Shadow Housing Minister wants 3 week deposit maximum

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Under the current Tenant Fees Bill the proposed maximum tenant deposit will be 6 weeks rent. However, Shadow Housing Minister, Melanie Onn, wants this to be a 3 week maximum saying: “Labour is fighting for a new three-week limit for rent deposits.

The post Shadow Housing Minister wants 3 week deposit maximum appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Shadow Housing Minister wants 3 week deposit maximum

Monthly house price report confusion

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Every month I read enough conflicting reports on house prices to make your head spin. Some up, some down, some the lowest since and some the highest since etc etc.

The housing market cannot be defined or predicted by one month’s set of figures from various reports that calculate the statistics in vastly different ways.

The post Monthly house price report confusion appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Monthly house price report confusion

No notice, because “it’s my house”!

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Sounds unbelievable, but my landlord just called a locksmith to come and change the locks and has taken possession of his house without any kind of legal process.

I caught him in the act and made a video.

The post No notice, because “it’s my house”! appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: No notice, because “it’s my house”!

Labour is pressing for a 3-week cap on deposits

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Tenant Fees Bill:

In an amendment to the Tenant Fees Bill currently passing through Parliament, Labour proposes to amend the new law. It would introduce a cap to make it illegal for any landlord to take a security in excess of three weeks’ rent.

The Bill, as it currently stands under the government’s proposals, would cap the deposit at six weeks rent. That figure, experts in the industry have argued, is the minimum necessary to deter rent arrears and to offer adequate protection for landlords.

Labour, on the other hand, claim the government’s six-week limit, according to The Independent newspaper, “would do nothing to help most tenants, because the average deposit is already less than five weeks’ rent.�

Labour has said its proposed change would significantly limit the amount landlords would be allowed to take as a deposit and save tenants on average £575, or £928 in London

The Tenant Fees Bill, currently making progress through Parliament, is seeking to ban all fees that landlords and letting agents are permitted to charge tenants, with the exception of charges for defaults on the tenancy agreement.

The Bill had its second reading debate on Monday 21 May 2018, and has now been committed to a Public Bill Committee. The Committee met on Tuesday 5 June and is expected to report to the House by Tuesday 12 June 2018.

Speaking about the Bill and this proposed amendment Melanie Onn, Labour’s shadow housing minister, has said:

“Labour is fighting for a fairer deal for all renters. We recognise the private rented sector is the fastest growing area of housing, and it is right that they are not exploited by unfair fees. This government has failed renters for the last eight years. Labour will hold them to account to make sure the power between landlords and tenants is rebalanced.”

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has said:

“Our new measures will save hard-working renters an average of £200 every time they move, and in some cases much more.

“Landlords will be allowed to charge a maximum of six weeks’ rent and we expect them to consider what is the right deposit to take on a case-by-case basis.�

According to the government’s impact assessment produced for the Tenant Fees Bill, the average rental deposit was £1,161 in March 2017, which represents a rise of 19% since 2012.

Tenant Fees Bill 2017-19

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Labour is pressing for a 3-week cap on deposits | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: Labour is pressing for a 3-week cap on deposits

Is it worth the hassle of trying to get tenant to pay?

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Recently we have had 3 cases where workmen have been sent out due to problems reported by tenants.

The first was a tenant saying there was a problem with a TV aerial, the second a leak from a washing machine and the third an oven not reaching temperature.

The post Is it worth the hassle of trying to get tenant to pay? appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Is it worth the hassle of trying to get tenant to pay?

First ‘No End Date’ residential over 55s mortgage

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Hodge Lifetime have just released a mortgage product first for the UK market called The 55+ RIO, which will become available from the 11th of June. ‘RIO’ stands for Retirement Interest Only Mortgage.

It is a residential interest only mortgage for over 55’s with no end date or term

The post First ‘No End Date’ residential over 55s mortgage appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: First ‘No End Date’ residential over 55s mortgage

Right to Rent Judicial review permitted by High Court

admin    Uncategorized     agents

The High Court yesterday permitted a Judicial review of the governments controversial Right to Rent legislation which forces landlords to take on the responsibility of customs/border officials.

The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) is claiming that forcing landlords to check tenants have the right to reside in the UK during the tenancy is causing serious discrimination against immigrants who do not have a British passport.

The post Right to Rent Judicial review permitted by High Court appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Right to Rent Judicial review permitted by High Court

Registration live for June 14th National Landlord Investment Show at Olympia

admin    Uncategorized     agents

National Landlord Investment Show is heading back to London Olympia on June 14th.

Due to the success of the March show at London Olympia which seen over 4,000 UK portfolio Landlords in attendance we are delighted to be back at this fantastic iconic venue for our 57th show since our launch in 2013.

The post Registration live for June 14th National Landlord Investment Show at Olympia appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Registration live for June 14th National Landlord Investment Show at Olympia

Right to Rent: Judicial Review bid heard in High Court

admin    Uncategorized     agents

A bid for a legal review of the Government ‘s Right to Rent policy was made at the High Court today. Right to Rent is a flagship part of the ‘hostile environment’ strategy for illegal immigrants introduced by the Prime Minister whilst she was at the Home Office. The application for a Judicial Review of […]

The post Right to Rent: Judicial Review bid heard in High Court appeared first on RLA Campaigns and News Centre.

View Full Article: Right to Rent: Judicial Review bid heard in High Court

Selective licensing scheme expanded in Redbridge

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Redbridge Council has been given the approval to introduce an expanded selective licensing scheme, which will cover a further 12 wards in the borough when it is introduced on 1st October 2018. The council already operates a borough wide additional licensing scheme, and selective licensing schemes in the wards of Clementswood and Valentines. The new […]

The post Selective licensing scheme expanded in Redbridge appeared first on RLA Campaigns and News Centre.

View Full Article: Selective licensing scheme expanded in Redbridge