BEST PRACTICE
View our blog categories
Proposed EPC Energy Efficiency Changes What You Need to Know
Licensing regulations are becoming increasingly widespread, and they may apply to your rental property even if you don’t expect them to. Many local councils, particularly in London now enforce Selective Licensing, which means all rental properties not just HMOs may require a licence.
Understanding Property Licensing
Licensing regulations are becoming increasingly widespread, and they may apply to your rental property even if you don’t expect them to. Many local councils, particularly in London now enforce Selective Licensing, which means all rental properties not just HMOs may require a licence.
New EPC Rules for Landlords
The UK government has launched a 12-week consultation on radical proposals to overhaul Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) in the private rented sector. If implemented, these changes would require landlords to meet new energy efficiency standards, using updated Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) metrics, before they can let their properties.
Here’s what landlords need to know about the proposals, potential costs, exemptions, and the likely impact on the private rental market.
Landlords Top Concerns
In today’s challenging property market, landlords face a variety of concerns. In this blog, we take a closer look at some of the key issues and offer valuable insights to help navigate them.
Get your home ready for your Summer holidays
As summer finally makes its appearance and the holiday season kicks in, both landlords and tenants often take a break in August. Here are some proactive measures you can take to ensure your rental properties stay safe and tenancies remain smooth while you’re away.
Should You Furnish Your Rental Property?
Furnished or unfurnished? If you are a landlord and weighing up the pros...
Steps to Take When a Tenant Denies Access for Gas Safety Inspections
As a landlord, conducting annual gas safety checks is not only a legal requirement but also a critical measure to ensure the safety of your property and its occupants.
However, what should you do if a tenant refuses access for this essential safety check? Here’s a detailed guide to help you navigate this situation.
Can you give a tenancy to someone who is under 18?
Strictly speaking no. A minor (ie someone under 18) is legally incapable of owning an interest in land.
If the minor signs the tenancy agreement as sole tenant, this will take effect as a contract by the landlord/grantor of the tenancy to hold this in trust for the minor. This is not a good idea.
How to review your Property Portfolio
The beauty of property is that nothing happens for large stretches of time – meaning that when there are no tenant issues and you’re not refinancing, you can forget you own it and dedicate your time to other things.
But once per year, it’s a good idea to conduct a formal portfolio review – allowing you to spot opportunities, celebrate progress, and set plans for the year ahead. Many investors like to do this over Christmas to align it with their goal-setting for the new year – so if that’s what you plan to do, feel free to steal our process…
Pets and Pests
There is a lot of controversy about this and the law is not well understood. Read our blog to understand the main points.
11 Tips for Tenant Applicants
Once you have found a property that you are happy to rent take swift action and use our 11 Tips for Tenant Applicants.
Tenancies and Licensees
Whether you are a landlord or a tenant, your legal rights will depend on the occupation type you have.
A tenancy carries more rights and is a type of ownership of land or lease. It will continue after the death of the landlord or the tenant. A license is just a personal agreement between the parties and will end on the death of either.
Why sell at auction?
When the property market takes a downturn and properties take longer to sell (unlike the crazy days of the pandemic), selling, and even buying a property at auction can offer some security. This is even more true at present when the number of property sale fall throughs are on the rise, as are the associated costs. More people are considering auctions as a viable way to buy and sell property. Here are some key reasons people chose to sell their property at auction.
Bed Bugs: Landlord or Tenant Responsibility?
With bed bugs recently making headlines, now is an opportune moment to delve deeper into this troublesome pest issue.
Similar to bacteria, bed bugs are developing resistance to commonly used chemical treatments. This resistance is compounded by increased travel post-COVID and prolonged insect lifespan due to climate change.
Costs landlords can offset against their tax
Landlords are able deduct the costs of running and maintaining their property, ultimately lowering their tax bill.
Common deductible expenses include any repair or maintenance tasks, covering everything from minor repairs to any like-for-like replacement, i.e. the new item must be similar or identical in terms of function, type and quality.
The EICR Rules for Landlords in England
Conducting an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a mandatory step before renting your property in England.
The EICR involves a thorough examination of the electrical wiring, sockets, consumer units (also known as fuse boards), and any other fixed electrical fittings within your property. As ever, it’s essential for this work to be done by a sufficiently qualified professional.
How to increase rent using the notice procedure?
This procedure is stated in Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988 and is only available for periodic assured and assured shorthold tenancies. It can’t be used for common law tenancies or during a fixed term.
You need to use the proper form of notice which is a prescribed form. These are freely available online from a reputable website. This Notice must be completed in full (see the notes with the form to help) and then served on a tenant.
Top tips to keep your home protected in winter
This article highlights the best ways to reduce the risk of future problems and unnecessary expenses with some handy advice for protecting your home in these colder months.
Our Top Tips To Attract (and Keep) Tenants
The buy-to-let sector is highly competitive and, not surprisingly, the landlords who are most successful are the ones who appreciate the importance of making their properties attractive to their desired tenant market.
What are Landlords Obligations for Legionnaires Disease?
Legionnaires’ disease is a potentially fatal form of pneumonia caused by inhaling small droplets of water containing Legionella bacteria. It can be contracted in various settings, including domestic premises.
Landlords have specific obligations to ensure the safety and well-being of their tenants. In this blog, we will explore the responsibilities of landlords concerning Legionnaires’ disease and how it impacts on them providing a safe living environment for their tenants.
Your tenants e-bike batteries could cause serious Fires!
E-bikes and e-scooters have been associated with more than a hundred fires already this year, some of which have been fatal.
The Guardian reported in May 2023 that there had been 102 fires associated with e-bikes and scooters so far, with at least 190 injured and eight people killed.
Charging Tenants For Cleaning At The End Of Their Tenancy
You cannot charge tenants for cleaning in all situations – as this would be a fee and would be in breach of the Tenants Fees legislation.
However, the tenant fees legislation does not prevent you from claiming damages for losses suffered by you due to tenants’ breach of the terms of their tenancy agreement.
Are Flats or Houses the Smarter Investment Choice?
Investing in property has long been regarded as a solid strategy for generating passive income and building long-term wealth.
One of the fundamental decisions an aspiring property investor faces though, is whether to buy an apartment or a house as a rental property.
Pests in Rented Property: Who Takes Charge?
It’s a fact of life that pests and vermin can sometimes invade your living space – whether this be annoying insects, rodents scurrying around, or other unwanted creatures. But who bears the responsibility for tackling these unwelcome guests in a rented property?
The Renters Reform Bill, What do Landlords Need to Know?
It’s been a long time coming, but the biggest legal change in a generation is finally before Parliament. Originally proposed back in 2019, the Renters Reform Bill contains sweeping and landmark reforms, aimed at improving the rental system in England.
What To Do If Your Tenant Wants to Leave Early
If your tenants have an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST), they are legally...
What To Do If A Tenant Leaves Behind Belongings
When renting out a property you will need a Tenancy Agreement which is, essentially, a document setting out rules and responsibilities that provides both the landlord and the tenant with security and peace of mind for the duration of the tenancy.
An Agreement will give specific rights to both parties, which can include the rights of the tenant to live in a property and for the landlord to receive a regular payment of rent in exchange.
Different Types Of Tenancy Explained
When renting out a property you will need a Tenancy Agreement which is, essentially, a document setting out rules and responsibilities that provides both the landlord and the tenant with security and peace of mind for the duration of the tenancy.
An Agreement will give specific rights to both parties, which can include the rights of the tenant to live in a property and for the landlord to receive a regular payment of rent in exchange.
Can You Have A Tenant Who Is Under 18 years old?
Under land law, a minor (someone under the age of 18) cannot hold a ‘legal’ interest in land and can only hold an ‘equitable’ interest.
All About Boiler Pressure
Our guide runs through everything you need to know about boiler pressure, plus our recommendations for diagnosing and fixing low or high pressure
How To Save Money On Your Energy Bills
Follow our tips and advice for straightforward ways to save energy, lower your bills and reduce your carbon footprint. It is a topic at the forefront of everyone’s mind right now and we at the Horizon Lets office have already started following these tips in our own homes:
Condensation and How To Beat It
‘Condensation dampness’ is a condition that affects millions of homes in the UK. Whether you are a Landlord or a Tenant this guide should help you control and prevent condensation and mould within your property.
Get Prepared For Making Tax Digital
Some major changes are being made to the way HMRC collects information about income from UK property from 2024 with the implementation of Making Tax Digital. This will have a huge impact on landlords – read our guide to start getting prepared.
What are Smart Meters?
Smart meters provide real time updates to energy suppliers and users in...
Rent Reductions During Covid-19
Are rent reductions an option?
Many tenants are struggling with financial problems during the Covid-19 crisis and therefore, they are asking their landlords for a rent reduction.
Every case is different – some landlords are better placed than others to be generous, and while some tenants have lost most of their income, others will have felt little if any financial impact.
Suspending or reducing the rent will be a matter for negotiation, but when landlords have decided they are going to offer financial help to their tenants there are some traps they should avoid such as:
Breaching the Tenant Fees Act 2019 or permanently reducing the rent
Lawful and Unlawful Discrimination – Tenants & Landlords
The discrimination laws apply when choosing and dealing with tenants moving in properties, so this is something which is important to know about. However, it is only unlawful discrimination which is forbidden. Some types of discrimination are acceptable and are actually advisable in certain circumstances.
This article gives a quick overview of what is and what is not unlawful… make sure you don’t fall into any of these pitfalls!
The Importance Of Building A Good Relationship With Your Tenants
In this post, we are going to discuss the benefits of building a good relationship with your tenant.
It is a well-known fact that Landlords and Agents are not on the list of highly liked people. Most of the time people think that all landlords are simply wanting to rent out rubbish properties at high prices, simply to make profit and line their pockets – hopefully once you have read this you will realise that this is not the correct assumption.
Data Protection – Our Guidance for Landlords
Data protection is something that is becoming more important as the years go on. We all know the dangers of data theft and how someone with your personal details can use this fraudulently.
The Data Protection Legislation is designed to protect data by requiring everyone who holds personal information to look after it properly.
Do I Need Landlord Insurance?
Landlord insurance can be expensive and difficult to understand… So, do...
Repairs: A Guide for Landlord & Tenants
This article is designed to tell Landlords and Tenants about the responsibilities for repairs under shorthold tenancy agreements in residential properties. Shorthold tenancy agreements are for any lease under seven years long and can include periodic tenancies where the tenant has not got a fixed term agreement and occupies the property from month to month or week to week.
