What Happened to Naming and Shaming Rogue Landlords?
A year after name and shame powers were given to councils to out bad landlords, no one has been given a banning order. The law came to the statute book in April 2018 and allowed courts to issue orders stopping landlords convicted of criminal housing offences from...
CGT Discount Offered by Hopeful in Tory Leader Race
Former Cabinet minister Dominic Raab has thrown his hat into the ring to become the new Tory leader with a mini-housing manifesto. He is courting favour from millions of landlord and tenant voters by promising to give renters a share of any capital gains tax paid by...
Government Announces Removal of Section 21 Notices
Today, the Government announced its intention to abolish section 21 notices which many would argue is the primary reason for the private rented sector to be the popular industry that it has become since being introduced on 15 January 1989. The Welsh Assembly also...
Lords Call for Landlord Tax Breaks to Improve Housing
Giving landlords extra tax breaks to improve the homes they rent out would boost the plight of any declining seaside towns that are struggling to upgrade, say peers. The House of Lords select committee on regenerating seaside towns has included the recommendation in a...
Landlords Get to See How Councils Enforce Housing Law
Housing Minister Heather Wheeler has lifted the lid on how councils should tackle poor standards in rented homes with the launch of a rogue landlord toolkit. The toolkit includes a manual crammed with guidance for council enforcement officers and online learning about...
Check Out a New Inventory Guide for Landlords
An up-to-the-minute guide on how to complete inventories when tenants move in and out of private rented homes is available on line. Designed to help landlords and letting agents avoid disputes with tenants over deposit deductions, the guide lays out how to carry out a...
Letting Agent Repays £1 After Stealing £360,000
Money collected from tenants for landlords is finally safeguarded against theft and misuse as new laws for estate agents have kicked in. From April 1, 2019, all letting agents in England must belong to a client money protection scheme. Agents flouting the rules face...
Landlord Income Tax Grab Enters New Phase
HMRC is set to take another bite out of landlord income tax relief on finance costs with the start of the new financial year. The 2019-20 tax year, which starts from April 6, marks the third stage of phasing income tax relief restrictions down to the basic rate of tax...
CGT Tax Hike Aims to Raise £100m a Year From Investors
Details of the latest tax hike to hit landlords and other property investors have been revealed by the Treasury. This time, capital gains tax is undergoing a major revamp aimed at raising almost an extra £100 million a year over the next five years. The two CGT tax...
Letting Fee Ban Set for Wales From Autumn
Landlords and letting agents in Wales face a ban on charging tenants upfront fees as a new law passes the final hurdle. Members of the Welsh Assembly voted in favour of the ban, which is awaiting Royal Assent and is expected to come in to force in the autumn. The ban...
Updates to Website, Security, 2FA and Articles
We’ve been busy making a number of changes to the website which are mostly in the background. We’ve also updated a few articles. We don’t propose to go into all changes but here are some key changes made: added two-factor authentication for login introduced an awesome...Direct Payment to Landlords and Third Party Deductions – Universal Credit
Direct payment to landlords and third party deductions – universal credit Of particular concern to landlords and letting agents about the welfare reforms is whether direct payment to a landlord will be possible under the new rules. There has been much...
How to Comply With The New Pre-Action Protocol For Debt Claims
The Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims commences on 1 October 2017 for England and Wales. The Protocol applies to any business (including sole traders and public bodies) claiming payment of a debt from an individual (including a sole trader). It therefore applies to...
Understanding the Tenant Fees Act 2019
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 commences from 1 June 2019 and applies to England only (for the time being as it has the ability to extend to Wales). The Act controls what payments a landlord or letting agent may require “in connection with a tenancy of housing in England.”...
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