Monthly Archives: December 2012

Direct Payment of Benefits Pilot Scheme Statistics Released

The direct payment of benefits scheme is being tested by landlords across Great Britain in six pilot projects. 6,200 tenants were paid directly in the first four months of the pilot project, according to figures released by the Department for Work and Pensions.  On average, 92% of rent was collected, meaning that 8% of those tenants… Continue Reading

Boris Johnson unveils the London Rental Standard

Boris Johnson unveiled the London Rental Standard (LRS), which he described as a set of ambitious guidelines that would empower those in the private rental sector, as well as tenants in the city. The LRS is a set of uniform standards and regulations for letting agents and landlords in the capital, and contains 12 criteria… Continue Reading

Landlord Fined For Endangering Tenants

Landlord, Mehmet Parlak, has pleaded guilty at Highgate Magistrates Court to management failures and not licensing his properties. He endangered the lives of children by placing them at fire risk has been fined £23,000 with costs of £2,890. Mehmet Parlak is the owner of Watchacre Properties Ltd which let Markfield Lodge on Markfield Road, London… Continue Reading

Labour calls for stability in the PRS

In the policy review document entitled Private rented housing: providing stability and affordability for renters and families, launched today, Labour argued that the private sector should give stability and financial certainty to private renters by offering predictable rents over a long period. Around 8.5 million people in England rent privately, including more than one million families… Continue Reading

Housing Benefit bills Set to Soar

Despite efforts by the government to cut payments, the housing benefit bill is set to soar, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility. The independent body, which monitors the UK’s finances, has radically altered its modelling for changes in housing benefit demands. In March it predicted costs would fall by £300 million in 2012/13 and… Continue Reading

Lenders Refuse Landlords with Benefit Tenants

The YBS mortgage service, Accord, has revealed that it did not lend to landlords with tenants in receipt of benefits after questioning by the landlord and buy-to-let consultant David Lawrenson. The terms and conditions of the BM Solutions mortgage policy similarly did not enable borrowers to let their property to tenants claiming housing benefit, although it is… Continue Reading

LandlordZONE win award at Landlord & Buy to Let Awards

Against stiff competition from some of the leading UK rental property industry providers on the Internet, LandlordZONE once again walked away with the prestigious “Website and Information” category award at the Landlord and Buy to Let Show, held last week in Coventry. Awards were presented to a host of leading industry suppliers at the award… Continue Reading