Newsletter Intro

A quiet month, maybe the lull before the Renters Rights storm – who knows. But forget about all of that and join us worrying about tax at our meeting this month, you know you will enjoy it…..  (OK, maybe not, but we aim to help you find a solution that works for you).

Traditionally, many of us take stock over Christmas and New Year—reviewing our goals, assessing our properties, and making sure the way we run things still makes sense. But this year, it might be wise to bring that reflection forward. 

After a deceptively quiet summer, the pace of change has accelerated. From new tax rules (and what's being taxed) to shifting compliance requirements and evolving attitudes toward tenure, the landscape is moving fast. Staying aligned with your objectives now means staying ahead of the curve.

Next month, we'll be diving into two major developments:

• 📜 The Renters' Rights Bill, set to further reshape the lettings landscape
• 📊 Our detailed guide to Making Tax Digital, tailored for landlords

So grab a coffee and a pastry, block out a couple of hours in your diary, and take a moment to read through the latest updates. It's the perfect time to ask: What do I need to do differently?

As a student landlord for the past 20 years, June-October has been my busiest time of year. Organising trades, upgrading, refurbishing, sorting gardens and a plethora of other tasks - if this is you, you have my respect. Personally, having just completed the switch away from student letting I am sitting here quietly, late in July, listening to the rain - I had forgotten how nice it is to have a reduction in activity in the summer.

But anyway - the news keeps coming, Renters Rights never made it - perhaps next year, HMOs are disappearing at an alarming rate (local politicians will not believe it, but it is true). we had a party and have some lovely photos - do have a look if you missed it, Southampton joined the club and the law is not fit for purpose when it comes to letting. Read on for all of this and more.

Halfway through the year - quiet for some  but getting to the  busy time for student landlords, we all have different business models and modes of operation despite some authorities assuming we all do everything the same way. But anyway, however busy you are we do hope you find some time to enjoy the summer weather this month (and to read all the new regulatory updates!)

And remember,  we celebrate 40 years of representing local landlords on July 14th at The Queens Hotel, do look out for your invitation and join us - we aim to raise £1,000 for the Lord Mayors Appeal so don't spend everything on property maintenance this summer!

No grand ideas or major panics this month – but a petition you need to sign (see Simons pickle piece) and  lots of 'work' to be done from preparing to Make Tax Digital to taking care of your council tax obligations, worrying about valuations and making better use of technology.  Do let us know how you get on.

Happy Birthday to us! 40 years old - thanks to all of our members who do so much to help us all grow our businesses and make it easier for us to succeed providing homes for those who need them.

If you can make it to this months meeting it is recommended you do – we have a complete amateur talking heat pumps and a genuine expert on HHSRS.

Don't forget our PAT course this month on the 26^th – book here, there was a bad link last month, but fixed now and we do need a couple more attendees to justify the expense, so do come along if you may wish to do your own testing or if you just need a refresher on how to do it.

And mark your diary for our April meeting – it will be our 40^th birthday and we intend to celebrate the way that 40-year-olds normally do…

Lots of news this month plus we have scheduled more PAT equipment and usage training (see below if interested) and note that we have a pro forma letter for members to use if tenants are told to sit tight and wait for the bailiffs when a Section 21 has been correctly served, find it here.

And do not forget, if you cannot make it to one of our meetings, we always record, edit and load them onto our website 4-5 days after the event – you may find the edited version more informative than attending in person, Allan Wadsworth adds so much extra after he has filmed it. Having said that, he is away for the next 2 months so if you can, attend in person until his return.

Happy New Year!  Something for everyone this month. Two articles from MFB on SDLT and the outlook for the year and one from Carianne at Applecore for those with or considering HMOs. The anonymous agent is back - talking about extension leads this month and we have news of Portsmouth Council debates and plans. On a lighter note, some incriminating Christmas photos from last months meeting and ahead of the meeting this month – please complete our 2 minute survey so we can gauge your Proptech (property technology) usage and needs, click here / go on – do it now.  

December already - where did the year go?  A few interesting news items this month - we hope you find them of value. And do please join us at our Christmas 'social' meeting at the Innlodge on the 9th.  Happy Holidays! 

Capital Gains Tax increases in the budget caused a lot of worry this month, but as it transpired, the Chancellor appears to have accepted research from the NRLA on the impact of such changes – so good news for landlords at least on that point. Our friends at MFB have written an article for us with a much fuller analysis of the changes, plus we have our accountant at our next meeting so do come along.

Also, this month, a couple of items with an economic bent, one on the real cost of affordable housing is a recommended read – what do you think an 'affordable house' is and who do you think pays for it?

And finally, various member offers and requests this month including a broad range of additional discounts for members from B&Q – full details here. And if you don't have a PDPLA TradePoint card, apply for it here.

The big news this month is the Renters Rights Bill proposed for next year.  Like the Rental Reform Bill before it, there is a long path from here to the statute books and changes are likely - but we have several articles this month outlining what it may mean for you and our main speaker at our next meeting, Tim Thomas of Propertymark, will also be talking about it. We have also created a 'hot topic' on the bill - your go to resource for all the latest news, analysis and explanations on the subject.  See it here.

Hopefully something for everyone in this issue - from advice on housing the homeless to mortgages, student rent levels, retrofit finance and issues with detached tenants.  

Welcome to August – the busiest month of the year for student landlords and the exact opposite for everyone else. Last months comments on Kristallnacht generated debate – potentially a good thing – see my open letter to councillors aimed at encouraging balance in future comments. We also had a General Election, seems long ago – see the guidance to new MP's from one of our Havant based members.

The latest version of the Portsmouth Local Plan is out for consultation – do comment if you have a view, plus we have had a number of successes with HMOs where requests to reduce the number of rooms and similar have been retracted, so do continue to share experience on our closed Facebook page. (Tip from yesterday's planning meeting – if you want to get planning approval for your HMO, pop a Harrier Jump Jet in the forecourt, it will sail through the process).

MFB (you may remember PDPLA  Zoom calls with Jeni during Covid) have agreed to give us monthly mortgage news going forward, so get your first fix here. And any members who need to stock up for refurbs or updates over the summer, be aware that your B&Q TradePoint card will get you an extra 10% in addition to the normal discount this weekend. Full details here. 

Please note our July meeting is cancelled. It was planned as a joint meeting with the NRLA but due to an internal re-organisation, they have been unable to provide speakers and at short notice, we decided it would be more sensible to cancel than to meet without a presentation or news of some form. We have arranged an August meeting and are hoping that by then, we will be in a position to discuss the political landscape for the next Parliament. 

Can you believe how much housing has improved in the lifetime of some of our older members?  If you do not think it has, read the housing standards article submitted by a member and watch this BBC video.    That aside, if you have flat fronted properties do read the item on waste and HMO landlords need to check for killer loo seats...

The clocks have gone back, spring Equinox and Easter are past, the tax year is about to end - is that summer we hear coming or a whole new tranche of regulations in the form of the Renters Reform Bill? 

Having retired Charlotte (did she ever exist, was she just another AI - no, she is real and all of her blogs are still available on our website), we have recruited a local letting agent for our monthly blog. We wanted to call him the angry agent as he always seems angry but apparently, that made him angry - so let me introduce you to 'The Anonymous Agent' - do let us know what you would like us to ask his opinion on next month.

Reminder: We send members a weekly email of properties wanted – I know each week seems to generate even more desperate tenants than the last. Look on it positively, yes, it is dire for tenants but that is not our fault and we can only help as many as we have houses for. However, please do not forward the list to non-members – that helps no one. Prospective tenants know that we are private landlords who self-manage in accordance with the PDPLA Code of Conduct – if others respond to these requests offering properties that are not as well managed, it damages us all.  

January is finally over / hoping February will be warmer, brighter and less expensive for local landlords (maybe its the tax bill at the end of the month - but even without that, it always seems to be an expensive month for repairs and maintenance for me). 

As mentioned last month, Charlotte will not be blogging this year (moved on to better things) but the good news is that starting next month, we have an anonymous letting agent who is going to spill the beans on why some tenants just amaze you.

Do join us at one of our meetings this month - come and meet our AI Chatbot..... 

Apologies... we short-changed you with our first sending of this newsletter! We're sending it again, but this time with ALL our news articles...

Happy New Year - let's hope 2024 brings some positive news for local landlords, it certainly feels as if it is due.

No blog from Charlotte this month - she is having a well earned rest but we do have 2 articles from members on their recent experiences (sadly both driven by licensing and neither positive - but it is what it is) - hopefully the good news this year will be that we can find time to focus on providing good homes for good tenants instead of worrying about such things.   

In Portsmouth city,  where winter winds blow, 

Let's sing a song of praise, with hearts a-glow. 

Residential landlords, in the spirit of cheer, 

For a year of hard work, we applaud with cheer.

In cozy homes, they weave a warm embrace, 

Providing shelter, a comforting space. 

Families nestled, safe and sound, 

In the heart of Portsmouth, joy abounds.

Economy thriving, a local boon, 

Landlords' efforts beneath the winter moon. 

With every tenant, a community grows, 

As prosperity through the city flows.

Houses once worn, now gleam anew, 

Landlords working hard, a dedicated crew. 

Improving stock, with each passing year, 

A gift to the town, spreading festive cheer.

So here's to the landlords, with hearts so kind, 

For the homes they provide, for the ties that bind. 

In Portsmouth's embrace, a Christmas delight, 

A toast to you all, on this winter's night.

Merry Christmas to the landlords fair, 

Whose generosity fills the crisp winter air. 

In Portsmouth's glow, under starry skies, 

Cheers to you, with gratitude in our eyes.

Well - at least ChatGPT understands our value even if no one else does. Merry Christmas everyone!

A good month for local landlords.  Over the past 4-5 years Alwin Oliver has led the charge for mediation and housing court reform and last week, the threat  of Section 21 removal before these occurred was finally removed with the 2nd reading of the Renters Reform Bill. Our national successes don't end there - disaggregation is no more thanks to the campaign ably led by Daryn Brewer. Thank you both.  Now we just need to simplify and improve the Portsmouth HMO Licensing schemes and we will have a full set!

Do come along to one of our meetings this month if you can, book the landlord fire safety training if this is an area where you need to brush up and if you are subject to licencing in the city, do head to our Hot Topics page for latest details. And holiday lets? If that is you, Charlotte's Blog is a must read this month as the new regulations are severe.

Is this the calm before the storm or are we shipwrecked and stranded on a remote island? It is hard to tell sometimes - but while we ponder, we share our thoughts on the new licensing pricing, fire regulations, the many questions around 257 properties (that's Charlotte this month) and recent changes in government plans and how they affect us - do try and come to one of our meetings in October and let us know what you think, and check out why Boswells are better than best in one persons opinion.

After our biggest ever turnout for a member meeting in August – a month when normally we don't meet as no one is around and those who are, are too busy preparing their student or their holiday lets, hopefully normality returns this month. Charlotte has some positive news on that front. Sadly however, we have no news on Additional Licencing – we had asked that the name of the 'grace period' be changed to protect us from Rent Repayment Order requests and for applications to be allowed ahead of the start of the scheme but so far, all requests to PCC seem to have fallen on deaf ears.  

If you missed the announcement, we have a meeting this month.  PCC Private Sector Housing have kindly agreed to come along and take members through what they need to do when applying for a licence for their small HMOs.  As promised we now have a page dedicated to Additional Licensing with lots of useful information, see the 'Hot Topics' banner below or go to the member page on the website.

And if you need to get your accreditation CPD points up - do please book on our course in September (details below).

And finally, Charlotte has finally gone over to the dark side (or maybe it is not Charlotte at all...)

If your properties are outside of the city - good news - there is nothing to report this month. Just relax, carry on as usual and enjoy the summer.

Sadly, for those with properties within the Portsmouth city boundaries - particularly if they are HMOs - you probably need to read on.

Either way, we have posted the excellent session from last months meeting on how to stop being a landlord and Charlotte's bad luck continues....

A mixed bag this month - updates on both topics from our meeting last month with more detail on incorporation and updates on grants available to landlords 'greening' their properties plus an interesting view on the impact of the Renters Reform Bill on student landlords and some good advice from members whose properties have been inspected recently. 

A mixed bag this month - as ever not enough good news, but it is what it is - better to be well informed and ready for it than taken by surprise as one local landlord was when he received a 'Rent Repayment Order' for £35,000 from his apparently contented prior tenants, only to be then hit with £20,000 in penalties by PCC - but more on that one next month.

Most members who have attended meetings will know Charles Burns - so if you have not heard the sad news,  it saddens me to be sharing it.  

We hope to see you at one of our meetings this month or at a landlord training session soon. 

Welcome to April - hopefully we will have some nice spring weather for Easter and you will all be able to find time to enjoy it.

Whatever tenure you focus on, the busy time of year is approaching. If you have holiday lets, make sure you read Charlotte's Blog this month and if you have student lets or other property that needs PAT testing, we just completed our 4th training session this winter - if you still want to attend, whether to learn how to use or remind yourself of what you have forgotten, our last course before the autumn will be at the end of May, so do look out for it. 

And for those unfortunate enough to need to start eviction proceedings  - do see the comments from Warren on local changes.

A diverse bag of news this month – the disaggregation consultation is now live, please respond to it; we are running another PAT testing course; we continue to hear horror stories about homeless students – the Uni assure us there is no problem, so if you have any desperate students looking for accommodation, please point them at Student Housing at the Uni; last month we had an excellent legal update at our meeting from Robert Bolwell plus news on everything from 257's and Licensing to the Renters Reform Bill and Disaggregation – see it here; this month we have more on the disaggregation consultation and everything you need to know about asbestos – so do attend if you can.  

Happy New Year! May 2023 be good for you (but we suggest you read the terms and conditions before you jump right in after the past couple of years…).

Some good news this month – Making Tax Digital has been delayed further, so you can breathe a sigh of relief – but generally, the impetus is on us to up our game, see Charlotte's Blog for her approach to this.

And if you can, do try and join us at our meeting next week when our friends from PCC join us – it should be a good discussion on why we need to improve property standards in the city. 

Seeing it is the holiday season we thought a newsletter not focussed on regulatory changes was in order....

Sadly, it seems the powers that be did not get the memo.

So do keep up with all the changes (or quit as that seems the only viable, legal alternative) but also, make some time to celebrate with family and friends and do try and join us at one of our events this month.

Happy Holidays from PDPLA. 

October - what a month. After 6 years during which we saw 8 housing ministers all intent on removing Section 21 from the statute books - we suddenly had a Prime Minister who stood at the despatch box during PMQ's and stated that getting rid of Section 21 was a bad idea and would not happen.  Such a long time ago... All that euphoria so short lived. 

Ah well - back to normality (if ever there was such a thing) - read about our naked tenant for a landlords version of normality and balance that with Charlotte's 'matchy matchy' accounts and you will have a pretty good idea...

What a difference a month makes. Things were not rosy last month but as we move into winter - it looks like it will be a cold one for the UK rental market. Charlotte summarises it well in her blog - maybe we should follow Nathan's example and just have a party and at least save on energy bills. 

 Energy bills and rising rents seem to be the hot topics this month, but we also have a suggestion on how the government could help us vastly improve the energy efficiency of our properties and if you do your own PAT testing (or want to be trained to be able to) we have another course coming up, so do please add it to your diary. 

No news yet from the Portsmouth consultation on Licensing of smaller HMOs, which is good - the last thing we want is a rash decision. But hopefully you will find the HMO flavoured news items of interest this month - do read the one with the Scrabble picture if nothing else, and we are hearing from student landlords of a real shortage of accommodation this year. Still waiting for confirmation of numbers from the Uni, but we will share any information we do receive.

Welcome to September!

Apologies to those who don't have properties in Portsmouth - but this (smaller than usual) issue of the news is a collection of items from our response to Portsmouth's consultation on Additional Licensing. We normally take a broader view but are so worried about the impact on the city of this scheme, we have dedicated this edition to some of the key issues (plus a look back a decade to the last time we were here).

Being August, we have no member meeting this month - but we are returning to Watkins & Faux for our breakfast for the 1st time in 3.5 years - so do join us if you can. And when you read Charlotte's blog, don't let the '£' signs get you over-excited - the costs of setup, operation and management will make a big dent -only you can judge how big.

As we move into July, one would hope that we are moving into the quiet time of the year - when we can focus on refurbishments and upgrades to our properties and hopefully, take a little time to review our businesses and update our plans. Sadly, as this months news shows, it all seems to be all about additional regulation and more hoops to jump through, barriers to success, etc. So as you review your plans, these issues are likely to be front and centre. 

Rent-2Rent is front and centre this month after Alwin spent many hours trying to help 2 members with dire problems - one after entering a badly structured and terribly managed 'Rent-2-rent' arrangement and in the other case, the landlord did not even know his property was a Rent-2-Rent business. As a result, we have asked Kiera, as a member with a successful Rent-2Rent business, to tell us how it should be done and Alwin to outline some of the pitfalls. We suggest you read both articles and then, for a 3rd view on the sharing economy, have a look at Charlotte's blog.

Now, where did that marmalade sandwich go? 

The local rental market is undergoing seismic change - the numbers looking for accommodation have never been higher, yet most landlords are having to consider different sectors or rental models. Student numbers are down, staycations are 'so last year', regulatory pressures on HMO's have passed bearable levels - it is not surprising that so many landlords are calling it a day, but for those who stick with it and can afford the cost of changing their approach, all is not doom and gloom. Come and join us at one of our meetings this month to hear more of the ups and downs of the rental market, and do read Charlotte's blog before you consider a switch to short term letting.

If you did not photograph the utility meters in your properties yesterday, make sure you do so as soon as possible (or ask your tenants to). Whether you pay for utilities or your tenant does, no one wants to be paying for any more usage at today's new price than they have to – with tariff increases for out-of-contract users rising by 54% today for the average user, you want to ensure that you get as much as possible at yesterday's price.

Good news this month – some new recommended suppliers and success with mediation, plus Charlotte came back!

Bad news – HMO licensing just got even more expensive, small HMO's are likely to need a licence (see our recommendation that you get out of the HMO market) and the Right To Rent changes come into force today. 

No room for an April Fool in this issue...

Ukraine: We do not know how things will develop or whether there will be a role for the city or for local landlords, but in order to be prepared, if you have empty properties which could be used to house refugees should the need arise, do please let us know.

Nearer to home: Lots of events scheduled in the next couple of months, see the list below. PCC have scheduled a series of taster events aiming to give a high level understanding of what we should be doing in each area - do attend if you can and do feed back on whether you learnt anything / whether it was of value, etc. We also have a training session of our own - the team that provide our PAT test equipment will be coming down from Yorkshire to train members on the use of the kit to allow them to do their own testing - if this may be of use, do sign up (we are subsidising the overall cost), if you have done it before and need a refresher, you should sign up too.  Places are limited to 12 people, though there is a possibility we could add another session so do let us know if interested. 

If your properties are in Havant, Hayling, Waterlooville, Petersfield, Fareham, Gosport or beyond - we have very little news for you this month, which is good, as it means less for you to worry about. Sadly not the case for those with property in Portsmouth. Maybe Charlotte has the right idea in moving to Plymouth with her latest venture. 

And for your diary:  We are back to the Innlodge this month, Clare Hardwick, Head of Private Sector Housing at Portsmouth Council has kindly agreed to join us to give us an update. Two days later, our breakfast this month will be at Port Solent - so check the tides and we hope to see you at one of these events if you can make it. 

(And do keep an eye on the calendar and our Facebook page, as we have quite a range of educational events which will be added over the next few weeks).

Happy New Year! May this be an easy one for you all, after the trials and tribulations of the last 2 - it really is time the roaring 20's got started.

Normally in this intro, we highlight the biggest items in the news but just for a change, we suggest you make sure you see 'In Other News'. This is the bucket where we put the smaller items or links to other peoples articles that may be of interest and this month is no different covering topics ranging from Havant's illegal Local Plan, Croydon's bloody nose on Selective Licensing, Purplebricks making the same mistake as Countrywide and a whole range of useful items from Boswells plus an upbeat assessment of the property market.

Do let us know what you think / Happy New Year Reading!

Christmas is coming! And so is our December social event, do book your tickets if you haven't already as we have to decide whether to go ahead this week and at present, numbers are slightly lower than we had hoped...

And in the news this month: Sadly we have had a couple of seriously rogue tenants - both in Portsmouth and both in properties owned by PDPLA members. Elsewhere the threat of more well intentioned but ineffective regulation - this time from the APPG on healthy homes and buildings of all places, but at least Charlotte has her feet up and is having a rest (whether she likes it or not!)

Have a great Christmas/Hanukkah/Holidays/New Year and may all your tenants be well behaved and pay on time!

A busy month coming up with a whole range of meetings and events. f you missed the email last month, PLG are looking for properties (24-36 month term) for tenants currently going through litigation who have specific needs – so if you have a property that might be suitable, do join us this coming Friday (on Zoom) where PLG will discuss how they work and answer your questions.

Our monthly meeting is our annual tax specialist and is normally the best attended event of the year. He will be talking about 'Exit Planning', a topic also covered by Charlotte in her blog this month. We also have Washday attending to talk about simple landlord repairs and maintenance for washing machines and the like – so quite a diverse event and, for those who cannot make it in person, we will also be broadcasting using Zoom, so do try and attend if you can and join us anyway if not.

Our breakfast this month has moved out a week to the 17^th to give as many of you who can make it, the chance to attend Portsmouth City Councils Big Climate Conversation at the Guildhall – please do try and make time in your diary to attend at least one of the sessions (Wednesday is probably the best day for us if you can only make one). If you rarely browse down as far as the 'Green' section of this email, do make sure you do this month for the piece on heat pumps, hydrogen and what it means to you.

And then, on the 18^th, we have the NRLA hosted webinar on what 'net zero' means for the PRS.

We have also been talking to Handelsbanken (based at Lakeside, North Harbour) and they will join us at our member meeting in January, but if you wish to consider using them before then, to checkout their flier click here and let them know you are a member.

Quite a lot of activity in the private rental sector this month – from our advice on rent guarantees and referencing through to the challenges of housing benefits tenants. Longer term issues include the Local Plan and the delay of MTD along with the need for better plans and support if we are to get to 'Carbon Neutral'.  

If you can, do try and join us at one of our meetings this month - fuel and Covid concerns aside, we always enjoy seeing you and aim to ensure members always benefit from attending.

We publish one day late this month in order to include the 'Heads For Tails' campaign which we had to keep secret until now - read on for more detail. Also on the central government front, do try and find time to read thru the NRLA 'white paper' - some very sensible suggestions in there on how to solve some of the long running issues in our industry.

Elsewhere in the news, we have some good offers for members this month, 2 meetings which will be worth attending if you can and some updates on local issues (see 'In Other News' for several of these) plus what may be the greenest building in the city.

When you have read all of that and feel you need a rest, spare a thought for Charlotte who probably needs a bigger rest than you do - though it is all her own fault.

Lots of local and central government news from around the area this month - not all bad but easy to end up with a persecution complex if you are so inclined.  

The best way to avoid it is to know that your properties are of  a high standard and your tenants are happy and that you are able to prove it.  Yes, we are talking about accreditation again - please read Charlotte's blog and let us know what you think. 

And if you have cavity wall insulation and the inevitable mould spots on the cold corners, or the same problem without the insulation, see our pictorial guide on using insulated paint. Yes, it is a thing and it does work!

Landlord Breakfast 'In Person' meetings returned in June. No viral aftermath reported so we plan to do it again in July, but this time we are going to North Hayling, so a must attend for those landlords who don't normally join us due to the challenges of getting to Southsea for 9am.

No evening monthly meeting in July though – we had planned to meet in person for our AGM but given the extension to lockdown, that will now happen in August, more details next month.

Quite a broad range of topics in this newsletter – hopefully there is something for everybody. If you are experiencing problems because of the Covid crisis, do please let us know.

And please note the landlords checklist has been updated to reflect latest electrical requirements – see it here:https://pdpla.com/documents/landlords-checklist