Will banning letting agency fees lead to higher rents? We ask the experts Exec Review (26/11/2016)

What’s wrong with the UK housing market and how do you fix it? Chancellor faces stiff challenges in his bid to boost homebuilding
Mail on Sunday (26/11/2016)

Rent Smart Wales: Fears landlords letting properties illegally
BBC News – Wales (26/11/2016)

Are more landlords about to ditch letting agents and go it alone
Landlord Today (28/11/2016)

Landlords are under fire from a tax-hiking Treasury — but buy-to-let is far from dead International Business Times UK (28/11/2016)

40% of landlords plan to increase rents
Specialist Financial Introducer (28/11/2016)

PRA threatens big banks to rein in buy-to-let
Mortgage introducer (28/11/2016)

Two more big city Build To Rent schemes announced 
Letting Agent Today (29/11/2016)

The reality of starting out as a landlord: Four months of no tenants and £2,000 set-up costs City AM (29/11/2016)

Change could see developers build on green belt 
Specialist Finance Introducer (29/11/2016)

How to get the most from your student property investment
Landlord News (29/11/2016)

Khan speeds up planning to combat London housing crisis
Property Reporter (29/11/2016)

Letting agency fee ban actively considered, Carwyn Jones says 
BBC News (29/11/2016)

Is now the time for a long-term housing policy?
Mortgage Strategy (30/11/2016)

Right To Rent criminal sanctions come into effect from today
Letting Agent Today (01/12/2016)

BTL mortgage costs set to soar as new stress tests push landlords into longer deals Landlord Today (01/12/2016)

Government to drive PRS housing in key cities 24housing (01/12/2016)

Landlords scramble to avoid higher buy-to-let taxes, report finds 
The Guardian (02/12/2016)

Landlord body welcome Airbnb’s decision to enforce 90-day limit
Landlords News (02/12/2016)

Landlords flock to limited companies and hike rents to beat government crackdown on buy-to-let tax breaks Mail on Sunday (02/12/2016)

Ways for UK landlords to cut taxes OPP.Today (02/12/2016)

Disappointing day for landlords

It has been a disappointing day for landlords, with Philip Hammond’s announcement to ban letting agent fees paid by tenants yet another blow to the PRS.

In his Autumn Statement, the Chancellor said he was taking action against the ‘spiralling’ unregulated fees charged by agents,  a move which will pass the fees onto landlords, inevitably pushing up rents for tenants.

And while there were no big surprises there was other worrying news, with tax on insurance premiums to go up by 2% and the announcement that the Government is planning a review into the way incorporated businesses are taxed.

The news of the review comes after thousands of landlords made the decision to incorporate following last years’ Mortgage Interest Relief announcement, in a bid to reduce tax liability.

The Chancellor’s decision to ignore the opportunity to look at Mortgage Interest Relief was also a big disappointment, after calls from across the industry to reverse this unfair tax-grab on landlords.

There were also no changes to the Stamp Duty surcharge introduced by George Osborne. To read the full Autumn Statement documents click here. 

Letting fee ban will drive up rents

A ban on letting agent fees paid by tenants will increase market rents – hitting hardest the tenants they are designed to help.

Housing Minister Gavin Barwell MP said in a tweet just weeks ago that a ban was a: “Bad idea – landlords would pass costs on to tenants via rent. We’re looking at other ways to cut upfront costs & raise standards.”

The RLA has the same concern. Chairman Alan Ward said: “Agent fees have to be paid by somebody. If any additional fees are passed on to landlords, tenants will end up paying them forever as market rents will increase.”
Read more…

Ban on letting agents fees – the industry opinion

Lettings Agent associations have joined the RLA in condemning the Government’s decision to ban letting agent fees paid by tenants.

David Cox, managing director of the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) has branded the move ‘draconian’ with Isobel Thomson of the National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) saying the majority of letting agents fees are ‘fair and reasonable’.
Read more….

RLA Chairman reacts to Hammond’s Autumn Statement

RLA Chairman Alan Ward has released a video message reacting to today’s Autumn Statement and talking about how it will impact on landlords.
To watch the video click here.

The crooked landlords who are finding new ways to cheat desperate renters The Guardian (24/10/2016)

‘A really positive picture for renters’ as fewer landlords hike rents and supply rises International Business Times UK (24/10/2016)

Lord Flight condemns buy-to-let tax Landlordzone (25/10/2016)

Taxing landlords more will not help first-time buyers, say public
Property Industry (25/10/2016)

Sadiq Khan backs Build To Rent and more landlord licensing 
Landlord Today (25/10/2016)

How Theresa May can achieve a truly radical housebuilding revolution 
City AM  (25/10/2016)

Why Property Has Been the Best Investment of the Last Ten Years
Landlord News  (25/10/2016)

Buy-to-Let Watch: Turnaround for housing policy? 
Mortgage Strategy (25/10/2016)

So much for Project Fear! Property prices are forecast to rise £44,000 over the next five years despite George Osborne’s dire warnings
Daily Mail Online (26/10/2016)

What the property industry wants when the UK triggers Article 50
International Business Times UK (27/10/2016)

Industry body to lobby Treasury on tax before Autumn Statement 
Letting Agent Today (26/10/2016)

Tax Insider Tip: The Big Expenses Landlords Fail to Claim 
Accounting Web (27/10/2016)

It’s councils who push tenants into emergency housing The Times Red Box (28/10/2016)

Landlords lose legal fight to get Osborne’s tax changes overturned
Property Industry Eye (08/10/16)

Cowboys exploit Airbnb boom The Times (09/10/16)

Skip a generation when passing on homes, says housing minister
The Guardian (09/10/16)

Beware the pitfalls that could ground your Airbnb rental plans
The Guardian (09/10/16)

‘It’s like a hostel. You never see the same person twice’: Short-let firms are flouting planning rules to rent out sheds, basements and atti…
Daily Mail (10/10/16)

Autumn Statement must deliver government housing promises, says CIH Public Finance (10/10/16)

Turnover of housing stock falls as fewer people move, says ONS
Property Industry Eye (11/10/16)

Buy-to-let tax changes could be catalyst for a ‘major price correction’
Landlord Today (11/10/16)

Labour’s John Healey back on front bench after ‘coup’ against Corbyn
Letting Agent Today (11/10/16)

Is £2bn enough to fix the housing market? City AM (11/10/16)

Tenant Group Supports New Tax Changes for Landlords 
Landlord News (11/10/16)

Nearly half of Britons believe property is the most lucrative investment for retirement – and just a quarter think a company pension is best 
Mail on Sunday (11/10/16)

Rent hikes looming as more than a million landlords plan to beat tax crackdown Daily Mail (12/10/16)

Buy-to-let investors bounce back after stamp duty hike for landlords International Business Times UK (12/10/16)

Few landlords registering under Rent Smart Welsh law BBC – Wales (12/10/16)

Brexit, stamp duty and the Bank of England fail to deter landlords from investing in buy-to-let Mail on Sunday (12/10/16)

Property prices suffer their biggest quarterly fall in five years – and are still below their pre-crisis peak in six regions Daily Mail Online (12/10/16)

Credit crunch a great thing for portfolio landlords
Mortgage Introducer (12/10/16)

Worrying research finds a ticking time bomb in the PRS
Property Reporter (13/10/16)

ARLA and RLA unveil Autumn Statement wish lists
Property Industry Eye (14/10/16)

Landlords are absorbing higher costs instead of hiking rents, says HomeLet International Business Times UK (14/10/16)

Buy-to-let will dampen by 15-20% in 2018 Mortgage Introducer (14/10/16)

Tenants seek long term tenancies … Landlord Today (14/10/16)

Liverpool City Council proposes taxes for student landlords 
Landlord News (23/09/2016)

How short-term rental sites like Airbnb are transforming London’s property market London Evening Standard (26/09/2016)

Just one week for agents to comment on compulsory CMP debate
Letting Agent Today (26/09/2016)

Local authorities are letting down tenants, say landlords
Letting Agent Today (26/09/2016)

RLA condemns ‘bad’ eviction advice often given by councils
Slough Express (26/09/2016)

Forget buy-to-let! These shares could be the best way to profit from property MoneyAOL (26/09/2016)

Exodus of 30-somethings from London speeds up as property prices soar London Evening Standard (26/09/2016)

Number of tenancy deposit disputes reaches record high
Letting Agent Today (27/09/2016)

The UK keeps sinking deeper into property inequality – and it’s not alone CityMetric (27/09/2016)

Landlords warned about ‘risk’ of using limited companies fo…
Landlord Today (28/09/2016)

Calls for reforms as private rental homes soar Evening Times (28/09/2016)

Generation Rent:more than 30,000 new build-to-rent homes are launching across London as the capital cements itself as a city of renters Homesandproperty.co.uk (28/09/2016)

Airbnb – can we blame landlords for taking the leap? Landlordzone (28/09/2016)

Airbnb: Don’t blame us for higher London rents Sky News (28/09/2016)

Small number of agents and landlords in controversial training scheme
Landlord Today (29/09/2016)

Landlord association hits back at Corbyn’s ‘misguided’ accusati…
Landlord Today (29/09/2016)

Homelessness crisis reaches new high as 19,000 private renters forced onto streets in just one year The Independent (28/09/2016)

Urgent review into UC rent arrears Landlordzone (29/09/2016)

Regulating the shared economy Housing Excellence (29/09/2016)

Jeremy Corbyn vows to make councils a major force in housebuilding
Housing Excellence (29/09/2016)

Bank of England announces latest details of landlord crackdown
City AM (29/09/2016)

ONS figures reveal private rents in Great Britain increased by 2.3% in the 12 months to August with England seeing largest increase
Housing Excellence (29/09/2016)