Latest News/Blogs
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Housing bill: rogue landlords to be banned
Rogue landlords will be banned from letting property under new measures to be brought in under the Housing and Planning Bill. The bill was introduced to Parliament by the secretary of state for communities and local government Greg Clark on Tuesday. The part of the bill about rogue landlords and…
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Almost Half of Landlords Hit by Wear and Tear Tax Change
Around 47 per cent of landlords will be affected by changes to the annual wear and tear tax allowance. That’s the result of a survey by the National Landlords Association, following the announcement of the change in the Budget last month. The research findings show that 24 per cent of…
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Landlords lose £9.9 billion to rent arrears and damage every year
A law firm specialising in landlord law claims landlords are losing £9.9bn to rent arrears and property damage each year. Access Legal’s latest Landlord Report says tenants do £4.5bn damage to rental properties each year. The news follows a renewed attack on the private rented sector by Shelter. The housing…
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Landlords Forego Unpaid Rent To Rid Problem Tenants
Thomas Reuters claims that in twelve months the number of landlords who prefer to evict problem tenants quicker, rather than fight for unpaid rent has risen by 11%. The research carried out by Reuters shows that during 2013 – 2014 there were 29,821 landlords who went for the speedier eviction…
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Enforcement Action by Redbridge Council closes 93 beds in sheds
Redbridge Council has taken action to shut down 93 outbuildings that were being used as unlawful residential accommodation as part of a tough clampdown on ‘beds in sheds’. In many cases, investigations revealed that the outbuildings didn’t comply with housing safety standards or planning policy. The council say that they are…
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Former fireman fined for letting out flats breaching fire safety
A former fire fighter turned landlord who was fined for letting out flats and putting his tenants’ lives in danger has admitted he had not visited the ‘disgusting’ property in Liverpool for two years. Adrian Webb and his wife Lynn rented out the flats, which had no fire alarms or fire doors,…
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6,300 sign online petition against ending BTL tax breaks
An online petition demanding the reinstatement of BTL tax breaks has so far attracted 6,300-plus signatures. The petition, which is entitled ‘Reverse the planned BTL tax breaks restriction on individual landlords’, was set up London-based landlord Ruhal Uddin. It is the latest response from an angry private rental sector to…
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Right To Rent migrant checks: now agents and landlords face jail
Agents and landlords who fail to identify and evict tenants who are illegal immigrants face up to five years in jail according to government announcements revealed overnight. Under the proposed scheme for landlords in England, the Home Office would issue a notice when an asylum application fails; that notice confirms…
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New licensing regime will ‘hound’ tenants in their homes
A local authority has been attacked over its plans for a selective licensing scheme which will force landlords or their agents to inspect their properties every month. Harrow Council is introducing the new scheme in its Edgware ward on November 1 at a cost of up to £550, in an…
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Right to rent: all landlords must check immigration status or face £3,000 fine
Landlords in England will be responsible for spotting illegal tenants ‘from September’ after a trial in the West Midlands results in fines Landlords will face £3,000 penalties for failing to monitor the immigration status of their tenants or lodgers, as part of “right to rent” requirements that will apply across…
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Confusion over Smoke and CO Detectors Legislation
Regulations requiring landlords to install smoke detectors in all private rental properties, and carbon monoxide detectors in room with solid fuel appliances (England) have stalled in committee in the House of Lords. Peers raised a number of concerns, not least the fact the regulations are due to come into force…
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Slow start to year for home movers and FTBs
Both home movers and first-time buyer numbers dwindled in the first quarter of this year, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. It said first-timers took out 61,300 mortgages in the first three months – down 24% on the last quarter of 2014 and down 11% on the same period…