Landlord & Buy-to-Let Magazine Issue 69, November 2016 | Page 3

06 Rental supply slowdown face rent 18 Tenants rises over tax hike It pays just fine. Bringing more shared homes into the mandatory HMO licensing will add to the administrative burdens of law abiding landlords but it is a widely supported move. 78 per cent of respondents to the government’s recent consultation paper supported the move to expand licensing to all shared homes instead of restricting licensing to certain configuration of floors. Gone will be much of the confusion over whether a HMO needs to be licensed or not and an estimated 174,000 more homes are likely to be more rigorously managed and maintained. Criminal record checks will be conducted of those seeking to license shared homes and a database will help councils root out repeat offenders who could face unlimited fines and rent confiscations. Too often we read about criminals acting as landlords, who cram vulnerable people into unsafe and unsavoury property, getting away with it for decades and being fined much less than a years rent. Nobody wants criminals to operate within the sector and tougher penalties combined with properly resourced enforcement will be welcomed by most. But still the government talks of ‘rogue’ landlords like they are normal landlords who gone awry. These criminals are just that - criminals. They flout the law, putting Published by: Issue 69 November 2016 ISSN 1753-2744 Wealth Media LLP t/a PropertyNet.media 117 Chestergate Macclesfield Cheshire SK11 6DP t: 01625 511151 Subscribe free and view back issues www.landlordnet.co.uk IN THIS ISSUE ... 2–24 Industry news including: • M embership goal for campaigning Wiltshire lettings agency • Property named most lucrative investment • Wembley landlord fined £40K for squeezing 24 tenants into house for 7 • Tenant tax judicial review bid fails but campaign rolls on 16 Coventry Landlord & Letting Show 2016 peoples’ lives at risk, for criminal gain knowing that even the heaviest current fines will hardly dent their gains. Those who behave in such activity are highly likely to be tax evaders and are also likely to be involved in mortgage or other fraudulent or criminal activity. Perhaps it's time for local authorities to call in the police and tax authorities to target these offenders? The government owes it to tenants and law abiding landlords to send a clear message that ‘IT DOESN’T PAY TO BE A CRIMINAL LANDLORD’. Sadly, right now, it does pay. 20 Landlord & Letting Awards Finalists Revealed 26  Ask Tom – Joint Tenancy SOCIAL MEDIA ... Get up-to-date news and join in with debates surrounding all of the industry's hottest topics ... Join the 'PropertyNet.media' Group Follow @PropertyNetGang Oliver Romain, Editor Like 'PropertyNet.media' Sales Director Mark Hutchinson [email protected] Customer Services Jenni Hutchinson [email protected] Advertising Roy Parrish [email protected] Editor Oliver Romain [email protected] Administrator Alan Mellor [email protected] Credit Control Kathryn Evans [email protected] Registered as a magazine © Wealth Media LLP. All rights reserved. Neither this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without prior permission of Wealth Media LLP. Landlord & Buy-to-Let magazine are registered trademarks of Wealth Media LLP. First published in 2007. Landlord & Buy-to-Let Issue 69 • November 2016 1