How will Brexit affect landlords and landlord laws?

Solicitor David Smith gives some guidance: With the UK having voted to leave the European Union there will be changes and concerns throughout the UK and world economy. In among these there are bound to be effects on landlords and tenants. Economic uncertainty It is inevitable that there will be a period of economic uncertainty. […]

“Where are the missing billions?” property expert asks

A leading property expert is seeking the whereabouts of at least £1.4bn held in Tenancy Deposit Schemes £3.2bn of deposits paid by UK renters are currently sitting in the schemes – with much of that money being held by their landlord or letting agent. Landlords and agents are legally required to place tenancy deposits in […]

Group sets out rental laws and rules to change because of Brexit

The Residential Landlords’ Association says a period of economic and policy confusion lies ahead for the private rental sector as a result of the shock Brexit vote. Not only will new legislation have to be drawn up to replace or modify that already existing and enforced through the EU, but there will also be “a […]

Calls for greater powers to clampdown on rogue landlords

The government and local councils are not doing enough to clampdown on rogue landlords, according to a new report. A fresh survey of 500 landlords who own houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) found that 70% of respondents want more to be done to crackdown on landlords who are abusing the law and giving honest landlords […]

Punishing landlords will not fix our housing crisis

It is not often that a government policy actually works. Rebalancing the economy towards manufacturing? Nope. Raising productivity? Not much sign of that happening yet. Narrowing the trade deficit? It just keeps on getting bigger and bigger. But here is one that does appear to have been successful – crashing the buy-to- let industry. In […]

An exclusive offer from NetRent to all landlords

Let’s be honest, no-one really like talking about insurance. Even renewing your insurance can be time consuming and often confusing. After all, you already have insurance so why bother to change it? Well now we have a tremendous offer for you – stay with your existing insurance company and save at least 10% on your […]

How greedy agents are being challenged by their landlords

I should start this article by saying that there are many, many wonderful letting agents. But there are also many who are dire. Agents who rent properties to tenants without doing proper checking Agents who put landlords at risk by failing to protect tenancy deposits Agents who take ‘backhanders’ from tradesman who then pass this […]

Supreme Court ruling good news for landlords

The Supreme Court yesterday dismissed an appeal in which it was argued that, where private sector residential landlords seek to evict their tenant, a court should take account of the tenant’s human rights as set out in the European Convention on Human Rights. In the sad case of McDonald v McDonald, a young woman with […]

List of ‘rogue landlords’ could help tenants vet their next home

Tenants could have access to a database of “rogue” landlords and letting agents, under a bill debated in the House of Lords on Friday. The Renters’ Rights Bill, introduced by Liberal Democrat Baroness Grender, proposes to ban letting agents’ fees and publish a public list of criminal landlords. It also proposes to ban “rogue” landlords […]

Landlords plan to add student housing to their portfolios

A growing number of landlords are looking to offset the new tax rules and remain profitable by acquiring student property, new research shows. The study, commissioned by The Mistoria Group, investment specialists in student property, shows that over a third of student property investors plan to expand their portfolios in 2016, despite the chancellor’s new […]