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Will more tenant evictions follow?

Well, they said they’d do it and they’re sticking to it. A council tenant has just been served with an eviction notice and it’s believed that they’re the first in the country. Wandsworth council is applying for an eviction notice for a tenant and their son, after the son was charged in connection with the […]

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Should the eviction process be changed?

There are calls for the Government to speed up the eviction process following the trashing of a property owned by a North East landlord. Tenants left the property in Darlington, owned by Glenn Schofield, practically destroyed. Mr Schofield had to spend months going through the courts to try and repossess the four bedroom house. Mr […]

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Is now a good time to invest in property?

News out at the weekend shows house sellers have reduced asking prices for the second month in a row. Most of the year has seen vendors putting their properties on the market for far more than the amount sellers are willing to pay, but vendors are now beginning to accept that their asking prices are […]

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Are you a landlord looking to grow your portfolio?

Recent reports by the Association of Residential Letting agents (ARLA) indicate a surge in the number of properties snapped up by landlords in the past year. ‘Good news!’ we cry at Legal 4 Landlords. With demand still far outstripping supply, it makes sense to invest in property at the moment. Rents are going up and […]

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Thumbs up for eviction proposals

Legal 4 Landlords is backing plans by Housing Minister Grant Shapps that aim to make it easier and quicker to evict troublesome tenants from social housing. Following the horrendous scenes of looting and riots across UK cities, many councils have pledged to take a tough stance on those involved, warning that they will fight to […]

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How can I evict bad tenants?

New statistics show the number of court cases brought by private landlords increased by seven per cent last year, with cases for accelerated possession increasing by 37 per cent – back to pre recession levels. Landlords are clearly taking action to get their properties back. Of all our landlord services, our evictions service has been […]

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Buy to let market surges

As the UK residential sales market continues to remain static, the rental market is continuing to surge. This positive buy to let market is encouraging an increasing number of first time landlords to enter the market and they’re coming to us for landlord services. In many parts of the country, tenants are finding it’s more […]

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Legal 4 Landlords calls for reference regulation

It’s been reported the strict criteria of some tenant referencing companies is squeezing some tenants out of the rental market as they struggle to meet income and deposit requirements. Here at Legal 4 Landlords we’re calling for stronger regulation of tenant referencing. This protects both the landlord and the tenants and helps avoid evictions further […]

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Additional licensing: for and against

Additional licensing schemes have been brought in by many local authorities. Cardiff Council introduced the scheme last year, for example, to raise the standards of properties in a popular student area of the city. It has just been reported that in its first year the scheme raised £300,000. On one hand, it’s a nice earner […]

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Properties, pets and problems

It seems pets are posing problems in the booming rental market, as landlords are refusing to allow them in their properties. It’s hardly surprising as they fear they will damage furniture, fixtures and even bring fleas. Times are hard enough as it is for those searching for homes, with difficulties securing mortgages and repossessions on […]

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Tenant causes £13K worth of damage to property

The Lincolnshire Echo has reported a tenant that caused £13k worth of damage to a home in Lincoln has finally been evicted from the property she destroyed. The landlady had a battle on her hands but an eviction notice secured in May put an end to five years of misery. A smashed bath, smashed windows […]

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Access to finance improves for landlords

We’ve been reading in the press that access to mortgage finance is getting better for landlords with every passing week. This is according to Property & Finance Solutions (PFS) who say the availability of higher loan-to-value buy-to-let mortgages is improving. Darren Owen, director of PFS, said “The criteria changes all the time. The lenders are […]

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Landlords must protect their tenant's rent and deposit

The case of a letting agency wound up for failing to protect rents and deposits shows how important it is for landlords to follow the rules. The Leamington agency, Telmark Properties, formerly Smarter Housing was wound up by the High Court for repeatedly breaching agreements with both landlords and tenants and failing to deal properly […]

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Call for standardised tenant referencing

At present there is no tenant referencing criteria and landlords, letting agents and tenant referencing companies use their own. We’re seeing tenant suitability is determined using a range of inconsistent checks. Surely tenant referencing needs stronger regulation? A nationwide poll this year found that 18 percent of landlords never trust a tenant when making a […]

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Government plans could make squatting a thing of the past

Government plans to make squatting a criminal offence have had a mixed reaction from landlords and charities. The proposals, announced this week, mean the most persistent offenders could be jailed and squatters’ rights, which prevent legitimate occupiers of properties from using force to re-enter occupied buildings, could be abolished. Homelessness charity Crisis said the government […]

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