UPDATE ON HOUSING ACT (SCOTLAND)

AN UPDATE ON HOUSING ACT (SCOTLAND) FROM RORY COWAN OF TC YOUNG SOLICITORS

The headline grabbing part of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014, which received Royal assent on the 1st of August (the Act), is the abolition of the right to buy. Indeed, chunks of the Act deal…

Consumer Protection Legislation - Landlord's Dos and Don'ts

Landlord and Agent Duties to Tenants under Consumer Protection Legislation - Dos and Don'ts

This guide summarises the responsibilities of landlords and agents (both letting and managing agents) towards tenants and prospective tenants under European Union Consumer Protection and allied Legislation as it applies in the United Kingdom.…

Being an expat landlord can be a money-spinner or a headache - Top Tips

  In addition, when tenants move out, inventories must be carried out, repairs done and the return of the deposit negotiated. Alastair Mullen, the UK lettings manager for Hamptons International, pointed out: “Having to manage contractors from a distance is tricky, and your visits to the property itself to check…

Guest Post - Accidental Landlords – not by design, but thriving nonetheless

The return of the ‘accidental landlords’ is something that’s gained plenty of column inches within property publications over the past 18 months. But while many of us can relate to those whose hands have been forced into the rental market as a result of current market conditions, making sense of…

The fall and rise of buy-to-let

Buy-to-let is starting to look like the technology sector. In investment style they are polar opposites, of course – the one physical, unchanging and easy to understand, the other ethereal, fast-moving and based on arcane mathematical languages. Yet both have had near-death experiences that in the long run may serve…

Landlords need to access properties more frequently

As a growing number of renters seek greater security through longer-term tenancies, the Landlord Syndicate warns that many landlords are not carrying out mid-tenancy checks on their properties and tenants frequently enough, leaving them at greater risk of a dispute later down the line. A number of incidents have recently…

Tenant Information Packs to be introduced in Scotland on 1st May 2013

The Scottish Government has made an Order (The Tenant Information Packs (Assured Tenancies) (Scotland) Order 2013) confirming the introduction of Tenant Information Packs from 1 May 2013. This pack is in a standardised form as approved by the Scottish Government. Whilst this may seem an extra burden to landlords and…

Cleaning costs most friction between landlords and tenants

Cleaning continues to be the most common cause of a dispute between UK private landlords and tenants, according to new statistics from the Tenant Deposit Scheme (TDS). It accounted for 52% if disputes in 2011/2012 compared with 49% in 2010/2011. Damage to property is the next most common cause at…

Guest Post - Tips for choosing flooring in rental property

If you are having difficulties renting out your property, you might want to take a long hard look at your interior. Assuming the property is priced competitively, there are a number of renovation works that can completely transform your interior and make the property more attractive to more…

Scottish Government offers landlords up to £500 towards energy efficiency measures

The Scottish Government is offering owner occupiers, private and social tenants and private sector landlords up to £500 towards energy efficiency measures that are recommended in either the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) or Green Deal assessment. In addition to this £500, you will also be entitled to claim up to £100…