Many landlords let properties through an agent, as they hope to achieve peace of mind that all legal requirements are fulfilled, a tenant is found quickly and rent is collected on time. They are, however, expensive. The first thing to consider is that letting agents are unregulated. Most are good, Read more…
An updated version of the government’s How to Rent guidance was released in January this year. This is the booklet that landlords must issue to tenants at the start of rental agreements created after October 1 2015. If you don’t comply, you can’t serve a valid Section 21 notice. The Read more…
Unpaid rent is probably the most common problem for landlords. This month, we look at the dos and don’ts of dealing with mounting debt… It is vital that both landlords and tenants are aware of their rights and obligations to each other. The legal system protects both parties and does Read more…
Jeremy Corbyn told the Independent recently that Labour’s next manifesto will contain plans to scrap laws allowing “no fault” evictions. Mr Corbyn wants more regulation of the private rented sector and believes the policy will help to reduce homelessness. Whilst this is only a comment in an interview and may never Read more…
Our last blog on unlawful evictions prompted a flurry of feedback, so this month, We look at how to remove a problem tenant and keep the law on your side… As my last article on the unlawful eviction of tenants elicited numerous enquiries, I thought it would be timely to Read more…
There has been a flurry of prosecutions at Sheffield Magistrates Court recently of landlords carrying out unlawful evictions. This comes almost 40 years to the day the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 came into force. One offender told his tenant to vacate the property, then changed the locks while he Read more…
If a landlord is having financial trouble, it can have a devastating impact on helpless victims. This month, we look at the rights of tenants when their rented property is repossessed… One of the questions I am asked frequently by landlords, tenants and even letting agents, is what happens when Read more…
Landlords watch out – your misdemeanours will soon be recorded. News reports highlighting the plight of tenants trapped in unsuitable or uninhabitable private housing abound. Shelter recently claimed that four in ten privately owned rental homes are unfit for occupation. It will not surprise you to find out, therefore, that the government Read more…
Unfortunately when you rent out a property, it does not always run smoothly. In this month’s column, we look at some of the problems that can arise and possible solutions… Rent arrears If your tenant owes more than eight weeks’ rent, you have a right to take the property back. As Read more…
Unscrupulous landlords are often the subject of media condemnation, but how often do you hear about troublesome tenants? In this month’s column, we reveal they are more common than we are led to believe… Sadly, most landlords will one day come across a tenant that fails continually to stick to Read more…