A frustrated landlord has written to tenants warning them that selective licensing in their area will see rents rise by £16.58 per month, the Rotherham Advertiser reports. It says it has seen a letter from the landlord telling tenants that rents will go up if the council votes for licensing in September. A consultation is […]

Industry experts warn small landlords are disappearing, while large corporate landlords are taking over. At the Housing 2025 conference hosted by Inside Housing, industry experts claimed that private rented properties are being lost in London as they are bought by large institutions for use as temporary accommodation. According to delegates at the conference, London has […]

Generation Rent have praised the government for boosting legal aid for tenants at risk of eviction. The call comes after the Ministry of Justice announced the biggest rise in funding for housing legal aid fees in more than 30 years. However, what is often overlooked is that, according to the English Housing Survey Private Rented […]

The government’s consultation to boost leaseholder protections is creating unease among members of ALEP (the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners). A member survey found that members are worried about the reforms’ impact with half reporting slower client decision-making on lease extensions. Also, two-thirds noted that extending a lease has not become simpler since the enactment […]

Darlington Building Society has unveiled an improved buy to let mortgage range, raising the loan-to-value (LTV) limit from 75% to 80% and introducing five-year fixed-rate products. Available immediately, these offerings cater to landlords, including expatriates and holiday let investors, wanting to remortgage, raise funds or secure stable rates. Key rates include a 5.19% five-year fixed […]

Landlords might be interested in a service that will recover tenancy-related costs – including rent debt – to help shield them from financial losses. It’s the brainchild of flatfair with its new offering enhancing traditional cash deposits. The deposit alternative provider says its ‘Deposit Boost’ offering will buy a tenant’s arrears or damages debt exceeding […]

Despite the government claiming “tenants are not second-class citizens and deserve to keep pets,” an amendment for a separate pet damage deposit has been approved in a victory for landlords. Previously, the government performed a U-turn over pet damage insurance, and Labour Peers during the second debate of the Report stage claimed “pet insurance was […]

A Conservative Peer and former Housing Minister claims the government’s proposed rent tribunals are not the solution and calls for rents to be raised only ONCE every four years. Lord Young of Cookham, argues that letting renters appeal unreasonable rent increases at First-Tier Tribunal is “ill-equipped” to solve the problem. Instead, he supports an amendment […]

Have I got this right? Under the Renters Rights Bill, I’ll need to wait 12 months before I can serve an eviction notice (for four months hence). BUT: I operate a six-bed HMO, with tenancies starting and ending at different times. I will almost never get a “clean” 12-month period in which no one has […]

Hi everyone, it’s a case of ‘same old, same old’. I won’t rehearse the occasions that councils have been told by Housing Ministers and the Ombudsman to stop telling tenants to remain in a property until the bailiffs turn up. I can only imagine that councils balance the overwhelming burden of increasing shortages of housing […]

Landlords helping a council initiative to house homeless people have achieved a major milestone with 100 households being placed in PRS homes. Dorset Council’s Key4Me initiative was launched last November with the aim of combating homelessness by directly supporting landlords. The move bypassed letting agents and helped reduce rent expenses by up to 15%. The […]

Landlords are concerned over the Renters’ Rights Bill as pressure mounts over when the bill will pass, claims an industry body. Propertymark’s Housing Insight report reveals challenges and uncertainties remain in the private rented sector. The report reveals demand continues to outstrip supply, with the average number of applicants per member branch around seven per […]

Salford City Council has imposed fines of £577,650 on 26 landlords for failing to uphold housing standards in Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs). The penalties stem from its additional HMO licensing scheme, introduced in July 2021, targeting smaller shared homes with three or four tenants. Since its inception, the council has issued 1,262 licences and […]

Hi, in light of the impending Renters’ Rights Bill and the fact that all tenants will be expected to give two months’ notice, is anyone who is NOW taking benefit tenants on, especially, asking for two months’ rent in advance? Given the Department of Work and Pensions pays a month in arrears as it is […]

Growth in UK rent and mortgage expenditure slowed for the fourth consecutive month, rising by 4.3% in June compared to 4.6% in May, according to Barclays Property Insights. This easing coincides with major lenders reducing mortgage rates, offering some relief to homeowners. Barclays says its data highlights ongoing challenges for renters, with nearly half (49%) […]

An industry body has criticised the Labour government for reversing its position on pets in the Renters’ Rights Bill. Ahead of the second debate of the report stage for the Renters’ Rights Bill, in Parliament today (Monday, July 7), Propertymark is urging its members to support an amendment allowing landlords to request an additional pet […]

By not fully understanding a problem, the risk of putting in a bad fix is magnified. We are seeing example after example of people acting without a full understanding.. I learned lessons early as a landlord that a failure to understand likely meant bigger expenses. For me, a leak below a ground floor front bay […]

The UK’s housing market showed resilience in June, with average property prices holding firm at £296,665, virtually unchanged from £296,782 in May, Halifax reveals. Annual price growth eased to 2.5% from 2.6% in May, reflecting a steady but cautious market. The lender’s head of mortgages, Amanda Bryden, said: “Market activity is gaining momentum, particularly among […]

I rented out a flat to an agent using a Guaranteed Rent contract. The understanding was that longer-term tenancies would be used, but there was nothing in the contract to specify this. After a few months, the building management company contacted me to say they had been informed that the flat was being used for […]

Most landlords in England and Wales are enjoying robust rental yields despite minor regional fluctuations, one BTL rental barometer reveals. According to Fleet Mortgages, the PRS is a stable market which is being underpinned by strong tenant demand and sustained investor enthusiasm. Wales has emerged as the top performer, boasting an average quarterly yield of […]

A consultation to bring in sweeping reforms to overhaul what the government calls the ‘feudal leasehold system’ has been unveiled. The move will address the challenges faced by nearly five million leaseholders in England and Wales. The changes, to be enacted through the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, aim to provide greater transparency and […]