If it wins the next election, Labour could set up a national register of private landlords, along with tough penalties and a national rent standard.
Both proposals are in a new policy...
Labour says it would crack down on bad landlords Fri, 31 May 2013 |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
 |
House prices soar in places but plummet in others Fri, 31 May 2013 |
House prices rebounded last month – but behind the headline figure is a story of completely different markets. In London, said the Land Registry, house prices went up 6.2% in th... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Landlord organisation launches consultation into longer tenancies Fri, 31 May 2013 |
The Residential Landlords Association is consulting with landlords over its own proposals for long-term tenancies. The body has also entered discussions with mortgage lenders as to th... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Landlords should pay more Stamp Duty, says lobby group Fri, 31 May 2013 |
The cost of Stamp Duty Land Tax is strangling the housing market, a lobbying group has said. It is calling for buy-to-let investors to pay more, allowing Stamp Duty rates to be slashe... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Bill forcing landlords to check migrant status of tenants to be watered down Tue, 28 May 2013 |
Ministers are apparently backtracking on the planned requirement to get landlords to check the immigration status of tenants. David Cameron is said to have turned puce when told that ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Mortgage lenders told to relax over Green Deal Tue, 28 May 2013 |
Concerns that Green Deals could pose a problem to landlords buying or selling homes have been partly allayed by the Council of Mortgage Lenders. There have been concerns that property... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Redundant office blocks to be turned into rental homes Tue, 28 May 2013 |
New rules have gone through, making it possible to convert disused offices into homes without planning permission. It is thought that a number of former offices could now be turned in... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Paragon's lending to buy-to-let landlords shoots up Fri, 24 May 2013 |
Lending by Paragon Mortgages to buy-to-let landlords rose to £102.3m in the six months to the end of March. The figure was up 14.6% on the £89.2m lent over the same period... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Avoid student pods, investors are warned Tue, 21 May 2013 |
Landlords planning to expand their portfolios have been warned to steer clear of so-called student pods, Investors Chronicle has reported. It says that while they are widely marketed ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
One in four landlords planning to grow portfolios Tue, 21 May 2013 |
Almost a quarter of buy-to-let landlords are planning to purchase at least one further property over the next 12 months. According to a study by agents Allsop and market research firm... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Take fines threat over immigration seriously, lawyers warn landlords Fri, 17 May 2013 |
Landlords face a very real possibility of heavy fines under proposed new immigration laws, a law firm has warned. They also run the risk of loss of rent. New rules, a... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Just one in a hundred deposits end in formal dispute Fri, 17 May 2013 |
The ratio of deposit disputes in England & Wales is just over 1% according to official figures released by the Department for Communities and Local Government. The Government figu... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
SAFEagent Awareness Week: Playing it SAFE Wed, 15 May 2013 |
MD Nick Cooper explains why Northwood supports SAFEagent Awareness Week:
"Landlords and tenants place a huge amount of trust in letting agents - after all, deposits an... |
Article courtesy of Northwood Blog
|
Landlords' new immigrant checks 'unworkable', say MPs Tue, 14 May 2013 |
Serious question marks have been raised by MPs over government plans, outlined in the Queen’s Speech, to make private landlords legally responsible for checking the immigration status of tenants... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Landlords and lenders consulted over longer-term tenancies Tue, 14 May 2013 |
The Residential Landlords Association is consulting with landlords over its own proposals for long-term tenancies. The body has also entered discussions with mortgage lenders as to th... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Second annual SAFEagent week gets under way Tue, 14 May 2013 |
SAFEagent week is running this week – until May 18. It is the second annual SAFEagent week and comes shortly after the refusal of the Government to accept a House of Lords proposal to regulate l... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Angry tenant wreaks revenge on estate agency signs Tue, 14 May 2013 |
A man with a grudge against agents went on a revenge spree by cutting down more than 100 boards. Anthony Bennett, 39, went out in his van two nights running and used a Stanley knife t... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
More buy-to-let borrowers choosing fixed rate mortgages Fri, 10 May 2013 |
More buy-to-let landlords are choosing fixed-deal mortgages, says specialist firm TBMC. Landlord borrowers are also going for slightly higher-quantity loans, and their favourite properties are terrace... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
New insurance scheme introduced for pets in private lets Fri, 10 May 2013 |
A new insurance policy has been offered to cover rental properties where tenants have pets. The specialist insurance policy is being launched this month by Dogs Trust, the UK’s ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Landlord's property ruined by cannabis farm fire Tue, 7 May 2013 |
A rental property which was completely gutted by fire turned out to have been used as a cannabis farm. The property, in Cardiff, was owned by landlord Obi Ljeoma, who lives in Windsor... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Buy-to-let investors think the only way is Essex Tue, 7 May 2013 |
Buy-to-let investors are out in force in Essex, it has been claimed, with Crossrail and the Dubai Ports London Gateway Development both set to bring investment, jobs and new residents to the county. |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
U-turn on payment to landlords in Universal Credit trials Fri, 3 May 2013 |
Rent will be paid direct to landlords where tenants are in arrears, where the Universal Credit scheme is being currently piloted. The provision – apparently a last-minute U... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Buy-to-let mortgages come down in price Fri, 3 May 2013 |
Buy-to-let mortgages are less expensive than they were, with mortgage rates and lenders’ fees both down. Research by specialist broker Mortgages for Business shows that during t... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Shelter savaged for 'scaremongering' in private rental sector Fri, 3 May 2013 |
A new report from Shelter claims to have uncovered the damage done to children who grow up in private homes. The report, Growing up renting, claims that children pay the price f... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Redress not regulation is best way forward, claims Prisk Fri, 26 Apr 2013 |
Housing minister Mark Prisk – who once proposed the full regulation of letting agents – says that a proposal to bring the industry into the scope of the Estate Agents Act would have create... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Big bounce in number of new tenants looking for homes Fri, 26 Apr 2013 |
The number of new applicants seeking to rent in March was up 21% from February, with demand outstripping supply as the number of available homes to rent rose only 5%. According to Seq... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Tenants staying put as property shortage continues, says ARLA Fri, 26 Apr 2013 |
Tenants are now staying in one property for 20 months, according to the latest research from the Association of Residential Letting Agents. This figure is up year-on-year from a... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Southampton named best hotspot for buy-to-let investors Tue, 23 Apr 2013 |
Southampton tops the list of buy-to-let property hotspots with a rental yield of 7.82%, says HSBC. It looked at 50 towns and cities with high concentrations of private rental housing ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Massive changes ahead for lettings industry, says minister Tue, 23 Apr 2013 |
Massive growth and a sea-change in its structure lie ahead for the private rented sector, said housing minister Mark Prisk in a major speech. Speaking at the Law Society, London, he e... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
First projects announced in Build to Rent fund Tue, 23 Apr 2013 |
Housing minister Mark Prisk has announced the first successful bidders who will benefit from the £1bn Build to Rent Fund, designed to provide 10,000 new homes in the private rented sector by 201... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Home ownership slides for first time in a century Tue, 23 Apr 2013 |
The proportion of owner-occupied homes in England and Wales has fallen to 64%, say new figures analysed from the latest Census conducted in 2011. In 2001, the proportion was 69% &ndas... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Rents go back up (and so do tenant arrears), says LSL Fri, 19 Apr 2013 |
Rent levels have reversed a four-month downward trend, to stand 4.2% higher than a year ago. Last month, average rents in England and Wales rose 0.5% compared with February, to stand ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Small is beautiful for BTL yields, says UK's biggest agent Fri, 19 Apr 2013 |
Smaller properties provide a better return than larger ones, with one- and two-bedrooms providing average yields of 6.8% and 6.4% respectively. Countrywide, the UK's largest natio... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Half of landlords not using agents, say researchers Fri, 19 Apr 2013 |
Half of landlords do not use agents, new research from an independent marketing consultancy has said. While other estimates put the proportion of private landlords using agents at 60%... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Landlord of unlicensed HMO ordered to repay £30,000 rent Tue, 16 Apr 2013 |
A landlord who illegally rented out rooms in an unlicensed HMO has been ordered to repay more than £30,000 in housing benefit that he received for the flats. Landlord Mehmet Par... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Budget measures no help to private landlords, says RLA Tue, 16 Apr 2013 |
A majority of private sector landlords do not believe George Osborne’s Budget will improve the private rented sector. A survey conducted by the Residential Landlords Association... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Now is the perfect time for buy-to-let, says UK's largest agent Fri, 12 Apr 2013 |
Average rents rose, rent arrears fell and lettings times became faster in the first quarter of this year, Countrywide has reported. The largest property chain says it provides the per... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Buying, not renting, is dream for eight in ten people Fri, 12 Apr 2013 |
Home ownership remains the aspiration of almost all people in the UK, with private renting well down the list, a new YouGov survey has shown. Virtually all current home owners (95%) s... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Rent down valuations hitting buy-to-let mortgage borrowers Tue, 9 Apr 2013 |
Buy-to-let mortgage applications are failing because surveyors are ‘down valuing’ the rental income and advising lenders accordingly. In some cases, they are even down val... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Lenders may fight shy of selective licensing properties, warning Tue, 9 Apr 2013 |
Landlords looking to expand their portfolios are warned that some lenders are not willing to lend on properties in areas of selective licensing and others are considering their policies. |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Landlords still looking to buy more properties, says Paragon Tue, 9 Apr 2013 |
Landlords increased the size of their portfolio to an average of 13.2 properties in the first quarter of this year, says specialist lender Paragon Mortgages. This was up from 12.7 properties in the la... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Fresh rise in number of tenants in serious arrears Fri, 5 Apr 2013 |
The number of tenants in the most serious rent arrears is rising again, a firm of receivers has warned. It says that the number is now 20% above the long-term average, with court orders for possession... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
New online service launched for 'under notice' properties Fri, 5 Apr 2013 |
A new service has been set up to help residential property investors looking for repossessed properties. Move with Us has added a new function to its ‘whitehot’ property w... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Landlords warned to check danger-alert electric goods Fri, 5 Apr 2013 |
Landlords have been advised to be super-vigilant about electrical products that they already have in their properties, plus any new ones they supply, such as fridge freezers, cookers and tumble dryers... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Changes in Council Tax to add costs for landlords Tue, 2 Apr 2013 |
Landlords are reminded that as from this week, local authorities now have the discretion to charge full Council Tax on empty properties. The change affect properties that until now ha... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
ARLA calls for all landlords and agents to be regulated Tue, 26 Mar 2013 |
All landlords would be regulated and would, by law, have to belong to a landlord organisation, if new proposals from the Association of Residential Letting Agents are accepted. ARLA i... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Help to Buy could see end of Generation Rent, landlords warned Fri, 22 Mar 2013 |
The Chancellor’s new measures in the Budget aimed at boosting home ownership could have significant implications for ‘Generation Rent’. The Help to Buy scheme will o... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Criticism mounts over Osborne's 'mortgages for all' scheme Fri, 22 Mar 2013 |
The ministers responsible for housing, Eric Pickles and Mark Prisk, have spoken of their support for the Help to Buy scheme – as criticism of the idea was mounting. In the ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
BTL investors 'piling into market', says Rightmove Tue, 19 Mar 2013 |
Asking prices for properties new to the market have shot up to hit an all-time record high for March, boosted by buy-to-let investors “piling into the market”. Rightmove s... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
The Truth About Guaranteed Rent Fri, 15 Mar 2013 |
This week an article on a property news website damned guaranteed rent as a scam and criticised providers for their lack of protection of landlords. Here, Nick Cooper, MD of our company which has an ... |
Article courtesy of Northwood Blog
|
Rents nudge downwards in sleepier market Fri, 15 Mar 2013 |
Rents nudged down across England and Wales by just 0.1% in February – but they were still 3.3% higher than the year before. According to LSL Property Services, which owns nation... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Rent arrears soar sevenfold in Universal Credit trial Tue, 12 Mar 2013 |
Rent arrears among tenants of social landlords taking part in a trial of the Government’s flagship benefit reforms have soared. The pilot is testing out the effects of paying th... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Landlords told to wise up to energy efficiency funding Tue, 12 Mar 2013 |
Landlords who have tenants on benefit could take advantage of special funding to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. Dean Murray, managing director of North-West energy... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
RLA calls on Osborne to change tax treatment of landlords Tue, 12 Mar 2013 |
The Residential Landlords Association is urging the Chancellor to change the tax treatment of landlords in next week’s Budget. It wants landlords to be recognised as running bus... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Taxman launches campaign to target buy-to-let sellers Fri, 8 Mar 2013 |
People who have sold second homes or buy-to-let properties are being targeted by HMRC in a new campaign. The Property Sales Campaign is aimed at those selling homes in the UK or abroa... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Homeless organisation calls for mandatory regulation of landlords Fri, 8 Mar 2013 |
A national charitable organisation, Homeless Link, has called for private landlords to be regulated. The umbrella body says it is one of the steps needed to combat homelessness. ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Robbie Fowler to sit on the bench while his BTL secrets are 'taught' Fri, 8 Mar 2013 |
He’s a football legend – and a buy-to-let genius. Former Liverpool star Robbie Fowler apparently has a buy-to-let empire of around 80 properties worth £28m. ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Free Green Deal events being held for landlords Tue, 5 Mar 2013 |
A series of Green Deal events is being held for private landlords. They are being organised by fuel poverty charity National Energy Action (NEA) in partnership with British Gas and th... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Rents stay frozen everywhere but in London Fri, 1 Mar 2013 |
The average rent in England last year was £714 – but in London it was £1,369. The median rent in London, at £1,196 per month, was more than double the national... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Government housing policies blasted as 'schizophrenic' Fri, 1 Mar 2013 |
Housing policies were blasted by a succession of speakers at a buy-to-let event in Westminster on Wednesday. Flagship schemes such as Funding for Lending, NewBuy and FirstBuy all came... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Tenancy Deposit Scheme to ease admin requirement for landlords Tue, 26 Feb 2013 |
The Tenancy Deposit Scheme for Landlords is to change its system in April so that landlords will no longer have to update tenancy deposit information when a tenant stays on.
For landlords (this do... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Should building societies lend to BTL borrowers? Tue, 26 Feb 2013 |
Should building societies be lending buy-to-let mortgages? The subject has had an interesting airing in The Guardian, where respected writer Patrick Collinson said he was surprised th... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Councils offering grants for landlords' empty homes Tue, 26 Feb 2013 |
Some councils are now starting to offer owners of empty homes low-interest loans to make their properties habitable as part of a pilot scheme. In return, the owners must commit to ren... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
EPC legislation to be used to crack down on illegal landlords Fri, 22 Feb 2013 |
Energy Performance Certificate legislation is to be used to crack down on illegal landlords who let out ‘beds in sheds’. Slough Borough Council is using thermal imaging to... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Punishment for landlord who illegally evicted tenant Tue, 19 Feb 2013 |
A landlord who pleaded guilty to unlawfully evicting her tenant has been sentenced to 80 hours of unpaid community work and ordered to pay the tenant £460. Rukhsana Tariq, 38, p... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
HMRC slammed for going after law-abiding landlords Fri, 15 Feb 2013 |
A tax specialist has expressed concern that HMRC, armed with information provided by local authorities, could now be hounding private landlords in an attempt to track down tax dodgers. ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Cost of flatshare rises as supply tightens Tue, 12 Feb 2013 |
The cost of flatsharing in the UK will rise this year as supply becomes shorter – partly driven by retirees looking for short-term accommodation. Website easyroommate is predict... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Fall down stairs in rental home could cost insurers millions Tue, 12 Feb 2013 |
The guest of a tenant who fell down some stairs has resulted in a claim against a landlord that could easily reach over £1m and possibly run into several millions. The landlord ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Headline rates on BTL mortgages 'disguise true costs' Fri, 8 Feb 2013 |
Headline rates on buy-to-let mortgages are misleading because of the effect of fees, it has been claimed. Specialist broker Mortgages for Business says that lender, valuation and lega... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
More give up on home ownership to live as tenants Fri, 8 Feb 2013 |
The latest English Housing Survey has shown that more people are deserting home ownership to live in the private rented sector. The survey covering 2011/2012, published yesterday, say... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
There is no scandal on private rent levels, MPs told Tue, 5 Feb 2013 |
Despite the hype of many rental surveys, official statistics have shown that private rents nationally are growing below inflation – and more slowly than social rents. The Valuat... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Buy-to-let mortgage rates fall as lender competition hots up Tue, 5 Feb 2013 |
The average fixed buy-to-let mortgage rate fell again in the last quarter of 2012, according to buy-to-let specialist TBMC. The average was 4.67%, down from 4.88% in the previous quar... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Accidental landlords are getting serious, says Rightmove Tue, 5 Feb 2013 |
Rental price growth is likely to slow this year, with supply set to grow as private landlords – dubbed a ‘rag-tag army’ – invest more. The rag-tag label is fro... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Huge slump in private landlords taking benefits tenants, say councils Fri, 1 Feb 2013 |
A slump in the number of private landlords in London willing to take homeless people on benefits must be addressed, town halls have warned. Umbrella organisation London Councils says ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Green Deal interest rates could deter landlords, warn critics Tue, 29 Jan 2013 |
The Green Deal finance scheme has officially launched, bringing new obligations of disclosure for agents, sellers and landlords. Lenders, as well as current and prospective tenants an... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Buy to let lenders may reconsider terms and conditions Fri, 25 Jan 2013 |
Lenders may have to rethink their attitudes towards standard tenancies and change their terms and conditions on buy-to-let mortgages, their trade body has said. The Council of Mortgag... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Strong yields tempting for landlords, says Countrywide Fri, 25 Jan 2013 |
One in ten properties in the UK is delivering gross rental yields of 10% or more, while average yields across the country are 6.2%. The figures are from Countrywide, the UK's larg... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
More landlords risk losing out on insurance claims Tue, 22 Jan 2013 |
Landlords have been warned not to try and make false economies by saving on their insurance premiums. The warning has come from Michael Portman, managing director of tenancy referenci... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Private landlords 'should not be blamed for empty homes' claim Fri, 18 Jan 2013 |
Private landlords and second-home owners are not the villains of the piece when it comes to empty homes in London. Instead, local councils are to blame. The claim has come from proper... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Agent warns councils off going down blanket licensing route Fri, 11 Jan 2013 |
Other councils should not even think about introducing blanket licensing of private rental properties until it is clear how the controversial Newham scheme is faring. The call has com... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Landlords should have to give tenants insurance, inquiry told Fri, 11 Jan 2013 |
Landlords and agents should be required by law to provide their tenants with insurance when they sign up to a new tenancy. The insurance would be paid for by the landlord, but availab... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
City council to clamp down on number of HMOs in each street Fri, 11 Jan 2013 |
Traditional shared student rental accommodation in a university city is to be restricted, following the approval of a housing masterplan. Oxford’s Sites and Housing Plan has bee... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Fund opens to aid build to rent developers Tue, 8 Jan 2013 |
A £200m ‘build to rent’ fund has been launched by housing minister Mark Prisk – meaning that the concept of developments where a specific proportion of homes is built for priva... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Tenants' arrears falling, say receivers Fri, 4 Jan 2013 |
The number of tenants in severe arrears fell in the last quarter of 2012, with more managing to keep up with their rents. According to receivers Templeton LPA, part of the LSL group, ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Rogue landlords should mend their ways or quit, says ARLA Fri, 4 Jan 2013 |
Rogue letting agents and landlords should either mend their ways or quit the market. The call has come from the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA), which says tena... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Average tenant rents for eight years before buying Fri, 21 Dec 2012 |
The average private tenant hands over £50,000 to their landlord before they start paying a mortgage instead. The finding comes from a survey of 2,371 adults aged 21 and over, ea... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Social landlords in payment trials say arrears have doubled Fri, 21 Dec 2012 |
Social landlords taking part in trials where tenants are paid their benefits direct are reporting arrears of around double the norm. Their experiences will be of interest to private l... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Rents fall back across most of UK, says LSL Fri, 21 Dec 2012 |
Rents fell in November for the first time since March, but are still 3.4% higher than in November last year. The latest LSL rent survey, which measures asking price rents, says that t... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Buying cheaper than renting in nine out of ten towns, says Zoopla Tue, 18 Dec 2012 |
Buying is cheaper than renting in 90% of 50 towns in Britain. On average, renting in Britain costs £1,080 per year more than buying. The research by Zoopla shows that in York, P... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Property is our pension, say investors pulling out of stock market Tue, 18 Dec 2012 |
A stable income and a boost to insufficient pension provision are the two top priorities of buy-to-let investors wishing to make a new investment over the next 12 months. Buy-to-let f... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
More turn to private renting as home ownership fades Thu, 13 Dec 2012 |
The extent to which Britain is turning to the private rented sector has been highlighted by the latest Census figures. They show that home ownership has declined to 64% among househol... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Half of tenants would not take property with poor mobile coverage Tue, 11 Dec 2012 |
The importance of mobile phone coverage to tenants has been underlined in a new survey of over 2,000 people. Over half (54%) said they would not buy a home if there was poor mobile re... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Rightmove and LSL clash as to direction of rents Tue, 11 Dec 2012 |
Four in ten landlords plan to increase rents next year, with 10% planning rises of more than 5%. But the findings, by LSL, flatly contradict a Rightmove survey reported on this site l... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Landlords cutting costs by skipping insurance Tue, 11 Dec 2012 |
Almost one in five landlords do not have specialist insurance, instead relying on standard home insurance policies in the mistaken hope that they cover rental properties. According to... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
More landlords relying on property for their pensions Fri, 30 Nov 2012 |
Property is increasingly being viewed by landlords as their pension pot. According to a new survey by BM Solutions and BDRC Continental, 80% of landlords view their property as a supp... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
London landlords told to drop their prices or face voids Fri, 30 Nov 2012 |
London is once again showing that, as a market, it does its own thing. House prices are falling across almost all the UK, apart from London. Rents are rising across much of the UK &nd... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
One in three landlords think tenancy deposit rules are 'hindrance' Fri, 30 Nov 2012 |
Nine out ten landlords are either satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of their tenants, according to a new survey carried out by the Tenancy Deposit Scheme. More than half of... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Student landlords should 'consider quitting sector' as tuition fees bite Tue, 27 Nov 2012 |
Landlords of student properties are being advised to consider getting out of the sector, after the introduction of tuition fees has meant that far fewer students are looking for rental accommodation f... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Landlords urged to respond to government inquiry into lettings Tue, 27 Nov 2012 |
A quick reminder that the Government is conducting an inquiry into the private rented sector and this is the chance for individual landlords to express their opinions. In particular, ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Housing minister to be told to get to grips with private rented sector Tue, 27 Nov 2012 |
Pressure is continuing to mount on new housing minister Mark Prisk to get to grips with the private rental sector. Prisk – who is currently treading the party line that he will ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Olympics landlords still unstuck, says agent Fri, 23 Nov 2012 |
An Olympics legacy of their own making has left London landlords with empty properties and lower rents. According to agent Chesterton Humberts, ‘numerous’ landlords got ri... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Landlord let out 'hell hole' to pensioners, court case Fri, 23 Nov 2012 |
A landlord has been fined £1,250 after two pensioners were discovered living in slum conditions. The shocking find was in Newham, the London council which is introducing England... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
DIY landlords putting themselves at risk, warning Tue, 20 Nov 2012 |
A letting agent has warned landlords that they are no longer safe simply to download tenancy agreements from the internet in the belief that all will be well. Ajay Jagota, of KIS Lett... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Landlord told to hand back rent under Proceeds of Crime Act Tue, 20 Nov 2012 |
Two landlords who illegally converted their properties have been hit with huge penalties. One, Andrew Pakkos, will have to repay some of his rental profits under the Proceeds of Crime... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Ministers slated over 'talk but no action' approach to housing Fri, 16 Nov 2012 |
The Government is falling down on its own plans to fix the broken housing market, three leading groups have warned. They say the rhetoric should start being translated into reality. |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Basic tenant checks may not be enough, landlords warned Fri, 16 Nov 2012 |
Basic tenant referencing checks may not be sufficient to protect a landlord against the possibility of future arrears, an insurance firm has warned. Total Landlord Insurance says that... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Council set to walk away from landlord licensing scheme Tue, 13 Nov 2012 |
A major local authority is likely to decide against a compulsory landlord licensing scheme, saying it is not the answer. Instead, Bournemouth Council will use existing powers to clamp... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Buy-to-let lending on long road to recovery Fri, 9 Nov 2012 |
The value of buy-to-let mortgages taken out in the third quarter of 2012 totalled £4.2bn, an increase of 8% over the £3.9bn advanced in the preceding three months. Accordi... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Court imposes maximum penalty over 'minor' omission of prescribed information Fri, 9 Nov 2012 |
The Court of Appeal has this week imposed the maximum penalty on a residential landlord following a dispute with a tenant over prescribed information under the tenancy deposit rules. ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Direct payment deal IS bringing rents down, insists minister Tue, 6 Nov 2012 |
Landlords of benefits tenants have dropped their rents in return for getting rental payments direct, a minister has claimed. Lord Freud, the welfare reform minister, said that the sch... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Early Day Motion calls for more protection of tenants Fri, 2 Nov 2012 |
An Early Day Motion has been tabled by Respect MP George Galloway, calling for protection for tenants of landlords who are letting out their houses unlawfully. ‘Accidental landl... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Police warn private landlords on drug factories Tue, 30 Oct 2012 |
Police in London are enlisting letting agents and landlords in the war against drugs. They are warning that the presence of deodorant, stained coffee filters and small plastic bags ma... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Agent warns of landlords' unseen costs Fri, 26 Oct 2012 |
Unforeseen costs, including unexpected maintenance and a shortfall in rent, are hitting landlords in the pocket. According to new research, more than 80% of landlords say they are rec... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Rents are falling, insists new housing minister Fri, 26 Oct 2012 |
Housing minister Mark Prisk has followed his party’s line by claiming that private rents have been going down. He told the Commons that rents have fallen in real terms, because ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
More families on housing benefit to help pay rent Tue, 23 Oct 2012 |
A new report says that 10,000 more working families every month are now drawing housing benefit to help pay their private rent. Home Truths 2012, from the National Housing Federation,... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
New Green Deal scheme launches for landlords Tue, 23 Oct 2012 |
A Green Deal service for landlords has been announced by the Residential Landlords Association. It will be managed on behalf of the RLA by Enact Energy and is due to start next month,... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Debt charity warns of huge rise in tenant arrears Tue, 23 Oct 2012 |
A debt counselling charity is warning of a huge increase in rent arrears which will keep people off the housing ladder for the foreseeable future. The Money Advice Trust says the numb... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
MPs to probe introducing rent controls in new inquiry Tue, 23 Oct 2012 |
A new and wide-ranging inquiry into the Private Rented Sector is to be conducted by an influential cross-party group of MPs. Regulation of all landlords and letting agents is on the t... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
TV presenter pleads for more landlords to take pets Fri, 19 Oct 2012 |
TV personality and landlord Jasmine Harman is appealing for more rental properties to accept dogs. She has joined forces with welfare charity Dogs Trust to launch an ‘Ask, Adver... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Rents accelerate to a new high, says LSL . . . Fri, 19 Oct 2012 |
Rent rises have accelerated to hit a new high – and tenant arrears have crept up. According to LSL this morning, owners of the Your Move and Reeds Rains chains, the average rent... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Tenant arrears at highest in four years Tue, 16 Oct 2012 |
The rate of growth in the number of tenants in severe arrears is slowing, but nevertheless rose by 1.6% in the third quarter of this year. There are now 99,000 tenants in arrears of two-months plus &n... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Build-to-let sector? It won't happen, says Heron Fri, 12 Oct 2012 |
Doubts have been cast upon the viability of the ‘build to let’ sector that the Government is so keen to see emerge. The Montague Report, which made various recommendations... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
RLA hits out at latest Shelter campaign Fri, 12 Oct 2012 |
British Gas, Britain’s biggest energy supplier, and Shelter have announced a five-year partnership aimed at improving standards in the private rented sector. The campaign, calle... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Falling house prices drive up BTL yields Fri, 12 Oct 2012 |
Gross yields rose on all types of buy-to-let property in the third quarter, apart from semi-commercial – for example, flats over shops. Yields on Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) jumped from... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Under-insurance could hit you in pocket, landlords warned Tue, 9 Oct 2012 |
Landlords have been given a fresh warning about the dangers of under-insuring their properties. It follows a recent finding by Aviva Insurance that 86% of properties are significantly... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
UK must build many more homes for rent, call Fri, 5 Oct 2012 |
There needs to be a tenfold increase in the number of homes that are built for private rent, and new home builders need to be relieved of their obligations to include ‘affordable homes’ on... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Landlord jailed after throwing tenant out on to street Fri, 5 Oct 2012 |
A landlord who threw a tenant out on the streets without his shoes when he failed to pay his rent has been jailed for unlawful eviction. Jay Allen, 30, forcibly evicted Chris Blades a... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Lender drops rates on buy-to-let mortgages Tue, 2 Oct 2012 |
Keystone Buy to Let Mortgages, a partnership between Mortgages for Business and Aldermore Bank, has reduced its rates on its five-year fixed mortgages by 0.55%. They now start at 5.48... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Landlord hit with record fine told he could face jail Tue, 2 Oct 2012 |
A private landlord has been fined a record £1.4m and warned that if he does not pay up within six months, he could go to jail for ten years. Salah Ali, 52, of Wembley, turned a ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
MPs call for new laws to govern private rented sector Fri, 14 Sep 2012 |
A group of cross-party MPs has called for a new form of statutory regulation of the private rented sector. In particular, the MPs are calling for guaranteed minimum standards for tena... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Rents at risk of 'over-heating' in South, says Rightmove Fri, 14 Sep 2012 |
Rents are over-heating in London and the South-East, where the high cost of properties limits landlords’ plans to expand. Rightmove said that ‘serial landlords’ are ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Most tenants leave properties in poor state, say landlords Tue, 11 Sep 2012 |
Nearly three-quarters (73%) of landlords say their rental properties are returned to them in an average or poor condition when the tenants move out. While only 5% state that pro... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Lettings chain launches in-house BTL mortgage service Tue, 11 Sep 2012 |
Lettings agency chain Northwood has launched a buy-to-let mortgage tool. It enables landlords to research and compare a comprehensive range of products and quotes from across the mort... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Ministers launch fresh crackdown on rogue lettings Tue, 4 Sep 2012 |
Ministers have launched a new clampdown on rogue landlords after a dawn raid on ‘beds in sheds’ properties. Housing minister Grant Shapps and immigration minister Damian G... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Half of all landlords will consider Green Deal, says NLA Tue, 4 Sep 2012 |
Just over half of private landlords are considering taking up the Green Deal initiative, it has been claimed. Under the Green Deal, due to launch on October 1, landlords will be able ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Continental-style renting 'good news for landlords' Tue, 4 Sep 2012 |
Long-term renting is now recognised as a perfectly acceptable alternative to buying a home – and British tenants are now thinking like continentals, an expert has said. The Jose... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Rent arrears become a problem for half of landlords Fri, 31 Aug 2012 |
Half of landlords (49%) have experienced rental arrears in the last six months and 37% are worried about the likelihood of arrears in the months to come. The finding emerges in a poll... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Malicious damage by tenants 'a common problem', says insurer Tue, 28 Aug 2012 |
Malicious damage to their property is among the top three most common insurance claims by landlords. Most malicious damage is caused by tenants. A report by Total Landlord Insurance w... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Huge rise in court eviction orders as landlords get tough Tue, 21 Aug 2012 |
There has been a 70% rise in court orders to evict private tenants over the past three years. Homelessness charity Crisis analysed Ministry of Justice figures to reveal that in the la... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Lender launches 25-year fixed mortgage for BTL borrowers Tue, 21 Aug 2012 |
Manchester Building Society is launching two 25-year fixed-rate mortgages, including an interest-only deal, for buy-to-let investors. Chief executive David Cowie said: “To my kn... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Rent levels crack new records across UK but tenant arrears deepen Fri, 17 Aug 2012 |
Rents rose to a new record high in July, pushing annual rental inflation across the UK to 2.9%. But tenant arrears also rose, for a second successive month, with 9.3% rent late or unpaid. |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
Suspended sentences for landlords who ignored gas safety Fri, 17 Aug 2012 |
Two Sheffield landlords have been handed suspended jail sentences after dangerous defects were found on every single gas appliance at a house they rented out to a young woman. During ... |
Article courtesy of Landlord Today
|
