Tenant Fees Act comes into force on 1st June 2019 affecting all Landlords in the private rental sector in England.
Latest News
More rent deposit disputes are resolved early
The number of rent deposit disputes between landlords and tenants that are being resolved before they reach the final adjudication process has increased, according to a report by the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS).
Predicted rental increases as landlords plan to sell up
A survey carried out by the Residential Landlord’s Association (RLA) has revealed that more than one in four landlords will sell at least one of their properties over the next year. This exodus from the buy-to-let sector is thought to be fuelled by rising property prices coupled with unfavourable legislation, encouraging landlords to cash in on their gains.
High Courts burdened with DIY Will disasters
The number of inheritance disputes reaching the High Courts has jumped 62% in two years.
Record inheritance tax receipts for the treasury
The taxman enjoyed a record £5.4 billion of inheritance tax receipts in the last financial year: an increase of 3.1% on the previous year. Insurer Canada Life predicts this figure will grow to £10 billion by 2030 as a result of the stagnant nil-rate band which isn’t keeping pace with inflation. Whilst the £325,000 allowance […]
More leaseholders may get the ‘right to manage’
MA consultation launched by the Law Commission in December has considered how ‘right to manage’ legislation can be made quicker, simpler and more accessible for leasehold property owners. The Commission proposed various reforms to current legislation and is now considering responses to the consultation questions raised. Historically, buildings consisting of many leasehold properties would be […]
Greater protection for tenants with the end of no-fault evictions
Greater protection for tenants with the end of no-fault evictions The Government has announced plans to scrap ‘no fault’ evictions with a new open-ended rental system envisaged. Such a system could mirror that introduced in Scotland two years ago and systems already operating in other European countries. Currently most renters take an Assured Shorthold Tenancy […]
Leaseholders to benefit from closure of legal loophole
According to figures in The Times 5.3 million (21%) homes in England and Wales are leasehold, meaning the property is not owned outright but is instead ‘leased’ from the freeholder, typically for a lengthy term. In a leasehold arrangement there will usually be a contract between leaseholder and freeholder which sets out the legal rights […]
Make a Will Southport
April is a great month to have your Will written by Southport Solicitors, Breens. In return for a donation to Queenscourt Hospice, Breens will write your Will so you can protect your family and loved ones while helping to raise funds for your local hospice. Why make a Will? If you die without having […]
New Rules on Tenant Deposits
Under the new Tenant Fees Act, damage deposits taken at the start of a tenancy will be capped. There are also new rules around holding deposits. Landlords and letting agents need to take heed of the changes, or it could prove costly. What do the new laws say? The Tenant Fees Bill is set to […]
Tenant Fees Will Soon Be Banned
The new Tenant Fees Bill is set to be introduced this summer. Here’s a brief run-down of what’s changing, when, and what breaching the news laws could mean for landlords and letting agents. What’s changing? Until now, landlords and letting agents have been able to charge tenants additional fees for things such as references, credit […]
Proposals to protect new-build buyers
Advisory body the Home Owners Alliance has recommended that buyers of new-build homes should be able to retain 2.5% of the purchase price for the first six months to cover the cost of snagging defects. The body’s chief executive said that the proposal “would create a powerful incentive for builders to put problems right”. Such […]
No stamp duty surcharge for derelict second homes
A tax tribunal has ruled that buyers Paul and Nikki Bewley do not need to pay the 3% second home surcharge on the purchase of a derelict property that took place in 2017. Since April 2016 if a buyer already owns a property and purchases another, the stamp duty rates on the second purchase are […]
Welsh assembly raise care savings limit to £50,000
From the 8th April 2019, people living in Wales will have to pay the full cost of their own residential care only if they have assets of more than £50,000. Welsh ministers increased the capital limit by £10,000 only 12 months after it rose from £30,000 to £40,000. The capital limit determines whether a person […]
House of Lords Committee brand probate fee hike a ‘misuse of power’
Government plans to increase probate fees have been branded by the House of Lords Committee as a ‘misuse of power’. The fee increases have been proposed to address the £1.2 billion annual deficit for running the courts. The cost of applying for probate is currently £215 (or £155 if a solicitor is used) regardless of […]
Son disinherited in favour of younger lover
An Oxford don who has been left out of his mother’s estate in favour of her younger lover has embarked on a court battle against a firm of solicitors. Distinguished physician Jean Weddell left the majority of her estate to her civil partner Wendy Cook, excluding her son Christopher Gosden altogether. Mr Gosden who is […]
Architect’s friends fight over her £67m fortune
When Dame Zaha Hadid died in March 2016, she left generous financial gifts to her friends, family and even her employees – but her benevolence has been overshadowed by a fierce squabble between the executors. Dame Zaha was one of Britain’s best known architects with her prestigious portfolio including the Riverside Museum in Glasgow and […]
April 2019: Controversial probate fee rises
Bereaved families will face soaring probate fees from April 2019 under new plans revealed by the Ministry of Justice. Reforms to probate fees have been the subject of consultation since 2016 and a year later the first proposals, which included a charge of £20,000 for estates worth £2 million or more, were met with outcry. […]
Property hijacking – and how you can reduce the risk
A woman who put her parents’ flat on the market while her father was temporarily in a care home and her stepmother was in the Caribbean visiting a sick relative has been handed a three year prison sentence. 52 year old Valerie Edwards put the property, valued at £340,000, on the market during Spring last year […]
Inheritance disputes on the rise
The number of inheritance disputes is soaring thanks to inflated property prices, complex family structures, a challenging financial climate and an ageing population. According to Ministry of Justice figures, the High Court considered 145 inheritance claims last year – three times more than a decade earlier. These figures do not represent the true number of cases as […]
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