of hand with the word no as tenant refuses to leave s21 landlord uk property118

Tenant refusing to leave – advice?

4th July 2023

Hello, I would be grateful of some advice about a tenant that is refusing to leave, even after a S21 notice. We’ve had the property up for sale as our fixed rate mortgage is coming to an end, and we are going to struggle keeping up with the repayments, but now we have lost our […]

Pic of decorator fixing a fire damaged flat buildings insurance property118

Am I being robbed on building insurance?

4th July 2023

Hello, We are in a block of 15 flats some rented, some of us live here. We own the freehold. Is it common practice for a director to use the building insurance when their tenant had an internal fire in the flat that was fuelled by their hoarding habits? We have had to pay £1,000 […]

Lawyer writing notes at desk with legal scales and gavel.

Solicitor forgot to add statement of truth in court submission?

4th July 2023

Hi, I am trying to evict a tenant via s8 with over 6 months of arrears. My solicitor issued papers to the court without a statement of truth attached to my witness documents and rent arrears schedule. The judge adjourned the case for 10 weeks and a new court date has been set. Can I […]

Picture of streets in the UK landlord HMO licensing schemes property118.com -

Licence application required before section 21 can be issued?

4th July 2023

Hello, I asked my solicitor this morning to issue a section 21 notice for a property that I intend to sell. The house is in a selective licensing area in Leicester. I have not applied for a license because I was selling. The solicitor tells me he can’t issue section 21 until I’ve applied for […]

professional headshot of a man representing commentary on UK tenants facing upfront rent pressures

How landlords can avoid deposit disputes with tenants

4th July 2023

Landlords who want to avoid disputes with renters over their deposits might want to follow some expert advice from The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS), the UK’s largest protector of deposits. The DPS says that one of the most common mistakes that landlords make is not submitting images or copies of invoices to support their […]

elegraph logo used in rebuttal to article on landlord tax structures

Daily Telegraph wants to speak to landlords selling because of EPC regulations

3rd July 2023

The Telegraph personal finance reporter, Alexa Phillips, would like to speak to landlords who are selling properties now because of concerns about the costs of higher EPC ratings and future tightening of the regulations to a minimum C rating. How is the sale price going and have buyers used your EPC ratings to negotiate? What […]

Michael Gove says landlords are ‘vital’ for a fair rental market

3rd July 2023

Housing Secretary Michael Gove has praised independent landlords for their ‘vital’ role in the private rented sector (PRS). He has written for the member magazine of the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), and argues that landlords offer tenants more options, flexibility and value for money. Mr Gove also outlines the Government’s plans to reform the […]

Propertymark representative discusses rent control concerns in Scotland

Call for LHA to track local rents as landlords struggle with ‘unprecedented financial challenges’

3rd July 2023

Propertymark has called on the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to reconsider its current Local Housing Allowance (LHA) scheme and communicate with landlords more. Speaking at a recent Commons Committee hearing, the organisation’s Timothy Douglas detailed how the existing level of LHA is affecting the private rented sector (PRS). Propertymark, along with various other […]