Archive

A controversial council has launched a 12 week consultation on its policies restricting Airbnb-style short lets. Edinburgh council insists that new Airbnb...

The London borough of Wandsworth is the latest council to trigger a consultation for more licensing.   It’s inviting tenants, landlords, property...

A controversial council claims that HMRC is working with its enforcement team because many landlords who avoid licensing schemes are also...

A convicted gangster caught with £500,000 worth of heroin has been refused entry to the landlord register in Scotland. This will mean...

Enfield council in North London is running a consultation on its proposals for a licensing scheme for small, shared HMOs in...

There’s been a substantial rise in landlords exiting the market or downsizing their portfolios, analysis by TwentyEA has found.   Figures show that the number...

A council has reported that its Selective Licensing scheme has had only 43% take-up from landlords after two years.  And a report...

A north of England local authority is launching yet another consultation on licensing - 17 years after it became one of...

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has written to Housing Secretary Angela Rayner urging her to make it even easier...

A Labour council is warning landlords to get licensing or face hefty fines or prosecution.  Brent council in north London says it...

Understanding Article 4 is crucial for HMO landlords and one legal expert says there is a big difference between HMO licensing...

Salford council has launched a consultation on whether private housing landlords in parts of Broughton and Kersal should require a selective...

A legal expert is warning landlords to be wary of joining local council 'Safer Renting' schemes These seemingly well-intentioned projects may have...

A council is urging private landlords who let out properties locally to check if they need a licence under a new...

A council has issued a statement apparently celebrating the fact that it’s fined HMO landlords over £100,000 since the start of...

The recent unveiling by several London councils of selective licensing schemes should raise concerns among private sector landlords - especially 'amateur'...

A move by one London council to refer itself to the Regulator of Social Housing should be seen as a 'national...

Half of HMO landlords say their property or portfolio is their sole source of income. Just under 30% of landlords who took...

Somerset council last year successfully prosecuted a Taunton landlord for bfailing to licence their various properties.  The landlord since appealed their conviction...

“When it comes to housing policy, there is little difference between the two major parties” says Aneisha Beveridge, head of research...

Local media in the Midlands say another Labour council is set to charge private landlords £1,000 for a licence allowing them...

A consultation on a new licensing scheme has been launched by Reading council. The consultation will look at extending the current HMO...

An advisory service is warning landlords to heed the lessons from a recent court case concerning legal obligation to ensure fire...

Legal action has been launched against Middlesbrough’s Labour council amid claims a licensing scheme which charges landlords almost £1,000 for each...

From July 1 most privately rented properties in Lewisham, south London, will need a property licence.  With one in four households in...

New demands from the Generation Rent group go much further than the original Renters Reform Bill in removing landlords’ rights. The group...

A couple who are portfolio landlords in the London borough of Haringey have been ordered to pay £10,000 after failing to...

New figures released by Savills, and published by The Times, show exactly why it no longer makes sense to be a...

A council which this week announced that it would charge landlords almost £1,000 for a licence, is now being accused of kicking...

All private landlords in four areas of Islington in north London - where the council claims there are particular problems with...

Labour-controlled Lambeth council in south London is introducing a Selective Licensing Scheme at almost £1,000 per property. A statement from the council...

It looks as if a prominent local authority in Scotland is going to temporarily scrap the country’s tight rules on who...

Blackburn with Darwen council in Lancashire is consulting on a new selective licensing regime covering 1,266 properties on 42 streets.  Running to...

A council has fined a landlord £17,500 for failing to license two of his properties in the area. However, the identify of...

Airbnb has ripped into politicians in Scotland who have implemented restrictions on short lets. The former SNP-Green coalition government allowed local councils...

A landlord has been fined over £3,800 for letting out an unsafe and unlicensed HMO. South Gloucestershire council issued the landlord a...

It is possible that licensing regimes operated by local councils could cut the fees they impose on landlords. The House of Commons...

Back in 2019, the Government promised a ban on so-called no-fault evictions. Section 21 was to be outlawed. While some housing...

Michael Gove’s Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities hit back overnight at critics of the government’s Renters Reform Bill. The Bill...

The coalition of 20-plus groups which have previously spoken enthusiastically about the Renters Reform Bill has now changed its mind. On April...

The Renters Reform Bill returns to the House of Commons today with activist groups critical of amendments put forward to reach...

Environmental health officers are making a last ditch bid to save local council licensing. The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health reckons that...

Landlords have only until Friday to give their views on a controversial licensing consultation from a council known for its aggressive...

Consultation time is short for landlords wanting to comment on a new licensing scheme proposed for Scunthorpe. The public consultation closes at...

A government-supporting newspaper says the Renters Reform Bill will be back in the House of Commons next week. Observers have been expecting...

A London council has prosecuted landlord Syed Shah, owner of an HMO, for a string of  breaches that posed significant risks...

MPs return to the Commons today after a substantial Easter recess - and with progress on the Renters Reform Bill on...

Amendments to be made to the Renters Reform Bill when it returns to the Hoise of Commons next week won’t significantly...

Fines for rogue landlords and agents in London have surged past the £10 million mark.   With 19 council licensing schemes and...

An influential Labour website says a raft of proposed reforms for the private rental sector will be unveiled next month -...

Activists are beginning to pile pressure on London Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan, claiming the public will be disappointed if he toes...

The Generation Rent activist group is placing its hopes for pro-renter policies on newly-elected Metro Mayors, who will be elected on...

A think tank based in central London says landlords would not quit the sector if much tougher - and more expensive...

Burnley council says it’s considered the findings of a six-week public consultation and is set to increase planning controls over the...

An industry supplier is analysing licensing schemes and whether they achieve anything to improve rental housing standards. Yuno says questions need to be...

A Labour council in London has issued a statement appearing to celebrate its role cracking down on landlords. The statement from Brent...

The government has committed to returning the amended Renters Reform Bill to the House of Commons in mid-April. MPs return from their...

The government has written to Conservative MPs promising changes to the Renters Reform Bill to ease concerns over its anti-landlord bias. Amendments...

A charity is calling for landlord licensing schemes which cost enough to fund annual inspections, and the issuing of “sentencing guidelines”...

A south coast council is set to clampdown on HMOs after a report highlighted alleged issues with the likes of bins,...

Landlords can benefit from a wealth of free training, courtesy of a north of England council. Cumberland council is providing the training...

Private landlords applied for licences covering more than 12,000 homes during the first year of a controversial council’s selective licensing scheme. The...

A new additional HMO licensing scheme is about to hit landlords in part of London.  Haringey council claims its initiative aims to...

The Chancellor has rendered hundreds of lettings businesses unviable overnight as a result of his Budget tax clampdown. That’s the view of...

Another council is consulting about a controversial selective licensing scheme.  North Lincolnshire council says the proposed scheme is “designed to improve housing...

A legal firm says Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has effectively slashed the value of holiday homes which are sold from April 2025...

A landlord has quit the private rental sector after a battle with his council over why his properties were put into...

A property industry commentator has set out what he calls a plan of action to rejuvenate the buy to let sector. Jonathan...

Yet another council is consulting on whether to continue a selective licensing scheme. The scheme applies to several areas of Burnley and...

Supporters of council selective licensing start rearguard action  Some of those involved in local councils have started a campaign to save selective...

Generation Rent has issued an angry statement about amendments to the Renters Reform Bill - just as one MP says agreement...

A council is reminding prospective tenants about the importance of making sure their next shared rental is licensed as a house...

A council is asking landlords to sign a document declaring they are letting safe and compliant properties. Dorset council has launched the...

A council has prosecuted a landlord for letting two HMOs without a licence and failing to comply with HMO Management Regulations.Mohammed...

A London council is consulting on another controversial landlord licensing scheme. Barking and Dagenham council’s existing Selective Licensing Scheme has been applied to...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove’s proposals to restrict Airbnb-style short lets do not go far enough, a group of activists has said. Yesterday...

A landlord has warned her local authority that high charges for licensing are unaffordable without the fee being passed on to...

A council says it’s offering “fundamental training” to private landlords via an online day-long course on March 8. The training covers pre-tenancy...

Activists in the Generation Rent campaign says big city Mayors should “tackle the worst landlords and seize their properties.” It also wants...

Renting out dangerous properties in Cardiff has cost two landlords thousands of pounds. Rowshanara Begum has been fined £20,000 at Cardiff Magistrates'...

Bristol’s controversial Labour council is extending previous licensing schemes to other parts of the city at some £1,800 HMO per licence...

A Selective Licensing scheme proposal is out for consultation in the Scunthorpe area -  with a harsh message from a council...

A council has won an appeal to enforce a Financial Penalty Notice that was served on a landlord who let out...

A survey of local council private rental licensing schemes says 19 selective and additional licensing schemes and consultations will be taking...

The government has overturned its policy to relax HMO regulations on private rental properties used by asylum seekers. The policy had previously been...

A legal services provider is claiming that landlords risk criminal prosecution for breaches of licensing rules that are often “unreasonable and...

New additional and selective licensing schemes are to be considered by the controversial Bristol city council. The council’s Labour Mayor - Marvin...

A council claims “hundreds of residents have been made safer in their homes” thanks to a licencing regime. Sheffield council insists the...

A council is warning landlords of HMOs that they must meet all of their legal responsibilities ahead of a crackdown on...

Amendments to the Renters Reform Bill, designed to give landlords more protection, have won the backing of a prominent industry figure. Neil Cobbold,...

Warwick council is the latest to launch an Additional Licensing Scheme - it came into force just before last weekend. The district...

Labour is using a Bill currently going through Parliament as a backdoor method to introduce the regulation of lettings, estate and...

The National Residential Landlords Association is urging MPs to back what it describes as “pragmatic” changes to the Renters Reform Bill...

Newham council in London has won what it calls a landmark case against a convicted rogue landlord. The court has dismissed the...

A mandatory short lets registration and licensing scheme is to be introduced in part of the UK, described as a system...

A Labour-controlled council is inviting private rental sector representatives to a round-table event which it pledges will not be a talking...

Four landlords are contemplating seeking a judicial review of a council’s proposed licensing scheme extension. Middlesbrough council is consulting on extending its...

Middlesbrough is the latest council wanting to expand its landlord licensing regime. It’s consulting on extending its existing scheme to another ward. The...

The controversial activist group Acorn has made a formal public apology to the chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association. On...

An additional licensing scheme for HMOs has come into effect in a London borough.  The new scheme will cover properties in Greenwich which...