Industry News

For many years, landlords have been urging the Government to have all Housing issues heard in specialist Housing Courts, in the same manner employment law is heard at specialist tribunals, or family cases at Family Courts. See 'Government rejects calls for Housing...

The government has made legislative changes that impact the Council Tax liability for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). It started December 1st 2023, and in summary: All HMO's must be banded as one unit for Council Tax purposes.  Where the rooms have been...

The ICO, through Helen Raftery, is addressing concerns related to data protection practices within the housing sector. Some key points mentioned in the article include: Complaints from Residents: The ICO has received complaints from residents who believe they have...

A survey of over 1,000 landlord clients of the Deposit Protection Service (DPS) reveals significant structural changes within the private rental sector (PRS). The data indicates that a higher proportion of landlords with larger portfolios (more than 10 properties)...

A landlord in Sudbury, Yehudi Levhar, has been fined £485,000 for illegally renting out a shed as five flats and letting a house as two flats without planning permission. Levhar used a fake name, Barry Jacobs, to evade detection. Brent council served a planning...

Housing Secretary Michael Gove has written to 10 social landlords, including seven housing associations and three councils, regarding severe maladministration findings. In the letters to chief executives, Gove expressed his personal interest in the organizations'...

Liverpool City Council has launched a Private Sector Housing Intelligence and Enforcement Task Force, aimed at tackling criminal activities of rogue landlords and exploitation of vulnerable tenants. Backed by £2 million in funding from the Department for Levelling Up...

The housing crisis in Leeds is highlighted as people in urgent need of a council house are waiting over two years to be rehomed. Leeds City Council reports that those in the 'Band A' priority waiting list, including the officially homeless and those living in...

A group of Conservative MPs from Cornwall, led by Steve Double, has organised a lobby of the UK government to demand a clampdown on Airbnb and other short-term lettings. The MPs argue that such lettings have exacerbated a housing crisis in the county, with holiday...

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has called for legal powers to impose a rent freeze in London and reinstate the minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) requirement for rented homes. The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, recently eliminated the need for landlords to...