Conservative plans to introduce a lifetime rental deposit plan – an idea first mooted by the RLA – has been welcomed. The Conservatives made the announcement on ‘Lifetime Rental Deposit’ in an overnight press briefing. Prime Minister Boris Johnson told journalists: “The costs of deposits make it harder to move. We are going to fix that. “We will end no-fault evictions, so that landlords can’t remove tenants without good reason, and introduce lifetime… Continue Reading Lifetime Rental Deposit Plan Welcomed

Higher housing costs – including private sector rents – have reduced incomes and increased inequality as the poorest families have borne the brunt of Britain’s 40-year housing crisis, according to a think tank, the Resolution Foundation. In a research document called Inequality Street, it says that public concern over housing is on the rise: approaching one-in-five adults now believe it’s one of the most important issues facing Britain, up from… Continue Reading Rising Private Sector Rents

Research by Hamptons International suggests the weak pound is persuading landlords from the US and Europe to return to the rental market. The number of properties rented out by overseas landlords has increased dramatically from 7% to 11% of the private rented housing market, a new report has revealed. Hamptons International says the jump has been prompted by the weak pound which has persuaded investors from the US and Western… Continue Reading Surge in overseas landlords returning to the buy-to-let market

Mandatory landlord licensing and rent controls are proposed in the Liberal Democrat election manifesto, out today. While the association has welcomed plans for a new ‘Help to Rent’ scheme and proposals to lift the freeze on LHA rates, it says licensing will not work. It has also branded plans to link rent increases to inflation ‘bizarre’ with the most recent figures showing current rises are lower. The Liberal Democrat manifesto pledges… Continue Reading Mandatory Landlord Licensing By Lib Dems

London’s Labour Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has returned to his campaign to win powers which would allow him to impose his call for rent controls. Khan has been an advocate of controls for some time, but currently has no authority to introduce them in the capital. Now Khan has taken up the case of rent rises in the London Borough of Brent; data from City Hall, where the Mayor is based,… Continue Reading London Mayor Repeats Call For Rent Controls

Rent controls and the abolition of Section 21 repossessions are outlined in the Green Party manifesto, released today. In relation to housing it calls for: Rent controls on private tenancies “which reflect average local income rates and the cost of maintenance.” An end to Section 21 repossessions “no-fault evictions”. Measures to make it “easier to set up community-led housing initiatives and for private renters in Houses of Multiple Occupancy to buy… Continue Reading Rent Controls & Abolition of Section 21 Repossessions

The National Union of Students claims young people at college and university are being unfairly targeted by agents and landlords when it comes to deposit deductions. In a feature on the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme one student says: “I think landlords look at us and think we’re just these dumb kids who don’t know what we’re doing…It’s not fair, it’s not OK.” She continues: “They decided we’ve not left the… Continue Reading Students Targeted For Deposit Deductions

A lettings agents has voluntarily decided to scrap To Let boards in densely populated areas, because they are unsightly and in any case most renters find properties online. The homes4u lettings agents in Manchester says it recognises that many people see To Let boards as an eyesore, especially when they appear in bulk in some areas popular with students – the city has over 80,000 students, almost all in rented… Continue Reading Lettings Agents Scrap To Let Boards

On the day that Labour launches its proposals to reform the private rental sector, the Tories have announced so-called Lifetime Rental Deposits. Details are still loose but a briefing to the media overnight quotes Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying: “The costs of deposits make it harder to move. We are going to fix that. We will end no-fault evictions, so that landlords can’t remove tenants without good reason, and introduce lifetime… Continue Reading Lifetime Rental Deposits Backed By Tories

The Liberal Democrats is the first of the major parties to release its party manifesto for the December 12 manifesto, and it promises substantial reform for the private rental sector. The key private rental policies are: – “help young people into the rental market by establishing a new Help to Rent scheme to provide government-backed tenancy deposit loans for all first-time renters under 30”; – “promote longer tenancies of three… Continue Reading Reform For The Private Rental Sector By LibDems

A leading London lettings agent wants increased Airbnb regulation in a bid to deter criminal activity and anti-social behaviour. Martin Bikhit, managing director at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Kay & Co, says there are clear risks for those who become Airbnb landlords. “The downside of such platforms over the traditional management services of an estate agency are the obvious loopholes in the vetting process. These allow criminals to carry out meticulously planned scams… Continue Reading Top Agent Urges Airbnb Regulation

Landlords with properties that have an energy performance rating of F or G will not be expected to pay up to £5k in order to improve the energy efficiency rating of the property, after a recommendation to raise the cap was rejected. A proposal to increase the cost cap (which is currently £3500) was put forward by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) select committee earlier this year in… Continue Reading Energy Performance Rating Increase

Labour has dropped its controversial private tenants policy under which tenants would have been able to buy their homes at a discount. Press reports over the weekend indicated that the policy – originally created by Shadow ChancellorJohn McDonnell – was now regarded as too complicated to be included in the party’s manifesto for the December 12 General Election. Two months ago McDonnell told the Financial Times that under a future Labour… Continue Reading Labour Ditches Private Tenants Policy

One might have thought that if private rental tenants were as badly treated as some people suggest, housing would be their number one priority in the General Election – but it’s most certainly not. Brexit—and not housing—is the number one issue for Britain’s tenants according to a new survey by the National Landlords Association. Earlier this month, Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party, launched his general election campaign with… Continue Reading Tenants’ biggest election issue? Well, it’s not housing…

A borough-wide licensing scheme that has been proposed in Islington could lead to rent increases if it is introduced, the RLA has warned. Islington Council is proposing to introduce a borough-wide additional HMO licensing scheme, and a selective licensing scheme to cover all properties in the Finsbury Park ward not already covered by mandatory licensing. If the plans are approved, landlords who have in the designated areas would be required to obtain… Continue Reading Borough-Wide Licensing Scheme

Hounslow Council has relaunched an additional licensing consultation, after the RLA and Safe Agent threatened to launch a judicial review over the original ‘flawed’ consultation. In September, Hounslow Council u-turned on plans to introduce an additional licensing scheme in the borough, after pressure from the RLA and SafeAgent. The RLA threatened the Council with a judicial review over concerns that the consultation on the additional licensing scheme plan was flawed. This included… Continue Reading Council Relaunches Additional Licensing Consultation

New funding announced by the government to tackle criminal landlords is welcome – but is nowhere near enough. Ministers have today announced that local authorities will be able to access almost £4 million in new funding, as part of what it describes as a “crackdown on criminal landlords” for 2019/20. This comes after £2 million was made available for similar efforts in 2018/19. Whilst the RLA welcomes the government’s focus on… Continue Reading Criminal Landlords – New Funding Available

The number of landlords regulations creating an obligation on private landlords has increased by 32 per cent since 2010. According to a new analysis by the RLA, the total number of landlords regulations has increased to 156, up from 118 when the Conservative-led coalition government came to power. The RLA is warning the increase in legislation has not led to an improvement in enforcement action against criminal landlords and many councils are… Continue Reading Landlords Regulations Up By A Third

Around 40 per cent of tenants currently in the private rental sector believe they will never be able to buy their own home and will be renting for life, according to a Halifax/YouGov survey. At the same time some 30 per cent – mostly older individuals – think that it is now ‘the norm’ for many tenants to remain renting for life and not aspire to home ownership. Younger generations… Continue Reading 40 Per Cent Of Tenants Renting For Life

A leading trade body says the government’s latest injection of funds to help local councils root out rogue operators in the private rent sector is simply not enough. Earlier this week the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government revealed that an additional £3.8m of public money would be open for councils to bid for; this could be used for staffing, PropTech or other measures to – in the words… Continue Reading New Cash To Police Rent Sector Deemed Insufficient