Police are investigating alleged fraud, money laundering and missing client funds at PS&B Estate Management Limited, formerly Parsons, Son & Bailey, following the arrest of a staff member. The firm, which specialises in block management, has also faced bank account freezes, unpaid staff, Trading Standards scrutiny and repeated Companies House filing issues.
The article argues that the Renters’ Rights Act is already affecting the rental market, with Foxtons reporting lower revenue and Savills saying landlords in prime London are raising rents to offset higher costs and administration. It also suggests the legislation is contributing to earlier tenant move-outs, an expectation gap between landlords and tenants, and some landlords considering selling rather than continuing to let.
Research cited by the NRLA suggests that English councils have increased property inspections under the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System, but are collecting only a small proportion of fines issued to landlords for housing offences. The article argues that weak fine recovery and limited transparency in enforcement are undermining confidence in the private rented sector.
A consumer panel has criticised the Council for Licensed Conveyancers over perceived regulatory gaps in referral fee arrangements linked to conveyancing and estate agency relationships. The debate has been reignited by concerns raised after a BBC Panorama investigation into Connells, with the CLC rejecting the criticism and saying it has sought to improve transparency and consumer protection.
The article reports that former Bank of England Deputy Governor Sir John Gieve has backed the case for a Land Value Tax, arguing that existing property taxes such as Council Tax and Stamp Duty are outdated and distortive. It also notes that any reform would likely need to be phased in over three to five years, with potential implications for higher-value markets such as London and the South East.
A London landlord and associated letting agencies have lost an appeal at the First-tier Property Tribunal over penalties linked to non-compliance with Waltham Forest’s selective licensing scheme. The tribunal upheld £105,000 in fines across six test properties, rejecting arguments about licence duration, liability, and alleged double punishment.
Accountants are warning that many taxpayers, including landlords, misunderstand the new Making Tax Digital for Income Tax requirements ahead of the first quarterly submission deadline on 7 August. The scheme now requires qualifying taxpayers to keep digital records and file quarterly updates using compatible software, with wider rollout thresholds set to bring more landlords into scope over time.
An industry coalition has criticised the Land Registry’s implementation of Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES), arguing that current guidance contains fundamental flaws and is slowing adoption in conveyancing. The letter says the inability to mix signature types is limiting use, while HM Land Registry says it expects uptake to rise and is open to exploring temporary options to accelerate adoption.
Landlords in Scotland are reportedly facing long delays of eight to 12 months to obtain possession orders through the housing tribunal, with legal costs potentially reaching around £10,000 before cases are resolved. The article says these delays, alongside rising costs and regulation, are contributing to some landlords selling up and reducing rental supply.
The Property Ombudsman upheld a complaint against an estate agent for failing to disclose a competing buyer and the existence of a contract race. The buyers were awarded £790, matching the cost of a mortgage valuation survey they incurred without being properly informed of the risk.
A London landlord and his property management company have been fined and ordered to pay court costs totalling £63,000 after being prosecuted over unsafe conditions at an unlicensed 22-room HMO in Kensington and Chelsea. The case involved serious fire and health and safety failings, including damaged fire doors, inadequate fire separation, covered alarms and electrical defects, with the court finding the operators failed to act on opportunities to remedy the issues.
Hamptons reports that landlord sales have slowed after the Renters’ Rights Act, with more landlord purchases than sales recorded in June for the first time since 2019. The research suggests the new 12-month re-letting ban after serving notice to sell may be making landlords more cautious, particularly where sales are slower and failed sales are more common, such as in flats and in London and the South.
