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Since the Covid-19 lockdown began, it’s been difficult not only to initiate claims for debt recovery, but even to enforce orders already granted by the courts. This is because many enforcement visits have been suspended, making repayment entirely dependent on the debtor choosing to obey the order. However, the lockdown is being gradually eased. We can eat at a restaurant, enjoy a pint at a pub and even have a h

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

If you’ve been a landlord for any length of time, you’ve probably experienced the procedure when a tenancy ends by mutual consent. Among the steps that must be taken is the return of the tenant’s deposit. This is usually a fairly straightforward process, but occasionally there may be a dispute over what exactly you need to return. Regulations About Deposits When you take a tenant’s deposit at the beginning of the ten

To anyone outside the buy-to-let world, it seems as if landlords are sitting back and raking in profits. While this was never really true, a few years ago there was some justification for the perception. But no longer. A combination of increasing hidden costs and Government measures such as increasing Stamp Duty have left landlords in a position where the average annual return is hardly more than £2,000 on each prope

Debts come in many shapes and sizes. Most of the debts I recover are owed to private businesses or landlords, but money can also be owed to public bodies, including council tax due to local authorities. But are these debts a special case? The Dilemma of Council Tax Debts Councillors in Wolverhampton recently launched a drive to recover thousands of pounds owed in unpaid council taxes, and are looking at possible stra

If you’re a landlord, you’ll know how fast the rules have been changing recently. It’s not over — several new laws and regulations have either been passed recently or are being considered. So what do you need to know? The Tenants Fees Act 2019 This received the Royal Assent in February, and its provisions will be applied from the beginning of June. Under the Act, landlords will only be permitted to ask for certain pa

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

Most landlords are familiar with “that” tenant — the one they’re constantly having to chase up for overdue rent. Recent research suggests that 68% of landlords have experienced problems with rent arrears and late payments, but a new application could make it harder for tenants to miss payments, while at the same time rewarding the more conscientious among them. Late Payments Many tenants will once or twice in their t

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

Since 2007, residential landlords failing to register a deposit taken from the tenant can be fined. Perhaps more seriously, though, they can have problems recovering possession of the property. Here are some of the main points. The Landlord’s Obligations Under section 213 of the Housing Act 2004, when a residential tenant pays a deposit for an Assured Shorthold Tenancy, the landlord has thirty days to register it wit