News and advice from John Grants
Plain-English guidance on selling, buying, renting and letting in London and Hertfordshire.
Landlords · 17 October 2026 · 7 min read
Making Tax Digital for landlords: thresholds, dates and what to do
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax began on 6 April 2026 for landlords with qualifying income over £50,000. The limit falls to £30,000 in April 2027 and £20,000 in April 2028. It is gross rent, not profit. A worked example is included.
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Landlords · 17 October 2026 · 7 min read
Landlord entering a rented property: notice period and access rules
GOV.UK says a landlord has to give at least 24 hours’ notice and visit at a reasonable time. That is a minimum, not a right to enter once the notice runs out. Inspections, safety checks, refusals and the harassment penalties since 1 May 2026.
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Legislation & rules · 17 October 2026 · 7 min read
HMO licence in Enfield: who needs one, the fees and the penalties
Enfield Council licenses shared homes under two schemes: a mandatory licence for five or more people and a borough-wide additional licence for three or four. Here is what counts as an HMO, the fees, the conditions and the penalties.
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Legislation & rules · 17 October 2026 · 7 min read
Haringey landlord licensing: which schemes apply and what they cost
Haringey runs selective licensing in 14 wards until 17 November 2027 and HMO licensing across the borough until 16 June 2029. Here is who needs which licence, the fees, and the penalty cap that rose to £40,000 on 1 May 2026.
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Legislation & rules · 17 October 2026 · 8 min read
Section 8 Ground 1: ending a tenancy so you or family can move in
Since 1 May 2026 a landlord who wants to move in, or house a close relative, uses Ground 1 with four months' notice and a one-year bar. Here is who qualifies, what to prove, the re-let ban that runs until 12 months after the court date, and the penalties, with a dated example.
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Renting · 17 October 2026 · 7 min read
How to check if your landlord is licensed in Enfield
Enfield Council keeps an online public register of licensed rented homes, and a home can be missing from it for ordinary reasons. Here is how to check, who to ask, and what an unlicensed home can mean for your rent.
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Legislation & rules · 17 October 2026 · 7 min read
Can landlords refuse tenants on benefits or with children in 2026?
Since 1 May 2026 a landlord or agent in England cannot refuse a tenant because they claim benefits, and can refuse a household with children only for a proportionate, legitimate reason. See the £7,000 penalty, the insurance exception and what landlords can still check.
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Landlords · 17 October 2026 · 8 min read
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm rules for rented homes: a landlord’s checklist
In England a landlord must fit a smoke alarm on each storey and a carbon monoxide alarm in any living space with a fixed combustion appliance, check them on day one of a new tenancy and fix faults once told. Here is what counts, what councils can do and what changed in 2026.
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Selling · 17 October 2026 · 7 min read
Selling a leasehold flat: what the buyer will ask for and where to get it
A leasehold flat sale needs the lease, ground rent and service charge details, an insurance summary and answers from your landlord, plus building safety papers in some blocks. Here is the list, who holds each item, and what the 2024 Act has not yet changed.
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Legislation & rules · 17 October 2026 · 8 min read
Section 8 notice: how landlords serve it correctly since 1 May 2026
Since 1 May 2026 a Section 8 notice on Form 3A is the only way for a private landlord in England to start possession of an assured tenancy. Here is what goes in it, the notice period for each ground, how to serve it and prove it, and why notices fail.
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Local market · 17 October 2026 · 7 min read
Average rent in Enfield: ONS figures for August 2026
The Office for National Statistics puts average private rent in Enfield at £1,827 a month in August 2026. We set out the figures by bedroom size and property type, how they compare with London and England, and what they measure and leave out.
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Legislation & rules · 17 October 2026 · 8 min read
How to evict a tenant for rent arrears in 2026: Grounds 8, 10 and 11
Since 1 May 2026 Ground 8 needs three months’ rent unpaid (13 weeks if weekly or fortnightly), at notice and at the hearing, with four weeks’ notice. Grounds 10 and 11 are discretionary. A dated example shows how a payment before court changes the result.
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