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As you’re no doubt aware, in March the government brought in measures effectively preventing landlords from evicting tenants during the coronavirus lockdown. This was originally intended to run until this month, but the government has now extended the moratorium on evictions until 23rd August 2020. What Does This Mean for Me? One expected announcement that hasn’t materialised is that tenants would be gran

As I reported in the spring, the government has introduced tougher measures against landlords who fail to meet their regulations. One of the most controversial of these is the Right to Rent rules, obliging a landlord to make sure all tenants are in the country legally. This has created a whole extra layer of bureaucracy for landlords and letting agents. The BBC has revealed, though, that fraudsters are making their p

A well-planned buy-to-let can be an excellent business model, but a badly prepared one can end in disaster. One of the biggest dangers is taking on a mortgage you can’t cope with, leading to debt, default and the loss of all your assets. From the 30th September, though, the Bank of England’s Prudential Regulatory Authority arm will be cracking down on buy-to-let mortgages to make sure borrowers don’t overreach themse

Rogue landlords in London are now going to be named and shamed online. A recent survey showed that 60% of renters in London live in properties with serious issues that landlords have a legal obligation to address. As part of a push to deal with this, the Mayor is launching an online list of residential landlords who have been convicted of illegal practices This shouldn’t worry conscientious landlords. In fact, it cou

The house has put the initiative in the rental market firmly in the hands of landlords, and while many act responsibly, there are enough exceptions to create a problem. A recent survey revealed that 60% of London’s private renters suffer from leaks, inadequate heating or infestations, with little choice but to put up with it. However, London is now set to take a leaf out of New York’s book and start naming and shamin

On the 6th April, new measures were introduced to penalise residential landlords who aren’t compliant with duties set out by housing legislation, notably the Housing Act 2004. Although no new obligations have been introduced, the consequences of neglecting existing ones have been significantly increased. Local authorities now have the power to impose direct financial penalties on landlords who breach the Act, rather

Consultation has just closed on proposals by the Communities and Local Government Secretary, Greg Clark, that add up to a double whammy for illegal immigrants and rogue landlords. The government wants private sector landlords to take on the responsibility of policing access to rented homes by checking the immigration status of prospective tenants. There’s quite a big stick to make sure they do the job properly, too.

Lettings agents have taken the private rented sector a step along the road to regulation of the industry that many tenants and politicians have been demanding. Since 1 October it has been compulsory for letting agents in England to join one of three redress schemes designed to give tenants somewhere to complain about discrimination, unexpected fees, missing deposits and the myriad of other disputes that have been hur