Why More Buy to Let Landlords Means More Landlord Licensing Schemes

David Lawrenson of LettingFocus notes the big rise in buy to let lending and how everyone wants to be a landlord now. Plus he fears an increase in the regulatory burden. Many years ago and time and again I predicted that the private rented sector (PRS) would grow bigger than social housing. And many times I was shouted down by […]

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Rip Off Letting Agency Fees and Tenants

Banning landlords and letting agents from charging fees to tenants simply highlights the fact that many tenants don’t know their consumer rights. Government and local government should be doing more to help tenants and landlords know their rights instead of introducing unnecessary new legislation says David Lawrenson of www.LetttingFocus.com Often tenants are charged for referencing, credit check and inventory costs […]

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London Living Rent, Landlord Accreditation and Ken and Boris

David Lawrenson of LettingFocus worries about Ken Livingston’s idea of rent controls and says that that accreditation and registration schemes for landlords are not needed because the vast majority of landlord and tenants enjoy good relations and the minority of rogue landlords will never register anyway. Oh dear, oh dear, I spend a nice day at a CIH Conference telling […]

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Private Rented Sector Schemes, Local Letting Agencies and Private Landlords

In the housing strategy papers of many a local authority the private rented sector can still be something of an afterthought – often tucked away on page 94 along with Dave Spart and ColemanBalls. (Private Eye Joke) This is quite curious and may reflect either the previous small size of the private rented sector or a genuine lack of understanding […]

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Landlord Register Scrapped and No More Regulation Of Letting Agents

News has just come in that the national landlords register proposed by the last government has been scrapped for England and Wales. I thought the register  might not be a bad idea if it was set up right, unlike the pre-existing Scottish scheme. See my comments on how the scheme north of the border seemed to be a pretty hopeless, […]

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