Archive

Leading rental payment platform PayProp has welcomed the added protections for landlords and renters outlined in the UK government’s rental reform...

A pioneering project is matching private landlords with tenant management skills in a local housing association. Salford council and the Irwell Valley...

One of the highest profile advocates of widespread reform in the private rental sector has been Baroness Alicia Kennedy, director of...

The government has released the full details of what it calls the Fairer Private Rented Sector White Paper. This is to form...

Some 820,000 private rented households in Britain are routinely hit by a shortfall between their housing benefit and their monthly rents...

There’s embarrassment all round for the Labour-run Welsh Government as it reveals a late delay to its much-hyped rental reform. The reform...

A bank is forecasting that almost one in 10 rented homes in the UK within the next decade could be a...

A collection of rental experts in a body called The Lettings Industry Council have called for the creation of a Landlord...

As a landlord, you will know and recognise that your inventory is one of the most important pieces of documentation that...

If rising energy costs are your immediate concern, it may not be feasible to invest in new solutions for your home...

A council is notifying its landlords with tenants on housing benefit that it is switching its payment schedule from paper to...

This is the entirety of the detail given by the government about the Renters’ Reform Bill, confirmed in yesterday’s Queen’s Speech. --- Renters Reform...

A landlord has been jailed for a year after making a homeless woman perform sexual favours for him in return for...

A consultation is underway into the extension of yet another private landlord licensing scheme for a further five years. Since March 2018...

The recent energy price cap increase implemented has prompted households across the UK to consider ways to make their home more...

Let’s face facts, landlords and the private rented sector have a reputation problem. Perceived to be the poor relation of housing provision, the sector is...

Representatives of holiday let landlords say they hope to capitalise on the increased number of staycations for economic-conscious  holidaymakers. They claim the...

Buy to let landlords claimed a record £18.5 in tax relief in the year to April 2021, the most recent data...

More than 50 per cent of private tenants who rely on Universal Credit to pay their rent have a shortfall between...

The leader of the Generation Rent campaign group has accused Chancellor Rishi Sunak of “stacking the economy against private renters who...

Oxford’s Labour-run council has called on private renters to join a new tenants union. A statement from the authority says some private...

Campaigning charity Shelter claims that in one part of the UK alone, some 75,000 tenants have been discriminated against by landlords. The...

A fledgling trade group its holding an online PropTech conference later this month. The Portfolio Landlords Action Network - PLAN - is...

A Devon council is promoting a scheme to lease properties from private landlords to provide homes for those in need.  In exchange...

Russia sending tanks into Ukraine sounds terrifying, but it also sounds a long way away. Unfortunately, in a world of global...

In this guest piece, Josh Barber from Flooring Superstore sets out why landlords must pay attention to flooring when it comes...

Auction House London has sold the highest number of lots in one sale in over a year, at its first auction...

A council is inviting landlords to an event at which it will both launch a new accreditation scheme and offer guidance...

A group of MPs has unveiled a scathing report about the inadequacies of HM Revenue & Customs, with a particular reference...

Covid-19 has upended most industries, at least for a short while, over the past two years. But the tourism sector has...

The government’s pledge to scrap Section 21 eviction powers for landlords and agents is  “the worst form of gesture politics in...

There is no evidence of a mass exodus of landlords from the sector despite the new regulations and slashed tax benefits...

The Portfolio Landlords Action Network - PLAN - is to hold its first tech exhibition with five companies explaining their benefits...

With Christmas and the New Year now over, landlords, investors and property experts are back to questioning what the coming twelve...

The Department of Work and Pensions is to slash the timescale for repayment of arrears for tenants on Universal Credit. It has...

The Covid pandemic has had a significant impact on the economy, with long term consequences that are still not fully appreciated....

Our housing market needs a long-term vision, and one which is co-ordinated across government and the wider industry. And it is...

Almost 10 per cent of private landlords letting properties to Universal Credit claimants have experienced at least one tenant having difficulties...

There are numerous reasons as to why renting is the way forward and how it can bring just as much, if...

A leading accountancy firm says the relative good health of the rental market and house price appreciation will trigger stricter enforcement...

Northumbria Law School and the Open University are conducting research into whether private landlords rent to tenants with pets and the...

The Bank of England has raised interest rates for the first time in more than three years, in response to calls...

Airbnb can make life easier for UK landlords by increasing yields, simplifying the rental process and providing peace of mind against...

A  council is set to ask local landlords of rental properties to join an accreditation scheme to improve standards and deliver...

Landlords with properties in part of Lincolnshire could benefit from Government funding secured by North East Lincolnshire Council and its regeneration...

The Law Society of England and Wales has welcomed the proposal for tenants facing eviction to receive enhanced legal assistance. “It would be...

The demise of the buy to let market has been much predicted over recent years. Major tax changes, a three per...

Something that has been touching a raw nerve with me for some time now is the issue of so called ‘rent...

I am the Chair of PLAN - the Portfolio Landlords Action Group - which had its formal launch this week. People...

The relationship between the overwhelming number of good landlords and local authorities tends to be limited or possibly non-existent. With the far...

Only six per cent of brokers questioned in a survey have ever sold a green mortgage, despite the high public profile...

A call has gone out to shift tens of thousands of the poorest tenants in the private rental sector into social...

Landlords may be about to be on the receiving end of a hard sell on installing smart meters, especially if they...

Home appliances are often an area that can be overlooked when it comes to finalising kitchen designs, but having quality machines...

Today the government will go ahead with a planned cut to Universal Credit of £20 per week.  The level of welfare support...

With the government lifting the price cap on energy suppliers at the start of this month, PropTech supplier Goodlord has produced...

Private landlords could receive between three and six months’ rent in advance by putting their properties forward to help people who...

Here at The ValPal Network, we know that there are other options available when considering to use a valuation tool, so...

Rik Smith, Head of Tenant Services at Goodlord, outlines in this tips piece how agents can support tenants with rising energy...

A local council is one of the first to be offering new Go Green Grants to landlords to improve energy efficiency...

Private renters and landlords face a cliff edge as the end of furlough coincides with cuts to benefits, says a leading...

Independent mortgage market monitor Moneyfacts says there’s been a big increase in choice available to landlords wanting to enter the holiday...

The end of the stamp duty holiday, which was introduced in July 2020, is now only a few weeks away. The upcoming...

Private landlords interested in leasing properties in Bridgend, south Wales, are being invited to join a scheme which would see them...

The UK’s first Minister for Tenants’ Rights says he will introduce rent controls because renters currently “pay way over the odds”. Although...

Post-Covid economic recovery in the UK is being channeled towards regional cities, says a leading investment expert.  Martha Peyton, managing director and...

The National Residential Landlords Association has joined a series of charities and Propertymark to warn about the poverty risk of expected...

Landlords will have to spend thousands to meet new government demands to improve energy efficiency in rental properties. Geospatial technology company Kamma...

The Baroness leading the campaign group Generation Rent claims the official figure for evictions in the second quarter of this year...

Airbnb has issued a lengthy statement in response to a recent raft of criticisms about the effects of soaring numbers of...

The MP who is the architect of a Private Members Bill to allow pets in privately rented property is facing a...

The National Residential Landlords Association is backing the introduction of a £10m grant fund for tenants with Covid-related  arrears. The fund, announced...

A council is appealing to landlords to help it fulfil a pledge to be a sanctuary to vulnerable refugees. Bristol council has...

The tenants’ campaign group Generation Rent is planning a week of events to promote renters’ rights later this month. The campaign says...

Tenants with arrears accumulated during the pandemic are finding it tough to secure alternative accommodation because their credit scores have been...

A leading veterinary body - the National Office of Animal Health, or NOAH - has started a campaign to have pets allowed...

Housing minister Chris Pincher has made the most explicit admission yet of the government’s desire to diminish the private rental sector. In...

The National Residential Landlords Association has repeated its backing for upfront cash payments and rent guarantees. A new study has found that...

A council in the Lake District is inviting new and existing private landlords to register with Property Links, its free matching...

The head of an agency is urging landlords to “embrace” tenants on housing benefits, instead of seeking to avoid them. Mish Liyanage,...

In the first anniversary of the initial ban on repossessions, it appears the move has backfired spectacularly. Research for the National Residential...

There’s a new call on the government to get its act together on the Green Homes Grant, which has failed to live...

From April, almost two-thirds (67%) of England’s councils are set to increase their council tax by 4.90 – 5.0%. However, the pandemic has...

A lettings agency is telling landlords to take more tenants claiming housing benefits. The agency in question says it’s wrong that some...

Lloyds Bank is considering entering the private rental sector as a landlord, according to a Financial Times scoop. The newspaper says it's...

A rental activists’ campaign group wants tenancies reformed to allow tenants to claim back rent and “give tenants the confidence to...

A landlord who failed to licence his property has been ordered to pay back over £5,000 in rent. Michael Convery from Belfast...

A landlord who failed to licence his properties has been ordered to pay back over £8,000 in rent. Dexter Blackstock, a former...

A tax barrister has restructured his way of working and is appealing to buy to let and other property investors as...

Landlords with tenants on Universal Credit are struggling to set up Alternative Payment Arrangements because the UC portal is closed to new...

The Generation Rent campaign wants public cash in a Covid Rent Debt Fund to clear rent arrears for tenants who have run...

Two property investment companies and an associated business have all been closed down “in the public interest” by the government’s Insolvency...

A leading utilities supplier to the rental sector says landlords should consider switching to smart meters, as tenants spend more time at...

New research suggests there’s been a rush amongst landlords to set up companies through which to manage or purchase buy to...

Popular buy to let lender Fleet Mortgages’ latest rental yield index shows the consequences of increasing property prices in many regions...

Retirement rental specialist Girlings says the phenomenon of later life renting is growing in popularity. It says independent research from Paragon Bank...

The changes to Mortgage Interest Tax Relief and impact on your wallet Before April 2017 landlords with a mortgage on their buy-to-let...

Thirty properties owned by private landlords have been let thanks to a new rent guarantee scheme run by a Midlands council.  Let’s...

An estate agency that bucks the industry trend by selling only tenanted properties to landlords says it’s had a record year. Portfolio,...

A property development consultancy is tipping five regeneration areas in England as potential good investments for the coming year. SevenCapital says they...

An investigation by the BBC has found that 80 per cent of advertisements on two websites used by landlords say people...

One of the candidates for next year’s London Mayoral election wants to put pet-friendly tenancies for the private rental sector as...

A homelessness charity is calling for landlords to come forward with accommodation for clients to be housed over Christmas. Harbour Housing, a...

A YMCA chief executive claims the proliferation of HMOs may be endangering private tenants’ health by encouraging overcrowding and undersized-rooms. Alan Fraser,...

Members of a wealthy Blackburn family of landlords with a portfolio of properties have been sentenced for defrauding the Department for...

An operator of co-living rental units in London has linked with a PropTech platform to reward tenants for their loyalty.  Built Asset...

A survey of over 2,000 tenants by a specialist buy to let lender shows that contrary to the popular belief, most...

Landlords have sharply criticised Chancellor Rishi Sunak for cutting the amount tenants relying on benefits will be able to claim to...

A guarantor company says landlords may fail to understand the advantages of using services such as those it provides. Housing Hand says...

A ‘city tracker’ operated by a specialist buy to let mortgage company has outlined the best - and worst - places...

The Advanced Rent Option, which offers landlords a year’s rent up-front, is being rolled out across the UK. The ARO is the brainchild...

Activists in Generation Rent claim that a fifth of families in the lettings sector suffer a shortfall between benefits and rent. Using selected data...

A landlord body says some tenants will have little choice but to increase their risk of contracting Coronavirus because of inadequate...

A property specialist at Perrys Chartered Accountants has issued new advice for landlords on how they can reap the benefits of...

Research from a deposit replacement scheme, Ome, suggests the first lockdown was sharply followed by a surge in tenancies - begging...

Generation Rent says there should be a reinstatement of the eviction ban immediately, and appears to have been stung into the...

A prominent Conservative supporter and expert in the private rental sector has posed an interesting question - is Boris Johnson trying...

An analysis of the private rental sector by the London School of Economics suggests there could be three times the current...

Generation Rent is calling for a furlough-type scheme aimed at helping tenants. The group says that following news of the four week...

The furlough scheme has been extended for a month and while it’s being replaced eventually by a less generous scheme, there is...

If you are dreaming of buying a property in Spain, there is so much to think about and many things to...

In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, many of the countries worse hit – reliant on tourism and outward investment...

The coronavirus crisis has hit the UK's economic outlook, and many buy-to-let landlords are understandably worried about their post-lockdown rental property...

When it comes to property investment, there is no one ‘right’ way to do it in order to succeed. Likewise, there...

According to recent statistics, British homeowners have spent an average of £4,035.70 each on house renovations this year. With people spending...

For over two decades, The Cumberland has been offering specialist lending to the hospitality sector, and 10 years ago, it became...

Just under half of landlords say they intend to make energy efficiency improvements to properties as part of the government's Green Homes Grant...

Generation Rent, the pressure group led by Baroness Alicia Kennedy, is tweeting advice to tenants on how to negotiate a lower...

Around 10 per cent of landlords plan to purchase properties and expand their portfolio in the coming year according to a...

The Lettings Industry Council has published a report outlining why Section 21 should not be abolished, despite the government’s commitment to...

The latest financial measures introduced over the weekend by Chancellor Rishi Sunak are not likely to help rental sector problems in...

Landlords with leasehold property within their portfolio, as well as their advisors, will be aware of the difficulty and delay a...

Labour wants to see a tenant loans scheme in England similar to one now operating in Wales. Easington Labour MP Grahame Morris...

The Scottish government has published updated guidance for private landlords and letting agents to help cope with the existing Covid-19 pandemic.  The...

A new Tenant Hardship Loan Fund to help renters cope with housing costs during the Covid-19 pandemic has been launched north...

Buy-to-let investments with a tenant already in situ are most in-demand across Glasgow, according to Howsy.  The letting management platform reports that...

Some buy-to-let landlords stand to benefit from a new partnership between no-deposit solution provider flatfair and Homesearch, it has been claimed.  The...

In recent years, there has been considerable controversy over the use of ‘no DSS’ in homes being listed for let, with...

You may wonder whether there are really that many benefits of home and boiler cover that’s specifically tailored for landlords and,...

Newcastle Intermediaries has relaunched its buy-to-let offerings. The lender’s two-year fixed rate product offers a choice of fee-assisted deals at 75% loan-to-value...

Thousands of smart meters have been rolled out to landlords and agents by Glide, enabling its clients to future proof their...

A buy-to-let landlord in Bristol has been forced to hand £1,569 back to the council for housing benefit payments he received. Charles...

The government is being urged to increase housing benefits and remove the benefit cap to help support more tenants, especially in...

With the Coronavirus crisis widely expected to lead to a rise in rent arrears as many tenants face financial hardship, Citizens...

Activists are calling on tenants to withhold their payments to landlords, in an attempt to generalise a growing rent strike movement. The...

As more people start to think about moving home as the coronavirus restrictions are eased, sales and letting agents are being...

MPs on parliament’s Housing, Communities and Local Government have called for greater financial support to be provided to all tenants during...

Lendlord has joined forces with Property Tribes to provide landlords with a comprehensive portfolio management product. Property Tribes will make Lendlord’s platform,...

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has criticised Citizens Advice for over-egging rental default levels due to coronavirus.  Research carried out by...

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has criticised the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) after it announced yesterday that the...

Love to Rent is teaming up with the UK Apartment Association (UKAA) to host a webinar focusing on Covid-19 and the...

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) supports calls for a package of measures from the government to support tenants affected by...

Knight Frank forecast that residential property sales will fall by 38% this year, amid the coronavirus pandemic. Based on the assumption that...

Universal Credit has had its problems and of course now it is going to be under an enormous amount of strain...

The government is being urged to do more to support renters who may struggle to pay their rent during the coronavirus...

With buy-to-let landlords across the country being pushed out of the market by increasing costs and legislation, and new investors deterred...

It’s no secret that the war on landlords has escalated heavily since 2016 and as we find ourselves in a new...

Brent Council’s application to extend its selective licensing scheme in the north west London ward has been rejected by central government.  Brent...

The recent criticism of letting agents and deposit insurance schemes, which began with a probe by the BBC last weekend, will...

flatfair, which lets landlords offer deposit-free renting to tenants, has defended nil deposit schemes as an alternative to a traditional deposit,...

Newbury Building Society has cut rates on a limited company buy-to-let mortgage deal. The 75% loan-to-value three-year variable product has been reduced...

The full rollout of universal credit, the government's flagship welfare reform, has been delayed yet again - until 2024.  The system was...

Void periods can be a serious pain. While they are undoubtedly part of running a buy-to-let business, it would seem that...

London remains one of the biggest property investment destinations in the world, attracting a wide range of national and international investors.  But...

The National Landlords’ Association (NLA) has once again called for the introduction of a properly funded housing court to cope with...

FirstPort, one of the largest managers of residential property in the UK, has taken over the operational management of an additional...

Labour has launched its general election manifesto, promising to “transform” the UK with what some commentators view as the most ambitious...

With the number of renters across the UK more than doubling since 2001, there has been a sharp rise in the...

On the one hand “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it”, seems like common-sense advice, especially when making a change and...

Most landlords are wary of the potential damage, smells and noise complaints that can come with accommodating a tenant with pets....

With no repairs required, lower running costs and energy bills, as well as NHBC’s 10-year warranty, new build homes appeal to...

The average homeowner in this country could be £352,500 better off than the average private renter over the next 30 years, even...

Deposit-free renting provider flatfair has signed a partnership with Hunters which has more than 200 letting branches across the UK. The move...

Three-quarters of people across the UK believe housing benefit should increase in line with rents to help combat homelessness, new research...

Legal & General has announced the launch of its rental protection plan following a successful pilot with Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB). Legal...

With new research showing that direct payment of benefits to landlords contributed most to reductions in rent arrears, the Residential Landlords...

Buy-to-let landlords could benefit financially by catering their offerings towards the growing older renter and family tenant demographics, according to the...

The government is being urged to restore the levels of housing benefit, otherwise known as Local Housing Allowance (LHA), so they...

The two largest landlord organisations in England and Wales, the National Landlords Association (NLA) and the Residential Landlords Association (RLA), have...

Affordability continues to be a concern for a number of renters north of the border, according to a fresh report from...

The Mortgage Lender (TML) will no longer prevent buy-to-let landlords from letting property to tenants in receipt of benefits. The move comes...

A buy-to-let landlord who claimed that he needed a council home has been ordered to pay back more than £48,000 or...

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has identified Zero Deposit as the only deposit replacement product worth recommending to its members. The landlord association...

When people think of Manchester these days, possibly their first thought is of its thriving economy and the opportunities it now...

But-to-let landlords will have little alternative but to become more selective over what tenants they are willing to accept if the...

A couple from Barry in Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, have been handed suspended prison sentences for benefit fraud after being convicted...

Investor demand from corporate landlords, often backed by institutional finance, is growing and that is pushing up rental values across some parts...

An e-commerce platform battling construction waste by enabling businesses to sell surplus materials to builders, renovators and DIY enthusiasts, claims that...

The Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL) is calling for an urgent overhaul of how universal credit is paid, with most landlords north of...

Buy-to-let landlords looking to add to their property portfolios are being encouraged to use a specialist mortgage broker as they could...

Metro Bank has announced that it will no longer prevent buy-to-let landlords from letting property to tenants in receipt of benefits. The...

Renters in London are being discriminated against ‘because they are on benefits’, according to ITV News London. ITV News reporter Katie Barnfield...

Parents with children at university may be considering whether it is worth buying them a property while they continue their education,...

Nationwide were among a small group of mortgage lenders asked to give evidence at a select committee yesterday on restrictions around...

A number of property investment specialists plan to join forces this week to host an advisory seminar designed to highlight the...

Santander has increased the maximum term, age and loan-to-value (LTV) for its buy-to-let products, while also making amendments to its affordability...

We all know that ensuring your property is of a high standard can yield better returns and more loyal tenants, but...

Who are you? Sunil Sharma, Director at Regal Estates. Who are Regal Estates? We are an established independent lettings and management company based in...

Recent years have seen a shift in buyer activity across the UK’s property market, with London’s much publicised decline in popularity...

The slump in the UK home ownership rate from 73% a decade ago to just 63% today reflects the fact that...

Kensington Mortgages has cut rates across its buy-to-let mortgage range by up to 0.4%. Rates on two-year fixed rate products now start...

Buy-to-let landlords in Scotland will face higher tax bills than their English counterparts from today, according to leading accountants and business...

On 13th March the Chancellor announced that it will be illegal to install gas boilers in new build homes from 2025....

NatWest has cut rates on selected buy-to-let products. The lender has reduced its semi exclusive five-year buy-to-let fixed rate remortgage deals by...

An online petition calling on Rightmove to ban ‘No DSS’ wording in rental adverts has attracted more than 40,000 signatures. The petition...

The widening gap between housing benefit rates and market rents means that many buy-to-let landlords are now forced to rely on...

Zoopla’s decision to issue ‘blanket bans against tenants in receipt of housing-related benefits’ after announcing that it will end ‘No DSS’ wording...

Nationwide has announced that it will no longer prevent buy-to-let landlords from letting property to tenants in receipt of benefits. The move...

Fergus Wilson was courting controversy long before he appeared on last night’s episode of Panorama. The buy-to-let landlord, widely considered to be...

So, what do smart landlords do to make more money than you, and how do they do it? The million-dollar question....

Zoopla will no longer allow letting agents and landlords to issue ‘blanket bans against tenants in receipt of housing-related benefits’ after...

Pet-friendly rentals are growing in popularity, as reflected by Zoopla’s latest analysed search data from its keyword property search tool, which...

A new pilot has been launched by TrustMark, the government endorsed quality scheme, in partnership with East Sussex Trading Standards, to...

Buy-to-let mortgage activity continued to slow in December with landlord investors taking out just 5,100 new buy-to-let home purchase mortgages, down...

As London continues to wane in popularity for investors and renters alike – with increasing numbers of people moving out of...

The proportion of income spent on rent in the private rented sector has fallen from 35.4% in 2010/11 to 32.9% in...

Half the people seeking help with their Universal Credit claim are in rent arrears, according to Citizens Advice. More generous advance loans...

Councillors in Burnley are expected to extend the existing selective licensing schemes in Trinity, Gannow and Queensgate, as well as introduce...

Shelter has recently run a campaign aimed at banning ‘discrimination’ against tenants on benefits in the private rented sector, presenting a...