“It stinks!” – Tory MP’s scathing attack on some landlords in his city
A Conservative MP has launched a scathing attack on some landlords in his own constituency following a local council initiative to assist them with the cost of repairs. Stewart Jackson, Tory MP for Peterborough, has written on the Peterborough Today website that he doesn’t know what to make of a city council proposal to subsidise […]
The appalling mess a landlord found in his house after evicting the tenants
Every room is filled with piles of rubbish – so is the garden. As the landlord works his way through his house room by room, a similar situation confronts him. Piles of rubbish are strewn across the floor and every other available work space. There are dozens of empty wine bottles, cigarettes, dirty dishes, piles […]
Home insurance premiums set to soar in 2017
The price of home insurance remained largely flat in the last year but premiums are expected to increase dramatically in 2017. Research by Consumer Intelligence shows that the typical home insurance premium grew by 1.8% in the year to January 2017, with the average annual premium in Great Britain costing £124. On a regional basis, […]
Proportion of landlords looking to sell falls as tenant demand grows
The proportion of landlords who intend to sell their rental properties as a result of the government’s draconian tax changes has declined, owed in part to higher demand from tenants seeking accommodation in the private rented sector. A new survey of private landlords has found that 17% are planning to sell, down from 25% a […]
Call for MOT system for rented homes in UK
New minimum standards should be introduced for the private rented sector in the UK and landlords should receive tax incentives for signing up to accreditation schemes, it is suggested. More needs to be done to improve the quality of private homes across the board, including a new set of minimum standards for landlords which cover […]
Tenants face rent rises of 30% warns ex-Bank of England chief
Tenants face potential rent increases of between 20 and 30 per cent as a result of tax rises hitting landlords, says a former independent member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee. David Miles, now Professor of Financial Economics at Imperial College London, says he wants the current three per cent stamp duty surcharge […]
Buy To Let tax opponents pledge “shock and awe” on Shelter
Opponents of the proposed change to mortgage interest tax relief for landlords have promised what they call a “shock and awe” campaign to try to persuade Shelter to reverse its stance on the measure. The opponents – in the Axe The Tenant Tax campaign – say on their Facebook page that following a recent meeting […]
Landlord case studies on selective licensing
As Right to Rent legislation comes under pressure, two landlords at opposite ends of the country reveal the impact selective licensing is having on them. Selective licensing means private landlords are required to obtain a licence allowing them to rent properties within their area, aiming to address poor quality landlords and anti-social tenants. Housing minister […]
The UK government’s immigration rules are encouraging landlords to be racist
LONDON — Black and ethnic minority British citizens are being discriminated against by landlords because of a government scheme designed to tackle illegal immigration, says a new study. The government introduced the “Right to Rent” scheme last year in a bid to prevent illegal immigrants settling in the UK. Under the scheme landlords risk large […]
First-time buyers surge as landlord investment drops 63%
January saw a jump in the number of first-time buyers, with valuations rising by a fifth year-on-year (21%), according to research from Connells Survey & Valuation. First-time buyers are now responsible for a third of activity (34%), up from a quarter at the start of 2016. But, while valuations for first-time buyers and those selling […]