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400,000 properties in England and Wales could be unlettable from April 2018

21 July, 20170 Comments
According to government figures one in ten UK rental properties could be unlettable next year, if landlords fail to improve their energy efficiency. From April 2018, rental properties must have a minimum EPC rating of E. The regulations will apply to new lets and renewals of tenancies, and from 1 April 2020 it will extend
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New Tenants’ Fees Bill announced in Queen’s Speech

21 June, 20170 Comments
Announced in last years Autumn Statement, a new Tenant’s Fees Bill has been confirmed in todays Queen Speech. According to government figures, the average amount paid in fees is currently £223 with around 4.3m households paying such fees every year. However housing charity Shelter found that one in seven renters pay more than £500, with
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Lettings Fee Ban Consultation – Agent deadline approaching

19 May, 20171 Comments
The consultation paper for the Tenancy Fee ban across England was released last month, inviting agents to respond on whether the penalty should be £5,000, £30,000 or a banning order by June 2nd 2017. It was announced in the last Autumn Statement that a ban on letting agents charging fees to tenants would be introduced
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Quarter days and commercial rent arrears

12 December, 20160 Comments
In England and Wales, commercial rent is normally payable quarterly in advance. Traditionally these are known as “quarter days” and have been in use for centuries. The dates they fall on are – 25th March (Lady Day), 24th June (Midsummer Day), 29th September (Michaelmas) and 25th December (Christmas Day). Whilst many commercial landlords still use
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Significant number of landlords ditching ‘rip-off agents’

28 November, 20160 Comments
Since last weeks Autumn Statement announcement that there will be a ban on letting agents charging fees to tenants, it has been suggested that many more landlords should consider ditching ‘rip-off agents’. Many experts believe this latest legislation for the private rented sector in England and Wales will lead to higher rents, as landlords seek
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Top 5 anti-social behavioural types to watch out for in the PRS

13 September, 20160 Comments
In the year ending June 2015, 67% of the ASB incidents categorised by the police were identified as nuisance; 26% as personal; and 6% as environmental. The new set of 3 simplified categories for ASB, introduced in March 2012, are categorised as: “Nuisance” captures incidents where an act, condition, thing or person causes trouble, annoyance,
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54% of landlords unaware of government plan to abolish tenant fees

24 August, 20161 Comments
Following a petition opposing letting agent’s fees, fresh research reveals that 54% of landlords are not aware of the government’s plan to abolish tenant fees. Baroness Grenader put forward the changes to the Renters’ Rights Bill, which includes scrapping fees charged by letting agents and occasionally by landlords. As a landlord in England, Wales or Northern
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As tenant evictions rise in England and Wales, so does the need for thorough tenant referencing

18 May, 20160 Comments
Official figures show that the number of households evicted from rental accommodation in England and Wales rose by 5% in the first three months of 2016. Seasonally adjusted figures from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) reveal that there were 10,732 repossessions of rented property by bailiffs between this January and March; up from 10,253 in
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Letting Agent fee ban in England and Wales IMMINENT

18 April, 20161 Comments
Unsurprisingly, a petition opposing letting agents’ fees charged in England and Wales has now gathered over 245,000 signatures. Started by the features editor of online youth magazine The Debrief, Vicky Spratt says letting agency fees in England are “totally unregulated” in contrast to Scotland; where they are now banned. “Walk down any high street in
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