Last month, Minister for Housing, Heather Wheeler, made it clear that she intended to tackle the issue of “banning DSS tenants”. Despite this, it is still common for ads to contain the words “No DSS”. Indeed, the UK’s biggest landlord, Fergus Wilson, is infamous for banning DSS tenants from his properties, along with many other […]
Most landlords don’t expect to be sued by their tenants, especially if the property they let is in good condition and the tenants have no cause to complain. But in a salutary tale published on the BBC3 website, four tenants took their landlord to court and were awarded £15k of their rent back.
The holiday buy to let sector is booming. Thanks to sites like Airbnb it has never been easier to find tenants for short-term accommodation. It’s a highly competitive business, but if you own a nice property in a popular area, tenants won’t be in short supply. But despite the obvious attractions of letting properties out […]
In what could be the biggest change to the Private Rental Sector for many years, the government has announced it is consulting on whether to make fundamental changes to Section 21 notices. If the changes go ahead, landlords will no longer be able to evict tenants without providing a very good reason. The government claims […]
We still don’t know for sure whether the UK will leave the EU with a deal. In addition, many landlords are unsure of whether they can continue renting properties to EU citizens.
It’s no surprise that lots of landlords use spreadsheets to manage their properties. When you first start out, maybe you’ve got one or two rental properties and only a handful of tenants, in which case your spreadsheet is enough. If you’re new to the world of spreadsheets, or you’ve never delved into the confusingly named […]
A Nottingham letting agent has some great tips for landlords hoping to maximise their investment returns. Adam Kingswood, director of a large letting agency in one of the UK’s top university cities, says the key to success is to provide a safe, nice property that tenants can treat like a home.
Making Tax Digital (MTD) is already underway. MTD for VAT was rolled out at the beginning of April, with VAT registered businesses now required to submit their VAT returns using the Making Tax Digital service. Some businesses are currently exempt, including those with complex VAT requirements, but they must be ready to go by October […]
Tenants are being warned not to hand over money in ‘advanced fees’ to landlords at the start of a new tenancy. The National Landlords Association reported a rise in tenancy scams, which target desperate tenants seeking somewhere to live. The NLA says some scammers even have the audacity to use NLA branding on their marketing […]
Tough new energy efficiency legislation has now come into effect in the private rental sector and one in three landlords are saying they can’t afford to make the necessary improvements. Any property rated F or G in the Energy Performance Certificate ratings needs essential improvements that lift it to at least an E rating. Unfortunately, […]
The rise of build-to-rent blocks of housing is changing the face of the private rental sector. In large cities like London, private landlords are being slowly edged out by corporate landlords promising long-term rentals and professionally managed tenancies.
One of the first decisions landlords need to make is what type of tenants they wish to let to. Families and young professionals are both viable choices, but with 2.3 million students in higher education institutions in the UK, it makes sense to consider letting your rental properties to the student population. Student properties are […]
Chris Skidmore, the government’s Universities Minister, has fired a shot across the bow of rogue landlords. He warns that landlords who fail to meet minimum standards for student accommodation risk being taken to court by their student tenants under new legislation.
Property website Zoopla is one of the largest portals in the UK. It is a one-stop shop for tenants looking for rental properties, as most agents have listings on the site. In a move sure to please tenants, the site has banned all rental ads from using the words ‘NO DSS’ in their listings. So, […]
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