If a council is adamant they sent a notice (perhaps a section 235 demand for documents, a section 239 notice of entry, an improvement notice or prohibition order), but the intended recipient did not receive the notice, where does the affected member of your association stand? Has the notice been properly served if it did not reach the recipient? Is non-receipt a “reasonable excuse” defence ? Such questions may be particularly pertinent for members who spend significant amount

In the first half of 2025, we have seen a significant upsurge in councils introducing Selective licencing. Often councils take their existing Part 2 HMO licencing scheme as the blueprint for Part 3 Selective licencing without taking into account the differences. So we now have increasing numbers of councils imposing requirements on PRS providers of homes rented to single households that should only be imposed for HMOs. This article aims to set out the key differences betwe

Local authorities proposing Additional or Selective Licencing always seem assume there are no costs to licencing other than the Fees, and that those can be magically absorbed without any detrimental impact. This blog sets out the fundamental reasons why such assumptions are wrong, and offers suggestions on related points that can be raised by an association on behalf of its members at the public consultation stage. The full cost in financial terms Licencing Fees are determine

In this shifting landscape, the need for a strong and unified voice for landlords is more important than ever. This is where VOLA, or the Voice of Landlords Associations, comes into play. VOLA is an organisation focused on advocating for landlords' interests across various regions.