You may think “this is a bit early for a year-end roundup?”
The reason is that we are now closing down the blog for a few weeks while it is moved over to a new host – the ‘Rainmaker platform’.
This will allow me to do more, in particular with our podcasts, plus there are a few other things we are considering. It’s all very exciting. It’s my Christmas Project.
In the meantime here is this loooong post to give you something to read over the holiday.
Enjoy!
January
January started with the introduction to Ben’s brilliant ‘Grounds for Eviction’ series of posts looking at all the different grounds in the Housing Act 1988. although I chip in with this post on mandatory and discretionary grounds.
I wrote about a widespread illegal practice being carried out by the Sheriffs, announce that my free rent arrears guide for landlords now has its own mini-site, Ben writes about asylum seekers and council houses and I publish this fantastic video about the self-builders in Walters Way in South London.
Ben’s Newsround started off with a bang looking back to his time in music and conspiracy theories, but later he confesses that he doesn’t like DJs.
In the blog clinic, a French family complain about being tied to a three year fixed term, a landlord wants to keep the sale of his tenanted property a secret from his tenants and a victim of illegal subletting asks what his rights are.
February
The Right to Rent checks came in, in February and I did a long post giving tips for landlords. I also did posts on letting to tenants with pets, and on why landlords refuse to let to DSS/Benefit tenants.
We had an interesting case report of a county court case where an award was made against letting agents who had failed to check prospective tenants properly.
In one of his newsrounds, Ben discussed a weird case of origami, discusses how holiday lets are leaching rented homes off the market in London and reached ground 5 in the grounds for possession.
Blog clinic questions included a landlord by purchase wanting to evict a sitting tenant without any paperwork, whether agents can claim commission where they were introduced by a relative of the buyer, tenants wanting to know if the landlord could increase their rent if they did the property up, and a landlord unable to recover money from the DPS after two years.
And finally – this blog was officially 10 years old on 17 February!
March
I offer a free eviction checklist, look at whether HMO landlords need to provide an EPC for room rentals, publish a podcast interview of John Stewart of the RLA, and consider how much it costs to evict a tenant.
The long-running Sherrif problem (originally raised by Nearly Legal) is sorted, although the real problem remains.
Ben confesses that he is a reluctant TV star, and covers the important grounds for eviction – ground 8 and ground 9,
Blog clinic questions include a single Mum wanting to speed up the eviction of her tenant, and landlords options when tenants stay on after saying they were going to leave.
April
I attend the ARLA Conference 2016, discuss liens, forfeiture and why one-word answers are not always possible, report on a new case which confirms that tenants cannot end a tenancy just by moving out, and give three top tactics to prevent tenants going into arrears.
Ben starts his diary of a house hunter series, continues to waver over the EU referendum and reaches ground 12 in the grounds for eviction series.
Blog clinic questions include whether a tenancy can be renewed if just one person signs the electronic renewal form, how this tenant can find out who his landlord is, advice to a tenant on her £4,700 costs bill, and whether electrical devices need to be tested in rented properties.
May
I interview David Cox of ARLA, discuss 3 ways we could deal with the scandal of empty homes, raise some question marks over the dismantling of our social housing, and give five tips on avoiding unfair terms when amending tenancy agreements.
Ben wonders whether we are all trespassers on someone else’s land, gives us part 2 of his diary of a house hunter, and reaches ground 15 (deterioration of furniture) in his grounds for eviction.
Ben also asks if Judges are making mistakes with possession orders on a massive scale and I describe 3 ways fraudsters can target landlords property.
Blog clinic questions include whether a landlord can build a house in his tenants garden, what to do when tenants who have paid rent in advance split up,
June
I do an explanatory article on prescribed information, report on Mark Alexanders great West Bromwich mortgage victory, and how greedy agents and being challenged by their landlords.
In the grounds for eviction series Ben looks at ground 16 – premises let to employees, and misses his Misses in his newsround.
I interview David Lawrenson on renting and tenants and we publish a video showing how the housing crisis is critical in Oxford
Blog clinic questions include serving legal proceedings on tenants who don’t leave a forwarding address, whether letting agents can insist on using their keys for inspections with new tenants, and the options for tenants suffering damp and mould due to structural problems.
July
I learn of a consumer group looking to take action on illegal agents fees to tenants, the Supreme Court give their decision in the case of Kumarasamy v. Edwards, and we publish a video of our Manchester Conference.
Later I consider which letting fees are actually illegal, and read a House of Lords report on housebuilding..
Ben takes a look at s21 and the Homelessness code of guidance, reports on a new subletting scam,
I stand in for Ben in the Newsround, interview some landlords at the Esses Property Network meeting, and report on landlords serving illegal penalty notices on tenants who don’t move out.
Blog clinic questions include looking at whether the landlord, tenant or agent is in charge, a landlord threatening to withhold the deposit, and a tenant wanting her money back after moving out of a property affected with damp and mould.
August
I interview James Davis of Upad, set out why I think agents should not charge fees to tenants, watch a Channel 4 Dispatches program which blows the gaff on failed government housing promises, and report on a new Homelessness report from MPs which has impractical recommendations.
Ben writes about potential problems with the Homelessness Reduction Bill, asks how County Court Closures will affect housing cases, and writes his third Diary of a House Hunter.
Blog clinic questions include a tenant asking if her landlord can reduce the notice period he gives, advice on whether a tenant will succeed in her deposit claim,and whether a tenant can claim compensation for a horrendous flat.
September
I announce a new legal kit, report on fake landlord scammers targeting students, give three myths and misconceptions about rent to rent, and consider the National Trusts priorities as landlord.
I start a series on tenant penalites for breaching tenant rules and look at rent arrears. I also announce a free kit on HMO issues.
Blog clinic questions include whether a landlord is obliged to re-wire an outbuilding, the validity of extra charges made by a landlord, a landlord’s rights against her incompetent letting agents and whether a disabled tenant has the right to purchase the freehold.
October
I report on Welsh landlords failing to register with Rent Smart Wales as the deadline draws near, my Your Law Store site is upgraded, and I look at how to deal with defaulting letting agents.
The tenant penalties for breaching tenancy rules looks at pets, and changing locks and I start a new series on Airbnb lettings. I also report on the 10 most popular posts on this blog in the past year.
Ben has some shocking news on section 21 notices, and wonders whether the homelessness, discrimination and right to rent regulations are incompatible.
Blog clinic questions include a landlord holding the deposit for damage due to a neighbouring property, whether a new freeholder / leaseholder can change the outside lock of a property without consent.
November
I report on a new case on letting agent fees and transparency, give some top tips on choosing tenants from industry experts, finish my Airbnb series and publish my first lunchtime surgery podcast with Ben Beadle of TDS.
Ben learns of the bogus eviction solicitor scam, and shows the shocking stats which reveal the true cause of increasing homelessness.
My Landlord Law site has a new tenancy timeline, I report on the HMO licensing consultation, explain the new right to rent rules coming into force on 1 December and suggest that the great letting agent fee ban could be good for some agents.
Blog clinic questions include a question on letting agent fees to a landlord, whether a landlord can claim checkout fees from the tenant if they did not pay for one, whether a landlord can claim rent after the fixed term if the tenant has moved out and whether a landlord can refuse to claim under his insurance for lost keys.
December
A short month on the blog.
I interview David Lawrenson on referencing tenants, explain why you don’t HAVE to serve a s21 notice on a rent day, and list our top 12 posts on tenancy agreements. And do this post of course.
Ben gives his final newsround of the year.
Blog clinic questions consider what a tenant can do if the landlord refuses to repair the back door lock.
And that’s it!
A lot of reading for you!
Ben and I wish you all the best for a happy Christmas and we will be back with a new upgraded website in January 2017.
When you look at 2016, month by month there were actually a number of key changes as you’ve outlined. So whats happening this year you may wonder? The tax relief that landlords of residential properties get for finance costs will be restricted to the basic rate of Income Tax, this will be phased in from April 2017. Finance costs won’t be taken into account to work out taxable property profits. Instead, once the Income Tax on property profits and any other income sources has been assessed, your Income Tax liability will be reduced by a basic rate ‘tax reduction’. For most landlords, this’ll be the basic rate value of the finance costs.