Landlords

Tenancy deposits in 2026: 8 rules landlords must know

Most landlords know they have to protect a tenant's deposit. Far fewer know exactly how the rules have shifted since the Renters' Rights Act took effect in May 2026, or how much a small paperwork slip can now cost them. Deposit protection was never option...

Awaab's Law: what it means for private landlords

Social landlords in England have been working to strict legal deadlines for fixing damp, mould and other serious hazards since 27th October 2025. Private landlords are not yet covered by the same rules, but that is likely to change. A cross-party group of ...

Right to rent checks are changing this October

Every landlord in England already knows they have to check a tenant's right to rent before handing over the keys. What is changing is not the duty itself but how some of those checks are carried out. The Home Office has published a new Code of Practice for...

Rent guarantors and the Renters' Rights Act: what's changed

The government has started telling landlords to go back through their guarantor agreements and check whether they still do what they were meant to. It is easy to see why a guarantee signed a couple of years ago, tucked away with the rest of the tenancy pap...

The Private Rented Sector Database: your FAQs answered

The Renters Rights Act reshaped evictions and tenancy structures from 1st May 2026, but its next big landmark for landlords is a digital one: the Private Rented Sector Database. The government has now confirmed a phased rollout from late 2026, with full na...

Section 21 notice pending? Deadline is 31 July

If you served a Section 21 notice on a tenant before the Renters' Rights Act changed the rules on 1st May 2026, and that tenant is still in the property, the clock is louder than you might think. You now have until 31st July 2026 to get your court claim is...

Selective licensing: MPs want tougher council powers

A report from the House of Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee, published in early July 2026, has reopened the debate over how much power councils should have to license rented homes. The cross-party committee wants selective...

Renting with pets: the rules landlords keep getting wrong

Since 1st May 2026, tenants in England have had a legal right to ask to keep a pet, and landlords cannot refuse without a reasonable reason. That much is well known. What is less well known, even among some paid-for landlord template services, is exactly h...

How to switch letting agents without the hassle

Landlords switch letting agents for all sorts of reasons: poor communication, fees that have crept up over the years, or simply finding a service that suits how you want to manage your let. Whatever the reason, the process is usually far less disruptive th...