In 2009, some 13 years ago, as I write, I started ... Continue reading
Urban Myths
Wikipedia describes an urban myth as a form of modern folklore consisting of apocryphal stories believed by their tellers to be true. Landlord and tenant law is a complex and often little-understood area of law, and therefore there are quite a few urban myths.
The Landlord Law Urban Myths series is an attempt to debunk these myths and expose them for the misunderstandings and wishful thinking that they generally are.
This series of posts was originally published in 2009-2010. As there have been a number of significant changes since then, the series is being re-written and reposted.
Urban Myth – a short let cannot be an AST
This myth is based on reality and is due to the ... Continue reading
Urban Myth – Tenants who stay on after the end of their fixed term are ‘squatters’.
I come across this view sometimes. Landlords ... Continue reading
Urban Myth – you can only increase rent once a year
This is a fairly new urban myth, but several ... Continue reading
Urban Myth – you can’t have a proper tenancy without a written agreement
Things have changed slightly since I initially ... Continue reading
Urban Myth – that section 21 is always bad for tenants
It is a truth 'universally acknowledged' that ... Continue reading
Urban Myth – you shouldn’t accept rent when evicting a tenant
This is a real hangover from the past, but a ... Continue reading
Urban Myth – you don’t need to get a possession order if you use an abandonment notice
When I started acting for landlords, I had never ... Continue reading
Urban Myth – a tenant who stays in a property a long time gets special rights
I sometimes get contacted by landlords in a ... Continue reading
Urban Myth – it can’t be an HMO if all the tenants sign the same tenancy agreement
It is important to know whether you have an HMO or ... Continue reading
Urban Myth – You have GOT to evict a tenant once the s21 notice expires
This post is part of my urban myths series. You ... Continue reading
Urban Myth – you can’t serve a section 21 notice during the fixed term
Although we are told that section 21 will be ... Continue reading