How much can landlords increase rent in 2026? There’s no legal cap in England, but the Renters’ Rights Act has changed how rent increases work. The only way to increase rent is now by serving a Form 4A under Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988. Tenants can challenge an increase at the First-tier Tribunal, […]
How much can landlords increase rent by in 2026? View Post »
Savills released data on 1 May 2026, the day the Renters’ Rights Act came into force, estimating that 254,000 previously rented homes were listed for sale in the 12 months to the end of March. That works out at around 700 a day, 9% more than the year before and 28% more than two years
It’s important for landlords to think of personal safety when carrying out viewings to prospective tenants at their rental properties. Personal safety has been an important issue for estate agents and letting agents ever since the disappearance of 25-year-old estate agent Suzy Lamplugh in 1986. She went missing in broad daylight in the middle of
How to carry out viewings safely at your rental property View Post »
When you’re setting out as a landlord, or even when you’ve been a landlord for a while, it can be difficult to know what you should put in unfurnished rental properties. Some of it is a grey area, depending on personal preference and target market. Others are legal obligations. Undoubtedly, the more a landlord provides,
What should landlords provide in unfurnished rental properties? View Post »
The end of a tenancy is often fraught for landlords and tenants alike, even when it’s the tenants who’ve served a notice to quit. The tenants want their deposit back promptly and a good reference. The landlord is wondering what state the property will be in, and how long it will sit empty before new
The end of tenancy check-out: inspection, inventory and checklist View Post »
Sometimes when tenants move out, they don’t take everything with them, which puts the landlord in a bit of a tricky situation. It might seem simple to take the items to the tip, or even to sell them. However, even though the belongings have been left behind, they still belong to the tenant, and the
At the end of the tenancy, the question arises of how much of the deposit the landlord should return to the tenant. The best result is one where the tenant leaves the property in a good and clean condition, and the landlord returns the full deposit, without any deductions. This is good for the tenant,
What can landlords deduct from a tenant’s deposit? View Post »
The tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in 2020, due to black mould in the flat his parents rented from Rochdale Boroughwide Housing Association, underlined just how important it is for landlords to take damp and mould seriously. As well as potentially being bad for physical health, damp and mould are often very distressing, and can
Damp and mould in rental properties: who is responsible and what to do View Post »
It’s very important to carry out regular inspections on rental properties during a tenancy, whether the landlord does it themselves or via their property manager. I personally refer to inspections during the tenancy as “maintenance visits”, as it’s more collaborative and shows the focus is on ensuring the property remains in good condition. After all,
Mid-tenancy property inspections: how often and what to check View Post »
Subletting is a very complex area for tenants and landlords to navigate. Whilst it can help a tenant who needs to move out for legitimate reasons, it also exposes landlords to a lot of risk. This risk has increased since the Renters’ Rights Act came into force, as it gives the First-tier Tribunal the power
