Sadiq Khan reveals more details of London ‘rent freeze’ on BBC

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London mayor Sadiq Khan says families would save about £3,000 during the next two years if he was given the power to freeze rents in the capital.

“We are asking government to give us the powers to have rent controls,” he told BBC London news. “We need to set up a commission in London, including landlords and tenants, to have a system that works for London. If it’s good enough for Paris and Vienna, why isn’t it good enough for London?”

Khan said in the long-term, London had to increase the supply of homes long term that were genuinely affordable. “For decades we’ve not built the homes we need. We need 50,000 new homes a year in London – we’ve increased the number of homes from 25,000 to 35,000-40,000 but there’s still a gap.

“Until we have enough affordable homes, we need to control the rent levels. The market isn’t working and families are being priced out of London,” he added.

“Landlords are increasing rent at the end of a tenancy and rents will go up by £3,000 over the next two years. The government needs to give us support to build more affordable homes but in the short term, freeze rents.”

Khan dodged the question about the risk of landlords leaving the sector as a result of bringing in any controls, however later in the programme Landlord Action’s Paul Shamplina (pictured) explained: “Over the last five years, every year we’ve been losing 85,000 properties in London alone.

“A lot of landlords are exiting the market, so there’s fewer rental properties – mainly because of more regulation and taxation, and a lot of landlords are quite fed up.”

View Full Article: Sadiq Khan reveals more details of London ‘rent freeze’ on BBC

Coastal landlords slammed for favouring Airbnb guests over long-term tenants

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Coastal areas now have three times the rate of Airbnb listings than non-coastal areas, up from twice the rate pre-pandemic, according to new research.

Inside Airbnb calculated that in May 2019, one in every 105 dwellings in coastal areas in England and Wales was advertised as an Airbnb. In May 2022 it was one in every 67, while in inland locations it was one in every 196 properties, according to a report in The Guardian.

Housing campaigners say the trend indicates that landlords in seaside towns and coastal getaways may be favouring tourists over tenants.

New laws in Scotland require all local authorities to set up a licensing scheme, while Wales is bringing in a similar scheme and tougher planning rules.

The government is studying the impact of the short-let sector in England, but the charity Action on Empty Homes believes the registration scheme consultation is an essentially toothless proposal, which supports licensing but not limits on numbers or local controls.

Improve powers

Chris Bailey, national campaign manager, says that in Norfolk, 86% of the 7,652 Airbnb-type rentals are whole home listings, while North Norfolk alone has about 5,500 unoccupied second homes with a further 500 homes long-term empty, meaning at least one home in every nine has no one living in it, on an ongoing basis.

“Councils need improved powers to prevent properties being switched from primary residential use to short let or second home status and used as Airbnbs rather than as homes,” Bailey tells LandlordZONE. “This depletes rental housing stock and allows investors to outbid local buyers on average incomes, pushing up both purchase and rental prices.”

Airbnb questioned the accuracy of Inside Airbnb’s findings, emphasising that unusual listings such as caravans or large manor houses, used for events, may not affect the local housing stock.

View Full Article: Coastal landlords slammed for favouring Airbnb guests over long-term tenants

Cardiff to vote through extension to large student area HMO licensing scheme

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Cardiff city council is seeking to renew an Additional HMO licensing scheme for a student neighbourhood within its city centre for a further five years since first introducing it in 2010.

The Cathays Additional Licensing Scheme which includes some 1,000 properties was last renewed in 2016 and is now expected to be voted through for a further five years on Thursday by the council’s main cabinet, to recommence in February next year.

Cathays (main picture) is notorious within the city as a hotspot for student accommodation and contains a significant majority of its HMO properties as well as a population of some 13,000 students.

As is often the case with such renewals, Cardiff city counsillors are claiming that a renewal is needed to deal with issues such as community safety, anti-social behaviour, sustainability, energy efficiency and waste management in an “area with a high density of rental properties”.

But at the same time its renewal announcement, which follows a consultation (see below) with stakeholders including the city’s landlords, promotes the success of the previous scheme.

Higher risk

Since its introduction, the Cathays scheme has secured both the licensing of 1,779 properties, a reduction in the number of higher risk category hazards when a property is inspected from 26% to 8%, and an increase to 46% in the proportion of licensed HMO properties which are up to standard.

Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Lynda Thorne (pictured), says: “Back in 2010 when the first Additional Licensing Scheme was declared in Cathays, the area presented the highest rate of complaints to the Council’s Housing Enforcement section regarding housing standards.

“The area has a large student population with high demand for rented accommodation but sadly, some landlords and agents advertise and let poor quality properties.

“On the whole since the scheme has been running, complaints have declined and standards have improved as housing enforcement officers are able to take action against landlords whose properties pose a health and safety risk to their tenants with fire safety, warmth and security issues.

“However, we know that even when properties have passed an inspection and become licensed, standards can deteriorate over time and within the private rented market in the area, there remains widespread non-conformity with statutory requirements.

“Redesignating Cathays as an Additional Licensing Scheme area will allow officers to continue to build on the excellent progress made over the past 12 years for the benefit of tenants, landlords and the wider community too.”

Under the previous scheme a landlord paid up to £600 to licence their property depending on the size of the property, but this is due to rise to £960.

Read the consultation document that the council will be voting on.

Pic credit: Jeremy Segrott.

View Full Article: Cardiff to vote through extension to large student area HMO licensing scheme

Are your properties at risk of being underinsured?

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Are you underinsured? With rapidly rising prices for both labour and materials, there’s a big risk that you could come up short in the event of a claim. We talked to Steve Barnes of specialist broker Hamilton Fraser.

No-one but a fool would fail to take out buildings insurance on their properties.

View Full Article: Are your properties at risk of being underinsured?

Freeholders refuse to share surveyors report?

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I am a leaseholder of a flat. There are 4 flats in the house, 2 freeholds and 2 leaseholds. The 2 freeholders are keen for all of us to own a share in the freehold.

As my lease only has 87 years on it

View Full Article: Freeholders refuse to share surveyors report?

Rent refund tax implications?

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Hi everyone, as a good landlord and due to a noisy neighbour (next-door to my tenants playing nonstop white noise) l have given my tenants a 20% rent reduction until I can manage to solve the problem.

My tenants pay the Lettings agent directly the full amount of contracted rent and then I send them the 20% refund for the reduction.

View Full Article: Rent refund tax implications?