I need to move urgently / I cannot do references because (insert daft reason here) / I just need somebody to give me a fresh start / I have lived in lots of places in the last few years /  I stopped paying my rent at the last place because (insert daft reason here) - If you hear any of these excuses, ever, alarm bells should ring.If you want to know why, you obviously missed Alwin Oliver's presentation at our September meeting.

A report suggesting improvements to the Tenants Fees Act to make it easier for tenants with pets to find homes has been sent to the government (MHCLG) supported by a wide range of organisations including the PDPLA.  Why is there a problem with this act? - 1 in 5 landlords have stopped allowing pets since the introduction of the Tenant Fees Act 2019. • 55% of landlords impose blanket No Pets clauses in rental contracts • Only 7% of landlords actively market their properties as pet friendly • Rescues seeing more pets surrendered because of rental issues See the full report be...

Lots of offers for members this month in addition to the normal 10% discount. If you need a new card, click here.

Ahead of the governments planned white paper on how the Private Rental Sector (PRS) should operate and be regulated due to be published this autumn, the NRLA has worked with landlord groups around the country including the PDPLA to produce our own version of this document outlining longer term solutions to many of the problems in this sector.

Following on from last months news item (see it here) about the member who had been told to  replace his triple glazing with single glazing as his property was in a conservation area, the Planning Inspector in Bristol has reviewed the case and sided with the council, so the landlord now has no choice but to remove his expensive windows and replace them in accordance with the stipulated (and in our view outdated) council instructions.

OK - north to Landport.... 😁 Lots of new roads added to the Digital Home coverage network this month as large parts of Landport come online. Read on for full details and a reminder of the deal they have for PDPLA members.

Plans just submitted for a new 12-storey teaching block on the site of the old Victoria Swimming Baths set the bar for new development in the city. If it gets built as currently proposed, it will provide an excellent example of the standards we all need to be striving for, as we develop our properties.

Many of us who took advantage of the local authority supported cavity wall insulation have been plagued by mould and damp problems we never had before - but one effective solution is insulating paint.Yes, it does exist and this is not an April / August fool - insulating paint really works. Don't believe it, well we have the pictures to prove it...

Portsmouth South Labour MP, Stephen Morgan recently visited PDPLA Vice Chair Alwin Oliver with Portsmouth Councils Labour leader, Councillor George Fielding to discuss the challenges landlords face providing homes for tenants who have suffered financially during the Covid crisis.As a result, Stephen asked questions of the appropriate government departments and as you can see from the answers received – being an opposition MP must be hugely frustrating and also, unfortunately the Conservative government does not understand the challenges landlords face trying to help tenants to stay i...

You know what it is like, you wait 15 years for a Local Plan then 3 come along at once. This month Emsworth, Havant and Portsmouth all made progress on their local plans.Why is it important – in theory, all local planning decisions are driven by the local plan. If an area needs a new doctors surgery before proposed housing can be added, expect this to be costed into Section 106 arrangements for the developer as part of any planning approval. Same for new roads and infrastructure. Want to build something different – check the local plan – if it is not already within the definition of what can g...