Poor communication remains the chief reason for disputes between agents, landlords and tenants at check-out time according to the latest research. A study by deposit alternative scheme Ome, analysing disputes submitted by tenants to the mydeposits deposit protection scheme, shows that the number of escalated disputes reaching the adjudication stage has fallen in percentage terms. It was down 2.6 per cent last year. But an analysis of the reasons show…

The key rules for buy-to-let property investors and owners, from the letting fees ban to Section 21 As we head into a new year, buy-to-let landlords face another swathe of complications, from an overhaul of the eviction process to confusion over local licensing. It’s a tricky time to be a landlord, but Which? can help you get your head around the various regulations you’ll need to be aware of when…

Next year will be a year of change for many landlords, with new legislation covering everything from tenant fees to energy efficiency coming in during 2020. Here’s our quick guide to the changes you can expect to see and how they will affect you. MARCH: Extension of Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act Under the Fitness for Human Habitation Act landlords can be forced to carry out improvement works to their properties…

The Housing Secretary has announced plans to revise the Government’s model tenancy agreement to allow for “well behaved pets” in properties. The Government says that the plan, announced at the weekend, will ensure that more landlords are catering for responsible pet owners wherever possible. Commenting on the plan, Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick MP said: “Pets bring a huge amount of joy and comfort to people’s lives, helping their owner’s through difficult…

A new report from Hamilton Fraser’s deposit alternative scheme Ome, has revealed that there has been a marked increase in the number of deposit disputes over the last three years. According to the data, shows poor or no communication when withholding a deposit is still the most common cause for deposit disputes between landlords and tenants, ahead of the cleanliness of the property and damage sustained during a tenancy. The…

According to Caridon Landlord Solutions, landlords remain unable to identify payments for Universal Credit tenants due to changes in the DWP system. Caridon is calling on The Department for Work and Pensions to urgently address the changes to its system, as many landlords are unable to identify which housing cost payments of Universal Credit should be allocated to which tenants. Up until three weeks ago payments of the housing element…

London rents increased by an average of 3.5 per cent in 2019 according to a European lettings monitor called HousingAnywhere. While this was stronger than some anticipated – especially given the uncertainties of Brexit – it remains lower than many other major European ‘world’ cities with high levels of international investment. Berlin, Barcelona, Madrid, Vienna and Brussels are cheaper locations than London and have seen larger rises in the past…

Some 26 per cent of buy to let investors plan to sell one or more of their properties in 2020 according to a survey by insurance firm Simply Business. The survey of 800 investors revealed that because of continued economic uncertainty and the tax restrictions increasing around buy to let, some 82 per cent of landlords are not buying any more BTL properties in 2020. Just 13 per cent said…

The rental market is stable as it enters 2020 according to the latest index from PropTech company Goodlord. Five out of the eight regions monitored by Goodlord at the turn of the year saw rents remain at November levels or dip slightly. The largest decrease was recorded in the North East, where average prices dropped three per cent from £607 to £588. Marginal rises were recorded in Greater London (up…

The rental market is stable as it enters 2020 according to the latest index from PropTech company Goodlord. Five out of the eight regions monitored by Goodlord at the turn of the year saw rents remain at November levels or dip slightly. The largest decrease was recorded in the North East, where average prices dropped three per cent from £607 to £588. Marginal rises were recorded in Greater London (up…

Some 26 per cent of buy to let investors plan to sell one or more of their properties in 2020 according to a survey by insurance firm Simply Business. The survey of 800 investors revealed that because of continued economic uncertainty and the tax restrictions increasing around buy to let, some 82 per cent of landlords are not buying any more BTL properties in 2020. Just 13 per cent said…

London rents increased by an average of 3.5 per cent in 2019 according to a European lettings monitor called HousingAnywhere. While this was stronger than some anticipated – especially given the uncertainties of Brexit – it remains lower than many other major European ‘world’ cities with high levels of international investment. Berlin, Barcelona, Madrid, Vienna and Brussels are cheaper locations than London and have seen larger rises in the past…

Recent research claims that virtually half of UK tenants have no expectations of ever owning a home and will rent for life. An investment management services company carried out a survey with 2,016 people and 45% of people who are not homeowners, do not expect to in the future with the ever rising property prices. The private rental sector can only remain strong because of the acceptance of long term rental and/or…

In this year’s Q3 there has been a significant increase in the number of buy-to-let property repossessions in comparison to the same quarter in 2018. A banking trade body has just released figures that claim there has been a 40% increase in numbers of buy to let repossessions from last year. During July to September there were around 800 buy to let repossessions, whereas in the same period in 2018 there were…

New data shows that the average cost of a tenant’s deposit is now £1,299. A specialist insurance services provider’s latest research shows that from the beginning of 2019, renters have paid in total £1.9bn in deposits. However the average deposit paid is looking likely to fall for the first time since 2014 and has already dropped by 3% from 2018’s average of £1,336; it is still 7% higher than in 2015. There…

It is more than likely that Section 21 notices will be abolished. In light of this it will cause high numbers of landlords selling up and leaving the market over the next couple of years. A sector trade body believes that scrapping Section 21 evictions will have a major impact on numbers of rental housing stock with shrinkage as much as 20%, which is the equivalent of 960,000 homes being pulled out of the…

A legal firm is warning agents and landlords that they have less than three months to prepare for the latest MEES regulations on energy efficiency in rental properties. City law firm Fladgate says that for the past 21 months there has been a requirement under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for any new tenancies or tenancy renewals of properties rented in the private rented sector to have a minimum energy…