An east London managing agent/property manager who converted 2 family homes into 8 flats without permission has been told he will face a 9 month prison sentence if he does not pay within 3 months £73,850 "in accrued proceeds of crime" from rental income on the flats. He must also pay an £8000 fine for breaching enforcement notices and £3,065 in costs.

After becoming aware, in July 2020, of concerns for a private rented sector tenant's welfare due to the behaviour of the tenant's landlord officers from Peterborough council took evidence from the tenant and 2 independent witnesses.

Despite concerns amongst residents about growth of HMO numbers, Gedling borough council seems unlikely to go ahead with plans to restrict numbers of HMO's saying that there is insufficient evidence for it to make an article 4 direction to restrict HMO growth in the Netherfield area in the borough.

A Camden letting agent and its sole director (who had recently been subject to an ASB injunction and a banning order) along with the landlord and owner of an unlicensed HMO operated by the agent have been fined £80,000 and £40,000.

Local authorities will need to check the wording of their civil penalty notices following a case in which a private rented sector landlord has partially won an appeal against the imposition on him of two breach of licence condition civil penalties by Liverpool council.

The department for business, energy and industrial strategy (BEIS) has announced the bidding competition for local authorities with successful bids to access up to £700 million of funding available to upgrade "a significant amount of" their housing stock to EPC level C. Housing Associations will also be eligible to access this funding.

The national residential landlords association has called on Govt to unfreeze housing benefit rates which have been frozen since April 2021. The private sector landlord body has also referenced the "warning" from the office for budget responsibility that Govt spending on housing related benefits is set to rise by just 0.1% of GDP in the period up to 2025.

The ministry of justice has announced that, following a consultation exercise on legal aid provision, a new legal aid support service - the housing loss prevention advice service (HLPAS) - will be launched backed by an extra £10 million per year funding package so that "more people will get access to free expert legal advice to give them the best chance of keeping their home when they fall in to difficult financial times".

The homelessness code of guidance which local authorities "must have regard to when exercising their functions" in relation to people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness has been updated. Whilst the code as a whole is too extensive and not suitable for use by private landlords, landlords in the PRS should be aware of the provisions dealing with eviction process situations, including section 21 notices.

An Ipswich landlord and his company, Francis Investments (East Anglia) Ltd, have been successfully prosecuted by Ipswich council and found guilty of 8 offences under the Anti Social Behaviour, Crime & Policing Act 2014.