I have the misfortune of being taken to court by nightmare tenant in small HMO?

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Hi all 118ters, I have had the misfortune of being taken to court by a nightmare tenant who rents a room in a small HMO. The tenant in themselves is not too bad but her boyfriend who has moved in with her (not in accordance with her tenancy agreement) is a foul-smelling weed head.

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PICTURES: Fire at HMO property run by convicted rogue landlord

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A rogue landlord who ignored requests to install fire safety features has been handed a suspended prison sentence after a fire gutted her five-bedroom HMO.

Nicola Selwood admitted three fire safety offences relating to the two-storey house in Holway Avenue, Taunton, that housed seven people but had only one smoke alarm.

Taunton Crown Court heard that she had been told by the fire service and local council to make changes as far back as 2008 but hadn’t done so, resulting in a fire which destroyed the house – formerly her family home – leaving her £100,000 in debt.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service firefighters were called to the serious fire on 7^th August 2018 where two tenants had managed to escape.

One was treated for minor burns. A fire service investigation, carried out with Somerset West and Taunton Council, revealed that the fire was accidental but that Selwood had failed to carry out a fire risk assessment.

They found that the HMO had no suitable fire warning and detection system, fire doors, or safe escape route. It also had no emergency escape lighting in case of mains electrical failure.

When previously asked to carry out the work, Selwood told council officers she was no longer renting out rooms.

However, during the investigation she admitted that within a year she had started renting out rooms again for up to seven people at a time and did so up until the time of the fire. She’d even spent money on converting the garage to provide additional accommodation. 

Fire safety manager, Pete Smith, says: “It is extremely fortunate that the fire occurred during the day when most of the occupants were out. Had the fire started at a time when people were asleep, the outcome could have been very different.”

Selwood was sentenced to a nine-month prison term, suspended for 18 months.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – PICTURES: Fire at HMO property run by convicted rogue landlord | LandlordZONE.

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Property118 landlord overjoyed selling tenanted portfolio with National Residential for half a million in just 26 days

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Half a million pounds from the comfort of your sofa in just under 26 days. For a Property118 landlord from Wandsworth that’s exactly how he celebrated his week.

If you’re a landlord, and you haven’t yet heard of us here at National Residential

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Property Purchase in High Flood Risk Area?

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Hi Everyone, I am currently in the process of purchasing a house as a buy to let investment. However, the environmental report has come back and indicated this property is in a high flood risk area.

I had a conversation with the vendor

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Any case law of eviction prejudice against landlords?

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I am desperately trying to find anything I can use to show to the courts that ANY further delay in a possession claim (as caused by the courts themselves delaying making a final decision/or by the defence continually requesting delays to a hearing) is totally prejudicial to me the claimant.

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Can you transfer a section 21 notice to a new landlord?

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Hi, I am looking at buying a property with a problem tenant that won’t allow any viewings or valuations and I have been informed they have stopped paying the rent. I know we could just walkaway.

However, the current landlord served them with a section 21 notice last November to end in May we want to complete before April and wanted to know if can we use the notice that as been served or would we have to reserve notices?

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Firing Agent without T&Cs

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I had to fire a letting agent after he “misbehaved” with (my) clients´money and all trust was lost. I had to quickly appoint another company to manage tenants.

There is no signed Agreement or T&C´s from agent, only a very simple letter instructing him some years ago: 10% commission

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LATEST: Welsh landlords to face six-month notice periods for ‘no fault’ evictions

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New legislation has been introduced to give Welsh tenants more security and to help avoid disputes with landlords.

The Renting Homes (Amendment) (Wales) Bill means that from Spring 2022, more simplified and standardised rental contracts will be available for a minimum of 12 months, with model contracts available.

Minimum notice periods will also be extended from two to six months in the case of no-fault evictions, with landlords only able to serve notice six months after tenants have moved in.

Although the notice period is going to be longer, Welsh landlords will still be able to repossess their property if a tenant is in breach of contract.

Housing and local government minister Julie James (pictured) says the law will directly affect the one in three people who currently rent in the region, making it fair, simple and efficient. 

Says James: “Thanks to our efforts, tenants will have greater peace of mind when renting. Everyone has the right to feel secure in their own home and to be able to plan for the future.”

She adds that there will also be clear benefits for landlords. “Clearer and easier to understand contracts will reduce disputes and legal costs and the new regime will provide a better way for landlords to deal with abandoned properties.”

David Wilton, chief executive of tenant advisory service TPAS Cymru, agrees that the new contracts should make it clearer for tenants and landlords to understand their respective rights and responsibilities.

He adds: “We particularly welcome the new protection measures which provide greater security regarding improved notice periods and offer flexibility should tenants’ circumstances change.”

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – LATEST: Welsh landlords to face six-month notice periods for ‘no fault’ evictions | LandlordZONE.

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Available options in 2021 for First-time Landlords

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The latest research from Foundation Home Loans indicates that the imminent, although possibly extended end to the stamp duty holiday is unlikely to deter landlords from further purchases this year, the latest data from Moneyfacts.co.uk explores what those considering investing in the sector as a first-time landlord (FTL) may find.

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LATEST: NRLA calls for upgrade tax breaks as Green Home Grants struggle

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The low take-up among homeowners and landlords of the government’s Green Homes Grant has been laid bare.

Energy Minister Annie-Marie Trevelyan told parliament yesterday that just 74,317 applications have been made for the controversial voucher scheme and that so far only 23,553 had been issued.

This follows a stinging rebuke for the scheme from the parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee which, as we reported last week, said its delivery by an outsourced company in the US had been ‘poor’.

Tax reform needed

This has prompted the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) to call for reform of the tax system to support landlords who want to upgrade their properties ahead of next week’s budget statement.

“Given that over 32 per cent of properties in the private rented sector were built before 1919, it faces a huge challenge in making homes energy efficient when compared with any other housing sector,” the NRLA says.

“The Government has committed to upgrade as many private rented sector homes as possible to Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C or better by 2030. Currently, 62 per cent have an EPC rating of D or lower.”

In reality the government is proposing to push more of the financial burden of achieving Band C onto landlords which includes raising the minimum contribution by landlords from £3,500 to £10,000.

Offset costs

Instead, the NRLA wants landlords to be able to offset upgrade costs against their tax bill when they purchase or repair a property, rather than against CGT much further down the line, which is currently the case.

“For example, replacing a broken boiler is tax deductible [but] replacing an energy inefficient model for a more efficient boiler or heating system is not,” it says.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – LATEST: NRLA calls for upgrade tax breaks as Green Home Grants struggle | LandlordZONE.

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