Two Labour MPs have made extensive claims about the number of evictions from the private rental sector likely to happen if...
Archive

The long-awaited Renters' Reform Bill, promised 14 months ago, is likely to be introduced to the House of Commons “very soon.” The...
14 January 2021
From: Breaking News

Propertymark has thrown its weight behind an idea from Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick to create a mediation service to arbitrate in...
11 January 2021
From: Breaking News

Weekend statements from the government and Housing Secretary have made it clear that the rental market remains open for business even...
21 December 2020
From: Breaking News

A controversial Labour council that locked horns with the government over landlord licensing is now submitting a new proposal for its...
15 December 2020
From: Breaking News

The government has issued a new How To Rent Guide - the critical document that both letting agents and landlords have...
10 December 2020
From: Breaking News

Agents are being warned to prepare now for likely controls on referral fees, following recommendations made to the government by the...
27 October 2020
From: Breaking News

A local authority is launching a six month probe into rooms let out but exempt from rental sector regulation. The project is...
22 October 2020
From: Breaking News

It’s a year today since the closure of the formal government consultation into scrapping Section 21 powers for agents and landlords. In last...
12 October 2020
From: Breaking News

The government has accused campaign group Generation Rent of peddling “unreliable and misleading” figures about potential evictions in the private rental...
23 September 2020
From: Breaking News

Agents and landlords must now give tenants six months’ notice before they can evict, except in the most serious of cases,...
01 September 2020
From: Breaking News

The Law Society has set out exactly what the extension of the eviction ban, announced on Friday, means to agents, landlords...
24 August 2020
From: Breaking News

Labour’s housing spokeswoman says “after the incompetent handling of the exams fiasco, the government must act now to avoid more chaos...
20 August 2020
From: Breaking News

The Property Redress Scheme, one of the two government-authorised redress services, claims its new mediation option is a success. In March this...
18 August 2020
From: Breaking News

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has given Letting Agent Today a statement trying to soothe critics of its...
06 July 2020
From: Breaking News

The government says it’s currently working to ensure the eviction process returns smoothly when the ban expires in late August. In the...
02 July 2020
From: Breaking News

ARLA Propertymark has expressed its pleasure that the eviction ban, already extended by two months, will now expire at the end...
02 July 2020
From: Breaking News

Some 47 per cent of all properties in the private rental sector in England are now managed by ARLA Propertymark member...
01 July 2020
From: Breaking News

Confusion over Electrical Inspection Condition Reports, created by inaccurate statements from the government, has been slammed by a housing law expert. Last...
30 June 2020
From: Breaking News

The government has withdrawn its latest electrical safety checks guidance for the private rental sector, with immediate effect. However, there remains...
19 June 2020
From: Breaking News

The government has released new guidance regarding electrical safety checks - and there's a worry it may include thousands of additional...
19 June 2020
From: Breaking News

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has issued guidelines ahead of new electrical safety checks coming into force for...
02 June 2020
From: Breaking News

A landlord website claims the current ban on evictions is not to be extended beyond its scheduled close of June 29...
20 May 2020
From: Breaking News

Tenants’ safety should be letting agents’ first priority in the new era of activity during the Coronavirus pandemic. In a new document...
14 May 2020
From: Breaking News

ARLA Propertymark has made a series of demands on the government in the light of the Coronavirus crisis. In a formal written...
07 May 2020
From: Breaking News

Coventry council has been branded as irresponsible by a leading trade body for allegedly ignoring government advice on licensing schemes during...
06 May 2020
From: Breaking News

Agents and other property professionals have a week to submit their views to an enquiry into the impact of Coronavirus on...
24 April 2020
From: Breaking News

Liverpool’s Labour council, which was prevented by the government from extending its city-wide licensing scheme for another five years, is seeking...
06 April 2020
From: Breaking News

All court possession orders are being suspended from today as part of the changes to the private rental sector to cope...
27 March 2020
From: Breaking News

The government has yet to give explicit guidance relating to private rental maintenance, but new advice this morning appears to shed...
25 March 2020
From: Breaking News

Propertymark has been told the agents should shut their offices immediately - they are not “essential businesses” under the new Coronavirus...
24 March 2020
From: Breaking News

The government has announced a complete ban on evictions in the private and social sectors for any tenant affected by the...
19 March 2020
From: Breaking News

The clampdown on referral fees, until now concentrated on the sales sector, will extend to letting agents too. James Munro, head of...
28 February 2020
From: Breaking News

The government has rejected a council’s bid to extend its licensing scheme for privately rented housing. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local...
28 February 2020
From: Breaking News

A buy to let investor has been hit with a bill of almost £9,500 after being accused of allowing a tenant...
26 February 2020
From: Breaking News

The government has failed the private rental sector says the Residential Landlords Association. In a statement released even before the resignation of...
14 February 2020
From: Breaking News
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Pet-friendly tenancies of the kind envisaged by the government could oblige some private landlords to quit the sector, it’s claimed. Over the...
10 February 2020
From: Breaking News

The government’s hugely-publicised database for rogue letting agents and landlords has been running for almost two years and has…wait for it…just...
07 February 2020
From: Breaking News

Agents and landlords are advised to think carefully before allowing tenants to keep pets, despite a government push to relax restrictions. The...
06 February 2020
From: Breaking News

The Renters’ Reform Bill worries many in the private rental sector but the government says there is still no date for...
05 February 2020
From: Breaking News

Liverpool’s Labour mayor says he is confident that the city will, after all, be able to renew its city-wide licensing scheme. Housing...
03 February 2020
From: Breaking News

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has backed a five year extension for a massive London council landlord licensing...
28 January 2020
From: Breaking News

Another Labour council wants to introduce a city-wide landlord licensing scheme - a proposal that would require government approval to implement. Last...
24 January 2020
From: Breaking News

A newspaper in Liverpool has sharply criticised the government for refusing to allow the city council to continue a huge landlord...
21 January 2020
From: Breaking News

The fallout continues over the government’s shock refusal to allow Liverpool council to continue its huge landlord licensing scheme. Yesterday we reported that...
15 January 2020
From: Breaking News

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has rejected a bid by Labour-controlled Liverpool council to extend its licensing scheme for five years. Government approval...
14 January 2020
From: Breaking News

Durham county council wants to spend just over £250,000 setting up a lettings agency to place tenants with private landlords. The authority...
13 January 2020
From: Breaking News

A Labour council serving one of the largest private rental communities in the country is reported to have failed to have...
09 January 2020
From: Breaking News

A ginger group that supports the Labour party says the government’s bid to stop pet bans is meaningless and does not...
08 January 2020
From: Breaking News

The government - which over the weekend made a surprise move to try to stop landlords banning tenants from keeping pets...
06 January 2020
From: Breaking News

The Labour party has mocked the government’s £4m new funding for councils to combat rogue agents and landlords as “puny.” A statement...
06 January 2020
From: Breaking News

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick is to overhaul the model tenancy contract to make it easier for tenants to have pets. A surprise statement from the...
04 January 2020
From: Breaking News

The government has announced an additional £4m in funding for local councils to combat rogue agents and landlords - but it’s...
03 January 2020
From: Breaking News

The government’s Queen’s Speech has confirmed what the industry has effectively been expecting for some months. There will be a new lifetime...
20 December 2019
From: Breaking News

Luton council has opened Lets Squared, a High Street lettings and estate agency using public funds - even though the town...
12 December 2019
From: Breaking News

A leading trade body says the government’s latest injection of funds to help local councils root out rogue operators in the...
06 November 2019
From: Breaking News

The government has given an extra £3.8m to councils to come up with ways of catching rogue landlords - and in...
05 November 2019
From: Breaking News

The government is being urged to speed up the release details of the future it sees for selective licensing following revelations...
25 October 2019
From: Breaking News

Another law firm has sharply criticised the government’s proposals to abolish Section 21 eviction powers for landlords. Devonshires says the government should...
16 October 2019
From: Breaking News

Government plans to end so-called ‘no fault’ evictions may backfire and not improve tenants’ security at all. That’s the warning from Osbornes...
15 October 2019
From: Breaking News

The government has been criticised yet again for what is described as its “incoherent” approach to the private rental sector. David Miles,...
11 September 2019
From: Breaking News

Housing minister Esther McVey has hinted that the government may finally decide as soon as next month on whether to introduce...
09 September 2019
From: Breaking News

The government has blocked a council rolling out selective licensing across no fewer than 3,000 homes in its patch. Under Stoke on...
13 August 2019
From: Breaking News

Campaigning charity Shelter has made a remarkable attack on a lettings agency, accusing it of “an abuse of power” over its...
05 August 2019
From: Breaking News

The Ministry of Justice has announced that body-worn cameras must be worn by bailiffs recovering debt from individuals. The ministry adds that...
23 July 2019
From: Breaking News

There’s been a sceptical response to news leaked from government over the weekend suggesting that a database of rogue landlords would...
22 July 2019
From: Breaking News

The government has published proposals for far-reaching changes to the way estate and letting agents are regulated, trained and licensed. The proposals...
18 July 2019
From: Breaking News

While we wouldn’t be so bold as to say the government gets its daily fix of property news from the Today...
18 July 2019
From: Breaking News

Throughout April and May, we ran a high-profile campaign across our sites, Landlord Today, Estate Agent Today, Letting Agent Today and...
15 July 2019
From: Breaking News

The government is considering the idea of a deposit passport for use by tenants when they move from one property to...
28 June 2019
From: Breaking News

An independent review into selective licensing in the private rental sector makes a series of recommendations to tighten processes, with the...
26 June 2019
From: Breaking News

A trade body has accused the government of going back on its promise not to introduce a national register of landlords. The...
26 June 2019
From: Breaking News

Agents have reacted angrily to the way in which the government released a new set of rental documents updated to include...
03 June 2019
From: Breaking News

The Tenant Fees Act comes into effect in England tomorrow - but a senior lettings expert is questioning whether it will...
31 May 2019
From: Breaking News

Over 6,000 people have responded to the Residential Landlord Association’s survey asking what a post-Section 21 private rented sector should look...
17 May 2019
From: Breaking News

A trade union says the government’s intention to scrap Section 21 eviction powers for landlords is “a huge victory” - but...
29 April 2019
From: Breaking News

The official government consultation period on the scrapping of Section 21 eviction begins shortly, but now a leading lettings sector trade...
23 April 2019
From: Breaking News

A Freedom of Information request by The Guardian newspaper has produced the startling admission from government that not even one landlord...
17 April 2019
From: Breaking News

The government’s wish to use a modified Section 8 as an alternative to Section 21 for landlords seeking possession of their...
16 April 2019
From: Breaking News

The government consultation process which fuelled its decision to axe Section 21 eviction powers and move towards longer tenancies received only...
16 April 2019
From: Breaking News

The government’s plan to scrap Section 21 is personally backed by the Prime Minister and will begin formal consultations today. If the...
15 April 2019
From: Breaking News

The government has beefed up its support for councils identifying and prosecuting rogue landlords. Yesterday the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local...
10 April 2019
From: Breaking News

The government has issued new guidance notes on the Tenant Fees Act, aimed at agents, landlords and tenants. The publications come ahead...
02 April 2019
From: Breaking News

The government says it is still considering applications to operate Client Money Protection schemes from April, despite approving five schemes so...
13 March 2019
From: Breaking News

The government has issued guidelines for the implementation of the new Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act which comes into effect...
07 March 2019
From: Breaking News

Momentum is building in the campaign to end ‘No DSS’ discrimination against private rental sector tenants in receipt of housing benefit. Late...
05 March 2019
From: Breaking News

The government says it wants “an immediate change” in the policy of some letting agents and landlords who advertise ‘No DSS’...
04 March 2019
From: Breaking News

The government has announced that over £19.5m is to be spent on paying deposits or paying the first month’s rent for...
04 March 2019
From: Breaking News

The Tenants’ Fees Bill has now become law, receiving formal Royal Assent yesterday afternoon - and within minutes, the government issued...
13 February 2019
From: Breaking News

One of the existing two government-authorised redress schemes governing estate and letting agents has called on landlords to voluntarily join, ahead...
06 February 2019
From: Breaking News

The chief executive of a still-to-be-launched property portal says Christmas may have come early for letting agents because of the “huge...
04 February 2019
From: Breaking News

A rental platform says it welcomes government plans to overhaul redress for tenants and others in the housing system but it...
04 February 2019
From: Breaking News

The Association of Residential Letting Agents says it backs the stricter rules on mandatory electricity checks in rental properties announced by...
31 January 2019
From: Breaking News

New rules are to be introduced to ensure mandatory electrical inspections on private rental properties are carried out by competent and...
30 January 2019
From: Breaking News
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There’s been broad support from the lettings sector for the wide-ranging reform of the redress system announced yesterday by housing secretary...
25 January 2019
From: Breaking News
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The council at Brighton & Hove has won an extra £34,820 in public money from the government to help it build...
23 January 2019
From: Breaking News
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The government has been accused of not helping thousands of landlords who may have inadvertently granted assured tenancies instead of the...
10 January 2019
From: Breaking News

Agents have under three weeks left to respond to the government’s proposals to introduce a Housing Court to settle disputes in...
03 January 2019
From: Breaking News

The government says it will shortly respond to over 8,700 responses it received about its suggestions for longer standard tenancies in...
02 January 2019
From: Breaking News

The government says it will not reveal an implementation date for the banning on agents’ fees on tenants in England until...
02 January 2019
From: Breaking News

There’s been a broad welcome from the industry to new guidance on room sizes on rented homes. The guidance was released just...
02 January 2019
From: Breaking News

The government has made the controversial claim that the ban on the levying of fees on tenants will not produce “significant...
31 December 2018
From: Breaking News

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has revealed that it will shortly choose which local authority will be the...
28 December 2018
From: Breaking News

Labour claims it was the driving force behind the government’s decision to cap tenants’ security deposits from six weeks to five...
11 December 2018
From: Breaking News
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An angry lettings agent has emailed Cabinet minister James Brokenshire to show his disgust at the government’s U-turn over deposit caps. In...
06 December 2018
From: Breaking News

A call has been made for the government to review the section 8 possession process as part of its call for...
14 November 2018
From: Breaking News

The government is consulting on the proposal for a specialist Housing Court which, if it goes ahead, would be a “single...
13 November 2018
From: Breaking News

Local authorities across the UK are to get another £2m to crack down on rogue operators in the buy to let...
08 November 2018
From: Breaking News

The Labour MP who chairs the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee in the House of Commons is pressing the government...
06 November 2018
From: Breaking News

A warning has gone out to the lettings sector to check that rental properties are ‘Gas Safe’ as the colder weather...
02 November 2018
From: Breaking News

Trade bodies have welcomed a government initiative to get more homeless people, as well as those at risk of becoming homeless,...
12 October 2018
From: Breaking News

It is now just three weeks until licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) is extended. The new rules, which will require...
10 September 2018
From: Breaking News

MPs have proposed a series of amendments to the Tenant Fees Bill as part of its Report Stage and Third Reading...
06 September 2018
From: Breaking News

A trade body says it has been assured by the government that there will be no premature announcement introducing longer tenancies...
28 August 2018
From: Breaking News

Speculation is growing that three year tenancies for private renters - long favoured by the government - could be announced as...
17 August 2018
From: Breaking News

One of the lettings industry’s senior figures has welcomed the introduction of mandatory five yearly inspections of electrical installations in private...
17 August 2018
From: Breaking News
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Agents and others wishing to respond to the official consultation on government proposals for longer tenancies have only until late evening...
14 August 2018
From: Breaking News
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The government’s announcement that it will bring in mandatory electrical checks in the private rented sector has been welcomed - perhaps...
01 August 2018
From: Breaking News

The government has produced new guidelines on setting up client money protection schemes for the private rented sector. They are evidently aimed...
31 July 2018
From: Breaking News

The government has announced that the Report Stage for the Tenants’ Fees Bill will be held on September 5, the day...
30 July 2018
From: Breaking News

A trade body is backing a call by a parliamentary committee for the government to fund certain fire safety improvements in...
19 July 2018
From: Breaking News
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The government has issued a new How To Rent guide - a key document which agents or landlords managing their properties...
11 July 2018
From: Breaking News
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Tenants, landlords and buy to let investors are the targets for new online rental guides introduced by the Ministry of Housing,...
27 June 2018
From: Breaking News

Letting agents and others in the private rental sector have responded to the latest government intervention - a review into how...
21 June 2018
From: Breaking News

Letting agents and landlords will have to win planning consent to erect To Let signs in student areas of Leicester from...
12 June 2018
From: Breaking News

The government has confirmed that all property agents in England will need to be part of an approved Client Money Protection...
04 May 2018
From: Breaking News

The industry has reacted angrily to the announcement yesterday that the Tenants’ Fees Bill is now formally starting its progress through...
03 May 2018
From: Breaking News

The government has announced that it’s launching a review into the requirement for carbon monoxide alarms in homes across England. The review...
01 May 2018
From: Breaking News

The government has set out new measures to mitigate against overcrowded and dangerous living conditions of private tenants in shared homes. From...
16 March 2018
From: Breaking News

The Association of Residential Letting Agents is reminding its members - and all letting agents - of the need to be...
05 March 2018
From: Breaking News

Some letting agencies and selected landlords are being asked to take part in a new survey investigating views and experiences in...
28 February 2018
From: Breaking News

This week’s news that the government will not be implementing the ban on letting agents’ fees on tenants in England until...
12 January 2018
From: Breaking News

The government has explained why the ban on letting agents’ fees on tenants will not be implemented until spring 2019 -...