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Letting agents are calling for Shelter’s charitable status to be withdrawn, and for the organisation to be reported to the Charity Commission. The call, supported by Martin & Co’s Ian Wilson, was sounded loudly and clearly in a number of comments made on LAT to our report of Shelter’s bid to get letting agent fees… Continue Reading
Category Archives: News
Leeds Council Uses Legal Loophole to Avoid Bedroom Tax
Leeds council has been using a loophole to avoid some of it’s tenants falling victim to the bedroom tax. They have reclassified more than 800 “spare” rooms in its social homes as “non-specific rooms” in order to sidestep the controversial bedroom tax. This means that tenants in affected properties are no longer classified as underoccupying their homes, and… Continue Reading
RLA Accuses Shelter of “Anti-Landlord” Campaiign
The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) has accused Shelter of playing the ‘anti-landlord card’ with its campaign to end the fees lettings agencies charge to tenants. According to the RLA, the charity’s stance will only hurt tenants, as it will lead to increasing costs for landlords, which will result in rents rising. “Once again we have Shelter… Continue Reading
Shelter says Letting Agent fees are “Out of Control”
Housing and homelessness charity, Shelter, have described the fees charged by letting agents across Britain as “out of control”, and claim that they are forcing millions into debt. It claims that on average tenants are being charged £350 for everything from fees to set up a tenancy, administration fees, holding fees, credit check fees and check-in… Continue Reading
Proud to be members of The Property Ombudsman Service
The Online Letting Agents are proud to be member of The Property Ombudsman Service. Why should you choose a letting agent who is registered with TPO? Registered agents must follow The Property Ombudsman Letting Code of Practice. This sets out the framework within which registered agents must operate and the standards of service they must… Continue Reading
A Tenant’s Guide to the Custodial Deposit Scheme
In April 2007 it became law for all assured short hold tenancy deposits taken by landlords or letting agents to be protected in a Government-authorised tenancy deposit protection scheme. The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS) runs the only custodial scheme authorised by the Government. Their custodial scheme means that your deposit is paid to the… Continue Reading
Quick Ways to Improve your Rental Property (and get it let fast!)
Studies suggest it only takes eight seconds for someone to decide if a new property is for them, and most of us can recall a place we either fell in love with at first sight, or decided instantly that it was never going to work out. Of course some houses are so picturesque that they’ll… Continue Reading
Bank of England Leaves Base Rate Unchanged!
The Bank of England has decided to keep its stimulus programme of quantitative easing (QE) unchanged and also announced today that interest rates will remain at 0.5%. The decision was widely expected, with most analysts not expecting any change in policy until the new Bank governor, Mark Carney, arrives in July. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has… Continue Reading
Councils Struggle to Cope with Demand for Emergency Payments
Following the introduction of the so-called “bedroom tax” on 1st April this year, local councils have seen a surge in demand for discretionary housing payments (DHP) leaving housing associations struggling with the additional workload. DHPs are temporary payments provided by councils in order to help cover costs when there is a change in the benefit… Continue Reading
Landlord Licensing
Nearly a third of councils in England have said they would consider introducing compulsory licensing schemes for landlords. A study by the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) and the Electrical Safety Council revealed six out of every 10 councils are already considering investing in training and support for local private landlords. Eight out of 10… Continue Reading