Buying reform could slash transaction time by almost 30% – claim
Reforms to the house buying process in England and Wales to bring it more into line with Scotland could slash the typical transaction time by almost 30 per cent according to new research. A quick sale company, Property Solvers, has analysed what it claims to be the largest capture of house sales data of its […]
Middle-aged renters on the rise
Rising UK house prices have left many middle-age workers unable to afford a first home, or as accidental renters after a relationship break-up, which is why significantly more older tenants are now renting from a private landlord than they were a few years ago. Given that there is now more of a focus on supporting […]
What would scrapping ‘no fault’ evictions mean for landlords?
For private landlords, the key change outlined in the government’s response is the proposed removal of ‘no fault’ evictions. The position for landlords in the social housing sector is less clear and will only be revealed in a further government consultation. If the proposed legislation comes to pass, it would remove the landlord’s power to […]
Landlords warned to prepare for a flurry of tenant activity after June 1st
According to a new report from inventory service provider, No Letting Go, warnings have been issued to landlords and letting agents over a possible surge in tenant activity from June 1. According to research, many tenants will be looking to move after June 1 in order to avoid paying upfront fees and benefitting from capped […]
Social media marketing – why even bother?
Besides promoting and protecting your brand’s reputation, there are a host of reasons why you should bother, says Tara Dulake. 1 Increased brand awareness Sixty per cent of Instagram users say that they discover new products on the platform, so to say that no-one connects with a brand they don’t know is not true. Nearly […]
Landlord ordered to pay back more than £1m after illegal conversion of flats
Southwark Council has won one of London’s largest proceeds of crime (confiscation order) claims from an unscrupulous landlord who chopped three flats in London Bridge into around 20 cramped studios and bedsits – putting profits before the quality of life. Landlord Andre Trepel was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £35,000 costs at the Inner […]
Why the government should rethink their approach to Section 21
Last month the government announced that it was considering scrapping Section 21, which allows landlords to evict tenants at the end of their term. The government’s reasoning is that this eviction clause is unfair to tenants, because Section 21 allows for evictions without the landlord having to give a reason, which could result in unfair […]
Minister pledges court reforms to help landlords
A government minister has promised to look at further court reforms to allow faster repossessions where landlords have legitimate reasons to evict tenants. Government plans to scrap so-called “no fault” or “no explanation” repossessions previously allowed under Section 21, have caused much controversy in the private rented sector. But today, writing exclusively for the Residential […]
The HMRC ‘springtime tax scam’ that you need to look out for in the coming weeks
A wave of ‘springtime scams’ which could be set to hit the phones and computers of tens of thousands of people over the coming weeks. HMRC have now issued a warning about the bogus messages in a bid to stop people falling victim to them. Around 250,000 reports of the scams were received this time […]
Tenant Fees Act 2019: Guidance for landlords and agents
New guidance for landlords and letting agents has been released by the government. The Tenant Fees Act 2019, which applies to England only, will come into play from 1 June 2019 and applies to fees paid in connection with a tenancy of housing. The act means that from 1 June 2019, landlords and agents will […]