NEWS
Overhall of Anti-Social Behaviour ‘Laughing Gas’ Will Be Banned
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove has confirmed that laughing gas canisters will be banned as part of a government clampdown on antisocial behaviour. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to announce new government plans to tackle antisocial behaviour, as polling shows the public is increasingly concerned about low-level crime. Plans will include offenders being required […]
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How much stamp duty buy-to-let landlords pay – and how to cut it
The Telegraph has published an article on how to minimize Stamp Duty. The article can be seen here (subscription may be necessary)
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Love It or List It host Phil Spencer thinks we might have to offer a little more sympathy to landlords
The Metro has published an interview with Phil Spencer, where he says ‘I’m particularly worried about the rental market at the moment because tenants are having it really hard because of a lack of choice, which produces inflated rents,’ he exclusively told Metro.co.uk. ‘It’s good for landlords and is bad for tenants, but that’s actually […]
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Dogs and cats are the top pets – that renters are likely to hide from their landlords
One in ten tenants are currently hiding an animal from their landlord, and a quarter have done so in the past – as 14% fear eviction Over half of pet-owning Brits who rent their home have kept, or are currently keeping, a dog (59%) or a cat (56%) as a pet – without their landlord […]
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Have you improved your Commercial EPC’s?
Don’t forget that the deadline for the minimum EPC rating on commercial is fast approaching. From April 1, it will become unlawful for a landlord to continue to let a substandard commercial property unless they have made all possible cost-effective energy efficiency improvements prescribed by Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), ensuring all rental properties have […]
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How buy-to-let landlords can prepare for the 2025 EPC deadline
What Mortgage has run an opinion piece on how to prepare for the EPC changes. It can be read here, but please note that the date for the EPC rating is still not known, not is the date. You can see the letter we have written to the ministers about this, as well as our […]
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Council calls agent ‘dodgy’ and fines them
Under the headline ‘Dodgy landlord and estate agent ordered to pay thousands in court’ Barking and Dagenham are reporting on a local agent who has been fined over £22,000. This was following a complaint, a Barking and Dagenham Council enforcement officer visited the unlicensed property at 7 Butteridges Close, Dagenham on …. and on inspection […]
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Ombudsman raises concern with PA Housing after double severe maladministration finding
The Housing Ombudsman is reporting they have ordered PA Landlord to pay £2,500 in compensation and consider the resident’s claims over damaged possessions for one complaint, and t o pay the resident £1,175 in compensation, inspect the home for any outstanding works and undertake complaints handling training for staff for the other. More details can […]
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Landlord fined after rubbish from renovation work found dumped
A landlord has been fined after rubbish from a property he was renovating was found dumped at the side of the road. The waste was removed from a property in Huntingdon but was left piled up at the side of Long Drove in Cottenham. The rubbish pile included timber, mattresses, carpets, tiles and other household […]
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Why are rents so high?
The Readers Digest have published an intersting article asking ‘Where have all the landlords gone? ‘ It can be seen here.
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Do EPCs save the planet or are they just another way of hammering landlords?
iHowz views on the potential changes to the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) have been quoted in a new article in Property118. The article can be seen here, and our long standing campaign here.
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Proposed Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman
The Government has proposed an Ombudsman scheme, which will be mandatory for all private landlords in England. They have invited views on this and iHowz have submitted their views, which can be seen here Details of the proposal can be seen here,...
Government announces team of leading experts to boost energy efficiency
The Government has announced a team of leading experts as the members of a new dedicated taskforce charged with improving the energy efficiency of the nation’s homes and buildings and with it, cutting the country’s energy use. Details can be seen here, and says: The new Energy Efficiency Taskforce is chaired by Minister Lord Callanan […]
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Are heat pumps worth installing?
A small survey commissioned by Market Financial Solutions has found that less than a fifth of those surveyed have replaced their property’s boiler with a carbon neutral heat pump – and almost half of those who had made the change said that it had not made any notable improvement to the property’s energy efficiency. Conversely, […]
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Woman facing eviction from home of 62 years because of new EPC requirements
The BBC are reporting on a lady who is being evicted from her home of 62 years because ‘recent law changes with regards to EPCs has made it no longer viable to rent out houses like this.’ The whole article can be seen here
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I’ve Had Enough! Landlord with 150 properties quits rental sector
Landlord Today is reporting on a landlord who says ‘If you are thinking of becoming a landlord in England you must be crazy. I’m out! ‘ The article can be seen here.
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Nothing in the budget for landlords
The full budget can be seen here. In summary: Housing mentioned 19 times All were vague with no specifics for either PRS or SRS Levelling up – Devolved to local authorities Affordable housing 2021 spending review £24 Bn Ambition to deliver 300,000 new homes – developers: sustainability “nutrient neutral sites” Support for veterans Landlord association, […]
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Energy cliff edge avoided and forced meter change extended
The Treasury has performed a U-turn on a planned cut to energy support for households after warnings that it would plunge many thousands more families into poverty. In an announcement on the morning of the chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s budget speech, the government confirmed that the energy price guarantee would continue at its current rate, which […]
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BPF call to scrap VAT for landlords trying to improve EPC ratings
The British Property Federation is calling on the government to use next week’s Budget to zero-rate VAT on work which allows homes to improve their energy efficiency. The BPF argues that the government has a critical role to play in supporting property owners and needs to act to relieve the pressures facing those in the […]
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Rules regarding commercial energy use
From 1 April 2023, the regulations are tightening and it will become unlawful for a landlord to “continue to let” a sub-standard property unless they have made all possible cost-effective energy efficiency improvements prescribed by MEES or one of the exemptions applies. Landlords .. will need to act soon Landlords of existing leases of commercial […]
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LATEST NEWS
FCA revises down mortgage concerns
An extra 356,000 UK mortgage borrowers could face payment difficulties by the end of June 2024, in addition to those who are already behind, according to the City regulator. This has been reduced from a previous estimate made last September that an additional 570,000 mortgage borrowers could become financially stretched by the end of June […]
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Mould and damp help boost sales of ventilation solutions
Leading fan and ventilation manufacturer, Volution, with brands which include Vent-Axia, Manrose and Airtech, made the following comments in their latest results. The importance of indoor air quality to our health and the need for energy efficient, low carbon buildings, are moving even further up the global agenda and increasingly supported by government policy and […]
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Landlords not covered by new mortgage guidance
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has updating borrowers’ responsibilities to their existing mortgage holders, will only cover ‘regulated’ products. You can see the full details here. This means that buy-to-let mortgages, which are deemed to be ‘unregulated products in the UK’ will not be covered. The FCA is calling on borrowers to show ‘forbearance’ towards […]
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Report on LHA issued
The House of Commons Library has issued a report on the Local Housing Allowance (LHA). It can be seen here, and says: What is Local Housing Allowance (LHA) LHA is not a benefit in its own right. It sets maximum amounts claimants of Universal Credit and Housing Benefit can usually get in housing support for […]
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Chancellor urged to commit extra £6bn a year on energy efficiency in homes.
A coalition of charities and campaigners have demanded the chancellor funnel more funds into making Britain’s leaky housing stock energy efficient at next week’s budget to help cut bills and protect the environment. In a letter to Jeremy Hunt, more than 20 organisations asked the government to set aside at least £6bn a year over […]
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