Archive

The Money Laundering Regulations require estate agents to risk assess their business relationships and apply an appropriate level of investigation to...

More local authorities have announced that they want to increase the size of the areas covered by their existing selective licensing...

A legal firm has renewed its criticism of local authority licensing schemes, accusing them of “persecuting” landlords. David Kirwan, managing partner at...

Hounslow council wants its additional licensing scheme for HMOs - due to expire in May 2019 - to be extended for...

Sometimes, running a lettings agency can feel as if you’re losing control of client money. Recent cases of property management fraud such...

New rules are to be introduced to ensure mandatory electrical inspections on private rental properties are carried out by competent and...

Another council has been given the go ahead to ban To Let boards in part of a city - with government...

Agents have under three weeks left to respond to the government’s proposals to introduce a Housing Court to settle disputes in...

The government says it will shortly respond to over 8,700 responses it received about its suggestions for longer standard tenancies in...

The government has made the controversial claim that the ban on the levying of fees on tenants will not produce “significant...

A call has been made for the government to review the section 8 possession process as part of its call for...

The party conferences of the two main political parties threw up some interesting developments with regards to housing and the rental...

The Residential Landlords Association is threatening a council with a judicial review because of unresolved concerns over the authority’s selective licensing...

Rental sector experts are expressing growing fears that the relatively low-key Budget announcements made on Monday could herald something more dramatic...

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has made a clear pledge to tighten regulations surrounding the private rental sector. In an interview with The...

The agency industry has reacted in a broadly downbeat way at the relatively few housing-related proposals that were announced in yesterday’s...

A newspaper claims landlords who ‘game’ the current tax regime for short term lets and lodging may be in the firing...

The Association of Residential Letting Agents has released details of its response to the government’s official consultation on possible three year...

Reports have emerged this week that the government is planning a U-turn on its proposals to introduce mandatory three-year minimum tenancies...

In our previous 2 blogs we have covered the definitions of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (CPRs) and what...

A trade body says it has been assured by the government that there will be no premature announcement introducing longer tenancies...

Lettings agents for or against the government’s proposals for longer tenancies have only a very short time left to respond to...

Speculation is growing that three year tenancies for private renters - long favoured by the government - could be announced as...

Agents and others wishing to respond to the official consultation on government proposals for longer tenancies have only until late evening...

The Residential Landlords Association has told another council that its plans to introduce selective licensing in areas of its town are...

Government plans aimed at stopping the abuse of the current Rent A Room tax perk may overcomplicate the system and deter...

The government has produced new guidelines on setting up client money protection schemes for the private rented sector. They are evidently aimed...

The Residential Landlords’ Association says proposals from Great Yarmouth council to introduce selective licensing in one part of the town contains...

An online lettings agency is the latest to voice opposition to the government’s proposed three year standard tenancies for the private...

The pressure group Generation Rent has joined forces with other critics of the private rental sector to demand an end to...

The Association of Residential Letting Agents has heaped praise on a local authority which has fined 27 lettings and managing agents...

The government has suggested that it is at least considering changing the terms of its Rent A Room system which could...

A Tory activist has made an outspoken attack on the government’s policies towards the private rental sector on the pages of...

Close examination of the consultation document on possible three year tenancies issued by the government suggest that it may want rent...

Rural landlords say the government’s idea of making three year tenancies the norm across the private rental sector would damage the...

Buy to let landlords are welcoming proposals being considered by the government to provide financial incentives for those offering longer tenancies. In...

Arguments have already started over the government’s proposals to make three year tenancies the norm in the private rental sector. Letting Agent...

Leaks from government sources to at least two mainstream news outlets today suggest that radical proposals on longer tenancies and possible...

The government’s flagship immigration Right To Rent policy is under threat on two fronts. Firstly a cross-party group of MPs has written...

The government has announced that it is to formally consult on proposals for longer tenancies in the private rental sector. Although there...

The government has announced that it’s launching a review into the requirement for carbon monoxide alarms in homes across England. The review...

Over half of mortgage brokers say they have been approached by buy to let investors seeking to diversify their portfolios within...

Rental compliance platform GetRentr has raised over £500,000 from investors including a private equity firm and private individuals. GetRentr uses artificial intelligence...

The government has this morning - Easter Sunday - announced a crackdown on rogue letting agents in the shape of a...

A 10 week consultation period begins today on selective licensing in the central area of Blackpool - with the council threatening...

One of the client money protection schemes operating in the lettings sector says he believes agents and property managers could be...

Local media in Bristol say politicians in the city are considering supporting a controversial website that allows tenants to rate and...

The Welsh Government’s housing minister has tweeted that the results of a formal consultation process on a ban on agents’ fees...

One of the industry’s highest profile trade bodies has rebranded with a new logo and heavily revised website.  The National Landlords Association...

This is a rare story: a council has dropped a plan for a lettings licensing scheme as a result of 900...

The chief operating officer of a leading PropTech company says government proposals to increase mandatory licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation...

Figures released by the government show huge support for the extension of the offences under which agents and landlords may in...

The government is being criticised for its latest consultation exercise on the new Minimum Energy Efficient Standards - because it ends...

The Residential Landlords Association says it welcomes the government’s decision to reduce the likely maximum payment by landlords for energy improvements...

HM Revenue & Customs has launched a consultation on adding tax checks to private rental sector licensing schemes - in other...

The Association of Residential Letting Agents has come out against a single government-administered system for Client Money Protection in the private...

The Welsh Government has confirmed that the country will ban letting agents’ fees levied on tenants - the same ban still...

The National Landlords Association has unveiled a new tool which could help agents and landlords keep across the ever-rising number of...

You have only until 11.45pm tonight to have your say on government proposals to clamp down on letting and managing agents...

The industry is awaiting details of the latest government consultation concerning the private rental sector which will consider longer tenancies. The consultation...

Mandatory Client Money Protection for lettings agents - currently the subject of a formal government consultation - will contribute towards making...

The Communities and Local Government Select Committee says it is to begin “pre-legislative scrutiny” of proposals to ban tenant fees imposed...

A trade body says there are 15 formal government consultations going on within the private rental sector - and now it’s...

A local authority currently consulting on private rental licensing is using improved energy efficiency as one of the criteria for landlords...

Yet another formal government consultation is under way, this time into smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in the private rental sector...

Agency groups have spoken in favour of the government’s call for letting agents to be trained as a mandatory part of...

The controversial consultation period undertaken by the government in support of its proposed ban on letting agents’ fees levied on tenants...

Trade organisatons have reacted predictably to the government’s latest announcements and publications concerning the private rental sector. Yesterday the Department of Communities...

The government has announced that all letting agents will be required to “satisfy minimum training requirements” in order to trade. The provision...

PropTech company PayProp says the government’s outline proposal for greater regulation of the private rental sector should be treated as good...

Leasehold enfranchisement specialist operator Leasehold Solutions is the latest to welcome the government’s suggestion of a regulatory watchdog to oversee leasehold...

Industry figures have broadly welcomed the latest consultations and proposed additional regulation for the lettings sector, announced by the government yesterday.   The...

Plans for new measures regarding leasehold tenancies to help create “a fairer property management system that works for everyone” have been...

The Welsh Government has launched a consultation on draft regulations and guidance to implement the Fitness for Human Habitation requirements for...

A trade body says the expanding Build To Rent sector will never be large enough to meet tenant demand and as...

Letting Agent Today understands that senior industry figures are working on the framework of a new attempt at regulation, including measures...

Letting agents are being warned that they can minimise the impact of the fees ban levied on tenants by being proactive...

Housing minister Alok Sharma has once again confirmed that the ban on lettings’ agents fees levied on tenants in England will...

According to recent government figures, the average letting agent’s fee is £223 and 4.3 million householders pay this amount or thereabouts...

Letting agents across the UK must prepare now for a ban on fees charged to tenants says a PropTech company -...

The majority of MPs speaking at a House of Commons debate yesterday acknowledged they are wary of the 'unintended consequences' of...

A Westminster Hall debate for MPs on letting agent fees will take place this morning in the House of Commons. The debate...

Letting agents using insured deposit protection schemes have been urged to switch to a custodial model in order to compensate for...

Now you have a rare opportunity to tell Phillip Hammond and Treasury civil servants exactly where they are going wrong with...

The Welsh Government’s communities and children secretary, Carl Sargeant, is calling on tenants to have their say on proposals to ban...

A new licensing scheme in Nottingham has moved a step closer with the proposal being sent to the government for approval.    The council’s...

The Welsh Government is now kicking off a similar consultation process to that conducted by the Department for Communities and Local...

The government has revealed that it has received over 4,700 responses to its official consultation over the proposed ban on letting...

Proposals in Scotland for a minimum energy efficiency standard for privately let homes could damage the sector, especially in rural communities.   That’s...

The consumer group Citizens Advice says it welcomes the Queen’s Speech confirmation of the upcoming ban on letting agents’ fees levied...

ARLA has led a call by many letting agents on hearing the Queen’s Speech - what was the point of a...

The Queen’s Speech, outlining the government’s proposals for the next two years, has confirmed a pledge to introduce a ban on...

Large letting agents found to be flouting the incoming ban on letting agent fees should receive fines up to £30,000 to...

A group of letting agencies in Yorkshire have proposed to the government a radical alternative to the proposed fees ban -...

A string of corporate letting agencies plus ARLA Propertymark have again called on the government to reconsider its proposed ban on agents’...

Only just over a week remains before the end of the formal consultation on the government’s proposal to ban letting fees...

A two-branch letting agent is offering landlords 0% management fees for six months in preparation for the proposed ban on agent...

A letting agency is urging landlords to respond to the consultations for three selective licensing schemes in its local area. homes4u, which...

The campaign group Acorn, which has in the past named individual letting agencies that it claims are charging unfairly high fees,...

A survey conducted for a property sales platform shows a very substantial majority of the public against any agents' fees being...

The Association of Residential Letting Agents says it has so far received over 700 detailed responses to its consultation on the...

The Fair Fees Forum, originally established before the proposal to ban letting agents’ fees imposed on tenants in England, now says...

The Association of Residential Letting Agents says the costs of tenant referencing must be exempt from the government’s proposed ban on...

A local authority consultation exercise on a licensing system for local landlords has been postponed until June 12, four days after...

The anti-letting agency fee pressure group Generation Rent is urging its supporters to participate in the government formal consultation over agents’...

Twenty agency groups have backed a call by the Association of Residential Letting Agents urging the government to extend or scrap its...

The Association of Residential Letting Agents is calling on the government to either extend the consultation period for the proposed ban...

A trade body has suggested that the General Election on June 8 may lead to a government with new priorities, meaning...

A prominent campaigning letting and sales agent predicts that the Conservatives are likely to put their proposed ban on letting agency...

The Department of Communities and Local Government is scrapping a series of workshops for letting agents to discuss the proposed ban...

The ban on letting agents in England imposing fees on tenants is unlikely to be implemented before late next year according...

The Association of Residential Letting Agents has told its agent members that they should urgently lobby their Members of Parliament to...

A prominent campaigner over the misappropriation of rental deposits has welcomed the news that government proposals to ban letting agent fees...

The Liberal Democrats appear to be taking what they see as the credit for the government’s commitment to ban letting agents’...

The Scottish Government has opened formal consultation on its attempts to introduce minimum standards of energy efficiency for the private rented...

ARLA Propertymark says it will launch a campaign against the government’s proposed ban on letting agents’ fees levied on tenants “in...

The government’s formal consultation on its proposed ban for fees levied on tenants by agents has been greeted with derision and...

The government has finally unveiled its formal consultation process on the proposal to ban letting agents levying fees on tenants in...

The government has issued a new statement saying unequivocally that letting agents’ fees on tenants will be banned in England -...

There are 4,000 jobs at risk if an outright ban comes into force on letting agents’ fees according to new research...

The Property Ombudsman and the Chartered Trading Standards Institute have announced a second phase of their campaign to tackle letting agents...

The working group set up by the Department of Communities and Local Government to consider Client Money Protection says the scheme...

Housing minister Gavin Barwell has confirmed that consultation on the government’s proposed ban on letting agency fees levied on tenants in...

A trade body has backed government plans to introduce so-called ‘banning orders’ for rogue letting agents and landlords, but it says...

The government has announced in its Housing White Paper that it is still “working with industry experts” to consider whether Client...

Government leaks to the Observer newspaper suggest that the Housing White Paper will show a huge policy shift towards renting - and may...

The Association of Residential Letting Agents has repeated it call for the government to ban up-front letting agent fees at the...

Tenant referencing and insurance firm FCC Paragon says its own referencing sector, as well as independent letting agents and smaller corporate...

Now Northern Ireland appears to be in the frame for substantial changes to the private rental sector according to the Association...

Housing minister Gavin Barwell says recent changes to buy to let mortgage interest relief and stamp duty will only affect a...

The government says the formal consultation on the proposed introduction of a ban on letting agent fees levied on tenants in...

Consultation has begun on a new licensing scheme for landlords being proposed by Nottingham council.    It runs until March 31 and gives...

A consultation on whether to introduce stronger rules to control the number of 'to let' boards in Durham has just started.    The...

One of London’s leading politicians has created guidelines to help individuals ‘secret shop’ in a bid to expose what she claims...

Manchester council - which previously described selective licensing schemes in the private rental sector as ineffective - has done a U-turn...

The National Landlords Association has rejected a central plank of London mayor Sadiq Khan’s plan for housing - the introduction of yet more...

The Association of Residential Letting Agents is warning the government that some of its proposed changes to regulations governing HMOs may...

The government has launched an official consultation process on a package of measures to crack down on what it calls ‘rogue...

The local council in Nottingham wants to introduce a city-wide licensing scheme of all landlords across its estimated 43,000 private rental...

The managing director of one of the most prominent letting agencies in Edinburgh and Glasgow - where agents’ fees on tenants...

The NALS ‘Fair Fees Forum’ - set up before last week’s announcement on the banning of letting agency fees levied on tenants...

A letting agency says the scale of confusion over letting agents’ fees is such that some tenants actually believe the deposit...

The Financial Times reports that the Bank of England is questioning buy to let mortgage lenders and banks as part of...

At the end of an already-challenging week for the industry, a landlord group has distanced itself from comments made in its...

Many agencies have spoken out in dismay at the announcement by government that letting agency fees on tenants would be banned...

Phillip Hammond has delivered his first Autumn Statement, tackling amongst other things, what he called “the housing challenge.” The speech made no...

Earlier this month we reported on Belfast council’s decision to open a public consultation on whether To Let boards should be...

The government is considering a ban on the display of To Let boards in parts of Leicester following a council bid...

The government’s wave of measures to clamp down on the private rental sector and introduce harsher regulations for investors and landlords...

The Welsh Government - which now has additional fiscal powers allowing it to be more independent from Westminster - has chosen...

Letting agents have just a week left to add their voice to the debate on whether mandatory Client Money Protection (CMP)...

The Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC) is the latest industry body to back the Government's review of mandatory Client Money...

It appears that Wandsworth Council has backed away from a decision to implement a new landlord licensing scheme.   Research by London Property...

There is growing concern across the industry at the fear - which we reported yesterday - that the government may be...

The Law Society has accused the government of avoiding proper consultation and scrutiny in the way it has introduced new buy to let proposals.   They...

Another major organisation within the private rental sector has thrown its weight behind mandatory Client Money Protection for letting agents in the...

Several influential industry bodies have thrown their weight behind a review into whether Client Money Protection should be mandatory for letting...

Letting agents and others in the industry have until October 3 to respond to a new review in to Client Money...

The local authority in Manchester is proposing to introduce a landlord licensing scheme in the north of the city and has...

HM Revenue & Customs has launched a 12-week consultation on a proposal which it claims simplifies the tax demands levied on...

Government policy to improve the energy efficiency of the UK’s housing stock will increase rents for tenants. New laws mean that from...

A London council will introduce two new licensing schemes in the New Year. These make it a legal requirement for landlords to obtain...

Another local authority is aiming to set up its own ‘social’ lettings agency.   The proposal is one of five put forward by...

Mortgage firms insisting on landlords proving their rental income could cover 145 per cent of their monthly payments could lead to...

The Council of Mortgage Lenders has told the Bank of England’s Prudential Regulation Authority not to add unnecessarily to the welter...

An ‘ethical lettings charter’ set up over a year ago by a pressure group for improved private rental sector housing has...

A buy to let lender says new underwriting rules from the Prudential Regulation Authority could trigger another rush to snap up...

Later today chancellor George Osborne will make his latest budget speech. It has been speculated that the announcement could include new measures...

There is more evidence that the buy to let sector has experienced a surge of activity as investors rush to complete...

A survey claims that despite the apparent rush to purchase buy to let properties before the stamp duty surcharge deadline of...

A leading lettings expert says George Osborne’s proposed stamp duty surcharge of three per cent may be just weeks from implementation...

The influencial cross-party Commons Treasury Committee says the whole economy could suffer is George Osborne’s fiscal measures against the private rental...

One of the country‘s leading rental sector analysts is warning that tax changes for landlords’ mortgage interest relief, and the imminent...

The three per cent stamp duty surcharge proposed for purchases of buy to let and holiday homes risks being seen as...

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has teamed up with 62 other property bodies to launch “a global consultation on ethics...

Prime Minister David Cameron has dismissed out of hand appeals and comments from Letting Agent Today readers to reconsider the recent...

A leading tax expert says there are likely to be unintended consequences of what he calls “half-cocked legislation” bringing in additional...

Ealing Council in London is undergoing a formal consultation about a proposal that all houses in multiple occupation within its boundaries...

Letting Agent Today readers are being given the rare opportunity to have their concerns about proposed stamp duty increases and recent...

Almost half of landlords are set to increase their rents in 2016 in a bid to counteract tax changes and higher...

The government is asking whether its proposed three per cent stamp duty surcharge on the purchase of second and subsequent homes...

Treasury proposals to hand greater powers to the Bank of England to make access to buy to let lending harder risks...

Hunters Estate Agents have taken the unusual step for a public company of criticising the government - in this case over...

The government is poised to launch a consultation document which is expected to advocate further restrictions on buy to let mortgage...

HM Revenue and Customs has published the responses it has received to its 12 week consultation on changing the Wear and...

The Orchard & Shipman Group is launching what it calls a ‘hybrid’ lettings service which - in its words - “brings...

The Department of Communities and Local Government has published a summary of the 600 responses it has received to its recent...

The specialist eviction company Landlord Action says it is in full support of the government’s latest proposal to crack down on...

The government is proposing a national minimum bedroom size and a re-defining of what constitutes a House in Multiple Occupation in...

A so-called 'ethical lettings charter' established by a group that has campaigned against some letting agencies, is set to be adopted...

A local council is consulting on the creation of a charter involving letting agents, landlords, consumer bodies and university accommodation teams. If...

One of the UK letting industry’s leading agents says politicians should defer the new Right To Rent immigration checks until the start...

A group of agents, landlords and other property professionals has applied to appeal the decision to block an attempt to overturn...

London Mayor and Tory leadership wannabee Boris Johnson wants rogue operators in the private rental sectors to be banned with repeat...

Barnet is the latest council appearing to edge towards increased private rental sector licensing as it enters the final two weeks...

The Scottish Government has launched a consultation period for its proposed Code of Practice for Letting Agents.  The proposed Code of Practice...

The growth of the PRS has provided a long list of benefits for the lettings industry. However, it is not without...

The Citizens Advice charity is urging people to lobby for more controls over the private rental sector, letting agents and landlords,...

Housing minister Brandon Lewis has backtracked on suggestions that the government may introduce longer standard tenancy agreements in the private rental...

Over 7,000 responses have been received in the second round of consultation over the Scottish Government’s proposals for private rental sector...

Around 47 per cent of landlords will be affected by changes to the annual wear and tear allowance. That’s the result of...

There have been angry scenes at a consultation meeting as a local authority seeks to extend its licensing scheme - thought...

Letting agents and other industry professionals are being consulted ver changes to the sector’s regulation - including possible blacklisting of rogue...

HMRC has revealed the scope of its proposed changes to the wear and tear allowance, as announced in George Osborne’s Budget...

The council which became a standard bearer for so-called ‘landlord licensing’ - Enfield in north London - appears to have abandoned...

The government appears to be trying to push its controversial idea to allow much more tenant-led sub-letting of private rented property...

Landlords have launched a legal challenge to plans by a local authority to charge for licences to manage properties. The Croydon Guardian...

So spring has sprung and the Hare is on the loose. After a very long gestation period, the Veyo leveret has...

The Chartered Institute of Housing has welcomed Scottish Government moves to make private renting more secure for tenants. In its submission to...

An umbrella organisation representing parts of the private rented sector is to be put before the Scottish parliament in a bid...

A group of renters who have formed the Acorn group in Bristol - which has already held protests against letting agents...

Gareth Styles of Grants Independent Estate Agents, Woking writes: When considering opening a new office in Woking Surrey I met with several...