Forum Spotlight: Responsibility for mowing the grass

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As the warm weather looks like it is here to stay, many tenants will be popping on the sun scream and heading outdoors to relax in the garden. This week’s Forum spotlight looks at a question that is typical from our landlords at this time of year- when it comes to maintaining gardens, who is […]

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“Rumble with the Agents” raises over £16,000

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Property Charity Event:

On Thursday 24^th May 2018 ‘Rumble with the Agents’, an annual white-collar charity boxing event held at The Holiday Inn Finchley Central, in association with Landlord Action and sponsored by Hamilton Fraser, raised £16,300 for Cherry Lodge Cancer Care.

The night saw ten property professionals, with little or no previous boxing experience, from companies such as Oscar Knight, Area Square, Happy Tenant Company and Property Redress Scheme, enter the world of white-collar boxing to raise money for charity.

The event, originally set up in 2015 by founder of Landlord Action, Paul Shamplina, who has a personal passion for boxing, has been such a success, it is now an annual date in the property calendar. Paul comments:

“I appreciate the concept of property and boxing do not appear as natural fit for one another, but knowing what a competitive bunch property professionals are, I thought it would be a great opportunity to encourage some of those I have worked with over the years to join me in raising money for charity. I would also like to give a special mention to Patrick Branderick of Oscar Knight Estate Agents, who, on his mission to get fit, took part and lost over two stone in weight during training.�

To date, Rumble with the Agents has raised nearly £75,000 for local charities carefully selected by Mr Shamplina. Paul chose this year’s charity, Cherry Lodge Cancer Care, because less than 5% of their running costs are covered by NHS and local government grants, meaning they rely almost entirely on fundraising, volunteering and donations.

Cherry Lodge Cancer Care is an independent charity committed to improving the quality of life for people living with cancer, their carers, family and friends.  The charity works alongside the clinical care of the NHS in an area centred on Barnet and covering much of North London and South Hertfordshire.

Following the event, Sarah Armitage, Vice Chairman at Cherry Lodge Cancer Care commented:

“Fabulous is the adjective to sum up ‘Rumble with the Agents’. Having never been to a boxing event before, I was not sure what to expect and was pleasantly surprised! The atmosphere in the room, packed with 260 guests and competitors, was electric, professional and fun.

“The evening ran like clockwork: weeks of training from the boxers coming to fruition. The generosity of the guests and sponsors, all from the world of property, raised £16,300 for Cherry Lodge Cancer Care. Thank you so much. This money will go towards our free services to provide support and information to our members who have been diagnosed with cancerâ€�

As well as the boxing entertainment, guests enjoyed a sit down three-course meal followed by a raffle and charity auction, with signed sporting memorabilia including a signed Muhammad Ali framed picture, signed Tottenham Hotspur football shirt, a signed Anthony Joshua glove and a framed and signed photo of Ed Sheeran.

Eddie Hooker, CEO of Hamilton Fraser, the main sponsor of Rumble with the Agents, added:

‘We have been sponsoring this event since it started and it just keeps going from strength to strength.  It is so important to support your local charities and it’s amazing that almost £75k has been raised so far for these much needed causes’.

Paul Shamplina is continuing his support of Cherry Lodge Cancer Care by putting himself in the ring on 22nd June at York Hall in Bethnal Green. If you would like to attend the event, call 07736 613518 or to sponsor Paul please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/paul-summer-of-glove

Anyone wishing to participate in next year’s Rumble with the Agents can visit www.rumblewiththeagents.co.uk for more information.

About Landlord Action

Landlord Action is a UK based organisation helping landlords, letting agents and other property professionals. As a champion for landlords, it has campaigned extensively and was instrumental in getting the law changed to make squatting a criminal offence.

It was founded in 1999 as the first ever fixed-fee tenant eviction specialist, they revolutionised this area of legal practice. They have now acted in more than 35,000 problem tenant cases and are considered the authority in this field.

Landlord Action run a free advice line to help landlords and property professionals understand their rights: 0333 321 9415

www.LandlordAction.co.uk

About Paul Shamplina

Paul Shamplina is one of the key founders of Landlord Action with 25 years’ experience in the legal field. He has previously worked as a legal clerk, private investigator, debt collector and certified bailiff.

He has appeared regularly on TV and radio and lectures across the UK at landlord seminars and events and still works full time in the office, heading up the team of advisers.

Paul believes passionately in the rights of the landlord and is always available for comment on any landlord/tenant matters.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – “Rumble with the Agents” raises over £16,000 | LandlordZONE.

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BTL losses brought forward and set off?

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I have been submitting my self assessment tax return for the past 12 years, however for 2016_17 which I am attempting to submit now I am coming across something that doesn’t seem to be right.

For the past 6 years my small portfolio of 4 flats has made a small profit

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Welsh tenants fee ban will punish the vulnerable

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The RLA has warned that banning letting agents from charging tenants fees in Wales would only serve to make life more difficult for the most vulnerable. Those breaching the new rules could face a £500 fixed penalty, unlimited fines and the loss of their landlord licence under plans revealed as part of the ‘Renting Homes […]

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Councils update their policies to tackle “rogue landlords�

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Rogue Landlords:

Following recent legislation that allows local authorities to tackle rogue landlords more effectively and efficiently, by imposing instant penalties, councils throughout England are publishing draft housing enforcement policies.

Under the new legislation coming into force rogue landlords can face penalties of up to £30,000 in a government initiative to radically improve standards in private rented housing.

The draft Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy documents – currently being produced by the local councils – accept that most of their landlords provide well managed and safe accommodation. But they note that that a small minority of rogues ignore the rules and do not provide safe accommodation.

One example, according to the Grantham Journal, South Kesteven District Council (SKDC) currently has 12,700 privately rented homes, representing about a one-fifth (20%) of the total housing stock. This is bang on the national average, and is twice the proportion it was in 2006.

This is rate of growth is indicative of the UK’s private rented sector (PRS) as a whole over that period, and shows its importance to most districts. In SKDC this is expected to grow under the council’s future targets to boost the district’s economy and population.

Acknowledging the need for change, a report prepared for a recent meeting of the council’s Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee says it is to review its housing enforcement policy. This it says is due to the recent changes in legislation in which the government has given local authorities radical new powers to tackle unsafe rental housing conditions.

The policy document spells out the penalties which councils can now impose on “rogue� landlords in the appendices.

Up to now many of these “rogues� have be let off with desultory penalties, fines that could almost be treated as a business expense. In many cases the costs and time involved in bringing these bad landlords to court has not been cost effective.

Among the new measures are civil penalties for the “very worst offenders�. The general principle behind the initiative is that landlords should find it far cheaper and more profitable to provide good standard rental housing.

As well as imposing penalties, rent-repayment orders of up to 12 months can be issued, with “banning orders� to prevent landlords or letting agents operating for up to 12 months. Details of convicted rogue landlords and agents will also be entered into a national database where other councils, but not private tenants, can access the details.

Rental properties must now meet energy efficiency standards as well as existing safety standards. Mandatory licensing of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) is to be extended to many more multi-occupied rental properties, with the three-story rule being removed.

Public consultations on these draft policies are now being carried out.

An example draft policy from St. Albans Council, see here. The appendices give a good summary of Legislative Powers in Relation to HMOs

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Councils update their policies to tackle “rogue landlordsâ€� | LandlordZONE.

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Kensington introduces 85% LTV Buy to Let range

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Kensington have introduced a new Buy to Let range of 85% Loan to Value mortgages based on 2 and 5 year fixed rate terms.

2 year fixed rate options start at:

• 4.19% with a 1.5% completion fee that can be added to the loan and a maximum mortgage of £1,000,000.

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Blog: Universal Credit Full Service in operation

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As part of our ongoing work with the Department for Work and Pensions on Universal Credit the RLA was invited to spend the day with DWP staff at Widnes Job Centre Plus (JCP) to see how full service is working. Widnes JCP has been live with full service for 2 years and staff there are […]

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Proof of declining Accommodation levels, but no links made!

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We have seen statistics on the numbers of landlords exiting the PRS, citing costs imposed by the government including Section 24 mortgage interest relief restrictions and Licensing.

The statistics below showing the REDUCTION in the amount of accommodation is the ‘proof of the pudding.’

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Call of the Week- Registering with the ICO

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In the last month the Landlord Advice Team handled a record breaking number of calls from our members, most of these relating to the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation. Members were often concerned that we had advised that they could register with the ICO by June 14th 2018, rather than by May 25th […]

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Research shows the increase in use of Ltd companies post S24

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Research conducted and published by Precise Mortgages shows 38% of landlords will use limited companies to buy properties over the next year compared to 28% as individuals. This is in the wake of Section 24 mortgage interest relief restrictions.

42% of landlords with portfolios of more than four properties will be buying through a limited company

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