True cost of DIY!

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Having a go at home improvements may be more costly than we think, according to a recent study by construction supplier Burton Roofing. 

 

By analysing monthly housing data from the Office of National Statistics and talking to 1,000 UK homeowners, 

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First signs of industry consolidating ahead of the tenant fees ban

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ARLA Propertymark is today issuing its March Private Rented Sector.  David Cox, ARLA Propertymark Chief Executive, said: “Whilst its really positive that the number of properties available per branch hit a record high last month, this may be the first signs of the industry consolidating ahead of the tenant fees ban as agents either sell-up or merge.

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Work and Pensions Committee ‘No DSS’ discrimination evidence heard

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The All Parliamentary Work and Pensions Committee has widened its inquiries to take in other potential forms of direct or indirect housing discrimination against benefit recipients It will now look at the “no DSS� ads run by letting agents or the tech companies that promote them

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Chimney exhaust ownership

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Hello everyone, I have got a terraced house and we need to replace chimney at the top which is moving a bit due to weather.

This chimney is in between my and neighbour’s house. The question is how do I find out who owns the chimney as I want to split the cost as it can cost close to 800 pounds to repair

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Landlord harassing tenants fined £2,000

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Harassment:

A landlord has been fined almost £2,000 after he locked the tenants’
bathroom and cut off the gas and electricity supplies because the tenants were
in rent arrears.

The HMO landlord 66 years old Amrik Manku, tried to extract
the arrears by withholding the services to his tenants, and act of harassment
in contravention of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, a criminal offence.

One of Manku’s five tenants reported issues to Brighton and
Hove City Council in November 2018 about the landlord not having an HMO licence
for the house in Ashurst Road, Moulsecoomb. When Manku subsequently received a letter
from the Council informing him that he was committing a criminal offence, he
started taking revenge on his tenants.

Prosecuting for the city council at Brighton Magistrates
Court yesterday, and reported by Brighton
& Hove News, Len Batten said:

“The officer visited the property on 17 January … and was
told that Manku and his son had been aggressive.

“Keypad locks had been fitted to the electricity cupboard
and the bathroom to stop the tenants using them until they had cleared their
rent arrears.

“The tenants had removed the locks by the time of the visit.

“On 31 January, a member of the public, Jenny, who lived in
the adjoining property called and said the previous evening the defendant and
his son had removed parts of the boiler, electricity box and front door lock,
leaving the property insecure.�

A further visit by Council housing officers found that the
house was without a usable gas and electricity supply.

Manku, who is reported to live in a £1m property in Amesbury
Crescent, did have an HMO licence for the two-storey house, but it had expired
in November 2017 and was not renewed. He blamed his daughter, a legal executive,
for the oversight as she had been responsible for the paperwork on the flat and
had since moved abroad.

Pleading guilty to both charges of having control of an
unlicensed HMO, and withdrawing or withholding services (harassment) Manku told
the court:

“Five young men who set upon me, a 66-year-old man, what
they have done is aggravated the situation and I can only apologise to the
court for my behaviour.

“The tenants also changed the locks, once when I was abroad
at the beginning of November and secondly in January. I have a right to inspect
the property and any attempt to update the property was not possible because I
could not get access.

“They actually barricaded the back door, denying me access
and that’s unlawful on their part.�

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