Latest News

Mike Laycock (York Press) reports on how Challenor Property Developments lured its victims to York and then persuaded them to part with tens of thousands of pounds for nothing. .. Read More

This year has been challenging for the housing market, but things may be set to get worse before they improve in the Private Rented Sector (PRS)... Read More

Downsizing has become common practice in freeing up capital, but selling off the family home may not be the only way to subsidise hard-hit pensions... Read More

The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) today revealed its predictions for the UK property market over the next 12 months. .. Read More

One of the country’s leading bodies representing landlords in the private rented sector has today called on Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone to do more to stimulate the supply of private rented housing across London... Read More

For the first time home owners and landlords will be able to advertise property for sale, rent and room-share via their Facebook profile with the launch of Property Place later in January 2012... Read More

Top 5 Landlord Questions & Answers from the NLA.. Read More

Landlords are being encouraged to report the level of rent on their properties to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to help local authorities determine average market rents in their area... Read More

My Deposits has found some interesting statistics regarding disputes that are raised with them by tenants, which are sure to make landlords and agents happy... Read More

This course is for TDS members and is intended to help people gain a better understanding of tenancy deposit dispute adjudication... Read More

Increased demand for rental property is sparking a renewed interest in the PRS from landlords in some parts of the UK... Read More

The Water Industry Act 1999 banned water suppliers from disconnecting water supplies from consumers, even if they were failing to pay their bills. This has led to a growing problem of unpaid water bills that far outstrips the outstanding debts owed for other types of utility... Read More

"Downsizing is also an opportunity to boost the money you'll save on energy bills by improving the energy efficiency of your home, for example by ensuring it's properly insulated". .. Read More

Ever had a conversation with a tenant and not made a note of when it took place and what was said but then later wished you had?.. Read More

The Private Rented Sector Will Not Entertain Void Periods and Local Authorities and Housing Associations Need to Understand This... Read More

Recent research, conducted by Cadogan Keelan Westall, the UK’s leading property insurance specialists, has revealed that a quarter of claims made on flats are for damage caused by escape of water. An estimated 9.7 billion litres of water a year is lost through residential properties and it is costing £2 million every day*. (*Source: ABI, August 2011)... Read More

The National Landlords Association (NLA) is reminding landlords to carry out background checks on potential tenants before letting their properties... Read More

A survey* by the National Landlords Association (NLA) has found that Government caps on housing benefit payments could force over three quarters of landlords out of the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) market... Read More

The National Landlords Association (NLA) is reminding landlords to ensure their properties and tenants are prepared for the winter months... Read More

The decision made on 1st November by CYC is discriminatory to our student population and will be particularly damaging to young people, the unemployed and those on low incomes who wish to live in York... Read More

my|deposits has found the average protected tenancy deposit taken in England and Wales has increased by £125 in the past year, from £985 to £1110.. Read More

"In an era when young kids get sent to jail for stealing a t-shirt and MPs get imprisoned for fiddling their expenses what makes fraudulent lettings agents get away with a smack on the hand? Self regulation just won't work.".. Read More

Richard carried out some roofing repairs – highly recommend, details below..... Read More

It’s not long now to Christmas, and we’ve had a few enquiries regarding our opening hours over the festive period... Read More

The number of new tenancies has been at record levels for the past year but the PRS may finally be running out of space to cater for tenant demand... Read More

But is that what ‘Generation Rent’ want? The National Landlords Association (NLA) fringe event at this year’s political party conferences expressed itself troubled by ‘the disproportionate attention given to virtually inaccessible social renting and owner occupation’ .. Read More

More than a third (35%) of UK landlords are unaware of the energy performance of their properties, according to the latest ARLA research... Read More

Landlords with unfurnished properties often fall into the trap of thinking that as there are no actual ‘loose’ contents, there will be nothing to worry about at the end of a tenancy. .. Read More

The number of new tenancies has been at record levels for the past year but the PRS may finally be running out of space to cater for tenant demand... Read More

Landlords and Tenants need to be aware of problems that can occur during cold weather, frost damage being one of the biggest risks to your property. A burst pipe can wreak havoc on your residential or business premises and its contents. .. Read More

The number of households choosing to rent in the UK is now double that of those who own their own home, according to new research. And the findings do not simply reflect difficulties getting onto the housing ladder: 92% of respondents said they preferred the relative flexibility of renting... Read More

Landlord Action, a company specialising in tenant eviction, says a rise in rent arrears cases has been followed by an increasing number of tenants defending eviction cases at court and appealing judges’ decisions, with figures of defended cases rising from 9% last year to an all time high of 13%, so far this year... Read More

Demand for rental properties will remain strong and continue well into 2012 says Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction and referencing firm... Read More

Two-thirds of private landlords would consider taking advantage of the Government’s Green Deal scheme to improve energy efficiency in their properties, according to a survey by the National Landlords Association (NLA)... Read More

When a new tenant moves in to a property and a new tenancy agreement is signed, the last thing on anybody’s mind is a possible dispute over the deposit when it is time to move out... Read More

From smashed antique vases to missing washing machines, the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, TDS, has heard it all and this month has published some of the stories behind deposit disputes in a new set of case studies... Read More

With the start of the academic year approaching, and rental rates across the country on the increase, we are advising students on how to navigate the challenges of the rental market when they sign for a flat or house... Read More

Research has shown that the renascent boom in buy-to-let is reaching other parts of the UK According to our latest survey of UK landlords, conducted by us and the Residential Landlords Association, (RLA), the regions with the highest number of landlords buying property in the last 12 months were the North East (30%), the Midlands (26%) and the Rest of London (26%)*. .. Read More

There was a surge in enquiries for property to purchase during July, according to estate agents... Read More

A landlord who battled for months to evict his nightmare tenants discovered his house had been completely trashed when he finally kicked them out of the property... Read More

* Latest accommodationforstudents.com research shows increase of 3% on last year *London reaches all-time high weekly rent of £108, up 5% on 2010 *Exeter now second-most expensive city in UK *Several cities experience double-digit increases: Leamington Spa, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Sunderland, Manchester and Bangor .. Read More

An overwhelming majority of landlords say they have a good relationship with their tenants, according to a survey* by the National Landlords Association (NLA). .. Read More

A survey* by the National Landlords Association (NLA) has shown that the majority of private landlords will be affected by a rise in buy-to-let interest rates. .. Read More

Cleaning costs and unpaid rent are the top reasons why deposit money is withheld when a tenant moves out of a rented property, my|deposits has found... Read More

Although Housing Minister Grant Shapps has ruled out compulsory Clients’ Money Protection for letting agents in the foreseeable future, the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) has welcomed government support for its members... Read More

Please note that the following dates will have limited appointment availability: Wednesday 21st September to Wednesday 28th September... Read More

The Lettings market is beginning to rebalance, with stock levels increasing and supply and demand stabilising for the first time this year, according to the latest figures from Hamptons International... Read More

TENANT referencing needs stronger regulation, according to a lettings expert... Read More

The Westminster government recently announced that it would not be possible to let residential or commercial properties with an EPC lower than an E from 2018 in England and Wales. .. Read More

A broker tenant who stole homeowners’ identities in an attempt to defraud banks out of £3 million has been jailed for five years... Read More

Reports of a rise in bad landlords along with soaring rental demand and the return of buy to let investors have all led to the Tenancy Deposit Scheme to remind tenants to be careful and protect themselves. Asking for evidence of tenancy deposit protection is a first line of defence against rogue landlords and cowboy agents... Read More

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has reported that the NLA Accreditation Scheme for private landlords is now being used by 28 local authorities, just one year on from its launch. .. Read More

An undersupply of good quality property is threatening the UK rental market according to ARLA, as its research reveals that the imbalance of supply and demand is continuing... Read More

As the latest downpour reminds us just what we can expect from the British summer, it's little wonder thousands of people each year decide to move to sunnier climes. For many that raises questions about what to with their homes in the UK - often it's comforting to retain a base in the homeland, especially if the move abroad is likely to be temporary. .. Read More

Top tips for landlords who are aiming to let their properties out on a short-term basis. Short-term lets usually last between one week and one month and can be useful for filling rental voids, or making use of vacant property. .. Read More

Rental deposits have reached new highs, and based on a deposit of six weeks' rent, the average figure now stands at £2,172*, according to our latest data... Read More

This is a short-term project based in York dealing with a mixture of student properties (all furnished, variety of sizes), checking out tenants and checking in new tenants. .. Read More

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne has announced plans to ensure all landlords meet minimum energy efficiency standards under the Green Deal... Read More

Landlord Action has successfully gained possession of a property after one landlady’s six month battle against a serial offending tenant, which had severe consequences... Read More

The Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) has announced that all holiday let properties will require an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) as from 30th June 2011... Read More

A new 'Guide to Tenancy Deposits, Disputes and Damages' has been jointly published by all three government authorised tenancy deposit protection schemes... Read More

The barriers for investor entry to the UK residential housing market are still too great to ensure that future demand will be met, according to Mill Group a UK-based property and finance group... Read More

The cost of being a tenant increased for the second consecutive month during March as demand for rental property continued to outstrip supply, research indicated today... Read More

Student numbers at York’s two universities will fall sharply over the coming decade because of soaring tuition fees, researchers claim... Read More

Proposals to restrict the growth of student lets and other houses of multiple occupation across York will be launched shortly – with landlords promising a campaign of “almighty resistance”. .. Read More

Many landlords are still unaware of even basic health and safety rules when leaving their properties for rental, according to The Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC)... Read More

One lender has returned to the buy-to-let market, with a handful of others promising to launch this year. Why are they so keen?.. Read More

BAD tenants beware. An iPhone App has been launched for landlords to find out if they’re on a tenant blacklist for property damage or unpaid rent... Read More

News has travelled fast regarding the government’s plans to set new rules regarding the requirement of Energy Performance Certificates on properties on the market whether they be to let or for sale... Read More

Landlords have the chance to cash in, as the number of people renting rockets... Read More

Caroline Lucas MP, Leader of the Green Party opened a major housing event in Brighton last week by calling for a street-by street programme of energy efficiency improvements to ensure an affordably heated home for everyone... Read More

Changes to housing benefit to make a third of England unaffordable for low income households in a decade.. Read More

TripAdvisor has a lot to answer for. Rating services has never been more popular as we all rush to our computer to check the quality of hotels, airlines, restaurants… and now landlords and estate agents. Whether you approve or not the worldwide grumble system can only get worse, with the facility to rave about a service or commend it to the grave at your fingertips 24/7... Read More

Help is at hand for letting agents driven to distraction by the deposit protection schemes. A deposit protection adjudicator has set up an online service to help save agents the time and expense of a failed claim... Read More

The knives are out for the private rented sector once again as it apparently “generates more complaints than almost any other”. According to a new report issued by Consumer Focus, the consumer watchdog, one of the biggest issues is that private renters often know very little about their landlords before signing a tenancy agreement. Now the watchdog has written to some of the largest letting agents and deposit schemes in England calling on them to explore how online feedback could empower tenants by giving them a better insight into their potential landlords. .. Read More

The Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC) is warning all landlords and management companies to check each rental property thoroughly for signs of common damage, which can often be missed at check out, costing landlords hundreds of pounds... Read More

Mail News & Media in association with Lynne Hope Communications have partnered with Gateway to bring a new and unique property event to the local Hull area in March 2011... Read More

The buy-to-let market grew by 7% in 2010, according to the latest data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders. .. Read More

Landlords overseeing residential properties should consider measures to improve the energy efficiency of their properties, according to the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA)... Read More

A record-breaking month of traffic in January has moved Rightmove up to be the 8th busiest website for UK users. Rightmove ended the month sandwiched between Microsoft MSN in 7th place and BBC News in 9th in terms of share of web pages viewed by UK users, according to independent data compiled by Experian Hitwise... Read More

Under the revised terms of the Housing Act 2004 it is stipulated that all deposits taken by Landlords on an a Assured Shorthold Tenancy must be protected by a Tenancy Deposit Scheme. The Tenancy Deposit Scheme, was set up to protect the tenants deposit from both unscrupulous Landlords and Agents. .. Read More

Demand for rental property is significantly outweighing supply according to figures released by Sequence. Based on its recent data, the number of rental properties coming onto the market nationally would only satisfy 16 per cent of would-be tenants registering their interest in moving home... Read More

The Property Professional Show (PPS) will take place at London’s Olympia on the 10th- 11th May 2011. .. Read More

The ARLA Conference is the annual event for letting industry professionals and one that you cannot afford to miss! .. Read More

This year’s annual York Landlords Fair, run by City of York Council, is due to take place on Thurs 17th March at the Priory Street Centre in York. .. Read More

Property economist Paul Diggle says the boom is on its last legs and warned that if its unemployment forecasts are correct, more tenants will be struggling to pay rents... Read More

Renting is becoming increasingly popular, according to research by the Association of Residential Letting Agents. .. Read More

Increasing numbers of tenants appear to be struggling to make rental payments, according to letting agents... Read More

Two more councils have joined the queue to crackdown on property investors letting shared houses, reports the MoneyCentre. Preston and York are both ready to announce ‘article 4’ selective licensing for houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). .. Read More