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Energy Performance Certificates – be warned, they’ve got teeth

The days of Energy Performance Certificates being an afterthought are long gone. Landlords, or letting agents working on their behalf, can no longer afford to ignore them. The Energy Act 2011 has given EPCs teeth. It has given new duties to landlords and brought in penalties for non-compliance. But, as is often the case with […]

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Struggling to get the rent you’re owed?

For this month only, LegalforLandlords are offering . Yes, that’s right – free rent recovery letters for any fully managed or let only property currently in arrears.   If you want, you can continue to chase the monies owed by problem tenants, but we know that a letter from  has more clout. Our success rate is over […]

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Brexit: what would it mean for Landlords?

We looked a couple of months ago at what a Brexit decision might mean for the UK property market, and now with this month’s EU referendum looming large on the horizon, landlords’ thoughts may well be turning more specifically to what the decision could mean for them and for the UK buy to let market. […]

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LegalforLandlords recognised as an investor in people

LegalforLandlords Ltd, who provide the rental property sector with legal, referencing and insurance services, has been awarded accreditation against the Investors in People Standard, demonstrating their commitment to high performance through good people management. Established in 2009, they have clients across the whole of the rental property sector – landlords, letting agents and tenants. They […]

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Eviction court fees increase without notice

Landlords who have to apply to the county court to evict a tenant who won’t leave their property have to pay court fees for the privilege. Those court fees have recently been increased by 25% without notice. And yes, unfortunately the implementation is instant. We’ve reported recently on the quickest way to evict a tenant […]

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Landlords beware: the problem with bailiff appointments

Procedural inefficiencies make a landlord’s life much harder than it needs to be, and one of the biggest inefficiencies present right now involves bailiff appointments. We recently wrote about the quickest way to evict a tenant, explaining that if a tenant doesn’t budge after you’ve issued them with notice and a possession order, you have […]

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Stamp duty surcharge update: early 2016 lending and investment activity

The market is continuing to rumble and ripple with talk of the effects of the stamp duty surcharge that is coming into force on 1 April 2016. We recently reported on how landlords with a smaller portfolio are likely to be more hard done by as a result of the surcharge than those with larger […]

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Will 2016 drive investors out the buy-to-let market?

Crowdfunding site The House Crowd recently published research suggesting that buy-to-let investors see 2016 as a negative year for their investments because of the legal changes to the sector. So much so that a fifth of them claim they intend to sell their buy-to-let properties this year – and perhaps reconsider their retirement plans. It […]

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New Right to Rent regime and how to avoid a £3,000 fine

Monday 1 February marked the first day of the new Right to Right regime being rolled out across England following a trial period in the West Midlands, which means letting landlords and their agents now have legal obligations they must adhere to – or face a hefty penalty. Right to Rent was introduced by the […]

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The quickest way to evict a tenant: our findings

Landlords have the power to evict tenants, but this comes with a process. And where there’s a process, there’s a waiting time. The Association of Residential Letting Agents is currently lobbying Michael Gove, the justice secretary, to speed up the evictions of tenants and reduce the applications that have to be made before High Court […]

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Tenant deposits: a quick guide for landlords on how to play by the rules

Some landlords may see deposit protection schemes as unnecessary, preferring to return deposits directly if no damage occurs. However, these schemes exist to raise standards and ensure deposits are handled fairly, preventing landlords from unjustly withholding them. What is a tenancy deposit? An amount of money which is designed to cover damage to the property. […]

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5 must-know questions and answers every landlord needs to read

5 must-know questions and answers every landlord needs to read

1. Will I still be covered by my insurance policy when a tenant moves out? You will need to check the terms and conditions of your policy. If a tenant moves out and your property goes unlet for a period of time, some policies won’t provide any cover for the time inbetween and others will […]

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Flood

Attention landlords: here’s a guide to preventing flooding in your property – or dealing with the consequences of it

Flood-Damaged Rental Properties: Prevention, Impact, and Recovery You will have seen the devastating effect flooding has had on thousands of homes across the UK, most notably in York, Leeds, and Manchester over the last few weeks. You may even have been directly impacted. Climate change is rapidly showing the extensive physical, emotional, and financial damage […]

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Considerations for landlords and letting agents following the Tenant Survey 2015/16

The Tenant Survey 2015/16, carried out by YouGov on behalf of property agent Knight Frank, collected and analysed the responses of 5000 people living in privately rented property across the UK. We have highlighted what we consider to be the most significant findings and from the survey for landlords and letting agents. First, a little […]

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Advice for landlords following the announcement of new stamp duty surcharge

Chancellor George Osborne’s Autumn Statement and Spending Review may have thrown a large spanner in the works for people looking to invest in buy-to-let properties or second homes. He’s decided to wack a new 3% surcharge on stamp duty. His argument? It will be fairer for first-time buyers (as the surcharge won’t apply to them). […]

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