Episode 31 – Call to reverse benefit freeze and giving something back to your community
Release Date: 07/26/2023
Episode 52: Listen Up Landlords Live! Renters Rights, energy efficiency and investment
Listen Up Landlords podcast
April marked a very special month for the Listen Up Landlords team, with our first LIVE podcast recording – complete with studio audience – at Manchester’s MediaCity. Hot on the heels of our our team of expert speakers addressed all the major issues affecting the sector at the moment, from the impact of the impending to proposed new . William Reeve, chief executive of and Carlyn Jermyn, solicitor and chief executive of discussed the Renters’ Rights Bill, with Anna Moore, chief executive of and James Kent, chief innovation officer at the NRLA and taking on Minimum Energy...
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Episode 51: Landlord affordability and finding the right tradesperson
Listen Up Landlords podcast
In this month's episode of Listen Up Landlords presenters NRLA Chief Executive Ben Beadle and Richard Blanco discuss the issue of affordability in the private rented sector – and challenge of finding the right tradesperson when you need them. Ben and Richard are joined by Doug Hall, director of and Freddie Bloor senior director of property investment platform and NRLA partner They talk interest rates, examine the current start of the mortgage market and explore the impact of increased costs on the sector – asking whether these pressures are forcing...
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Episode 50: Unpacking the Government's energy efficiency plans
Listen Up Landlords podcast
Our 50th episode of NRLA podcast Listen Up Landlords sees hosts NRLA CEO Ben Beadle and presenter Richard Blanco examine the latest Government proposals around Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES). Landlords whose rental homes have an EPC rating below ‘C’ will need to spend up to £15,000 per property to reach the new minimum standard, with just five years to go until the 2030 deadline. Ben and Richard are joined by James Kent, the NRLA’s chief innovation officer; Andrew Parkin, from the Property Energy Professionals Association and Chris Rogal, a London-based portfolio landlord,...
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Episode 49: Leasehold and succession planning
Listen Up Landlords podcast
In this episode of NRLA podcast Listen Up Landlords, presenters NRLA CEO Ben Beadle and Richard Blanco take a look the issue of leasehold and the importance of succession planning. The 2024 Leasehold & Freehold Reform Act was one of the few pieces of legislation that was hurried through at the end of the last parliament, however planned changes have been Ben and Richard are joined by Roger Southam, former Chair of Leasehold Advisory Service, LEASE and NRLA Public Affairs Manager Ellie Bateman, who leads on leasehold for the association to talk about the issues and the challenges when it...
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Episode 48 – A Christmas Special
Listen Up Landlords podcast
In this episode of Listen Up Landlords, presenters NRLA Chief Executive Ben Beadle and landlord Richard Blanco welcome a panel of guests to look back over the last 12 months and ahead to 2025. It has been a year of change, with a new Government bringing forward new legislation in the form of the Renters’ Rights Bill with new minimum EPC ratings also on the cards for landlords going forward. The supply crisis blighting the private rented sector continues, with 21 households competing for every home advertised to let, and rents rising as a result. To unpack all this, and more, Ben and Richard...
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Episode 47: The Budget Unpacked
Listen Up Landlords podcast
In this episode of NRLA podcast Listen Up Landlords presenters NRLA CEO Ben Beadle and Richard Blanco take a look at the Autumn budget and its impact on landlords and their businesses. Ben and Richard are joined by Sheena Parker, of who will discuss the impact of announcements including the increase of the stamp duty surcharge on additional homes from 3% to 5%, and what we can expect to see happen in the sector as a result. With temperatures plummeting this month, NRLA compliance specialist Catherine Behdad looks at the calls we have been receiving to the Landlord Support Team. And...
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Episode 46: HMOs and mental health in housing
Listen Up Landlords podcast
In this episode of presenters NRLA CEO Ben Beadle and Richard Blanco look at the renewed popularity of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and address the issue of mental health in the private rented sector. Ben and Richard are joined by Russell Anderson, Commercial Director at Paragon Bank and HMO landlord Andy Graham to talk about the increase in the number of landlords investing in this type of property. A showed increasing numbers of aspiring portfolio landlords are targeting HMOs, with NRLA research revealing the number of landlords with HMOs in their portfolios has...
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Episode 45: A Renters' Rights Bill Special
Listen Up Landlords podcast
In this episode of NRLA podcast Listen Up Landlords presenters NRLA CEO Ben Beadle and Richard Blanco take a deep dive into the contents of the Government’s new Renter’s Rights Bill Ben and Richard are joined by Theo Plowman of the British Property Federation (BPF), landlord Carolyn Uphill, whose portfolio includes student lets, and NRLA Policy Director Chris Norris. The team unpacks the contents of the new Bill in terms of the key differences between the new proposals and the previous administration’s Renters (Reform) Bill, and the likely consequences. Carolyn discusses the impact...
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King’s Speech: the lowdown
Listen Up Landlords podcast
In this episode of NRLA podcast Listen Up Landlords – hot on the heels of our post-election recording – presenters NRLA CEO Ben Beadle and Richard Blanco speak to the NRLA’s deputy director for policy Meera Chindooroy. Meera gives us the lowdown on what was – and wasn’t – in the King’s Speech and what we can expect to happen next. The team is also joined by landlord, investor and developer Charlotte Edwards, who will be addressing this year’s , along with the NRLA’s Rachael Stock to talk more about what the bigger and better 2024 event has in store. To find out...
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Episode 43: Election reaction
Listen Up Landlords podcast
In this episode of NRLA podcast Listen Up Landlords – hot on the heels of our June recording – presenters NRLA CEO Ben Beadle and Richard Blanco speak to professionals from across the property industry on Labour’s landslide win in the 4 July election. Ben and Richard are joined by Kate Faulkner, managing director of Property Checklists, Russell Quirk, founder and managing director of Proper PR and David Smith, Partner at JMW Solicitors for their initial reactions to the election result – and what they expect to see happen next. To For more...
info_outlineIn this episode of Listen Up Landlords, presenter Richard Blanco (@richardblanco_) discusses NRLA calls to reverse the decision to freeze Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates – a move which has seen more and more tenants struggling to make ends meet.
LHA rates are used to calculate benefit payments for housing costs. Historically rates were set at the average rental price for an area, with the sum regularly reviewed. However the rate was reduced to the 30th percentile in 2011.
They were frozen between 2016 and 2020 when they were realigned to the 30th percentile once more at the outset of Covid, based on rental prices as of September 19.
They have remained at this level despite real-world rents going up by more than 10%.
In just over two years to August 2022 the number of households facing a shortfall in their housing benefit increased by 50%. The NRLA has been campaigning on the issue for some time, asking the Government to reverse the freeze, to support both the 38% of private renters in receipt of housing benefit, and the landlords housing them.
Richard is joined by Leeds Landlord Jessica Reehal who owns 22 properties in Leeds and rents mostly to families in receipt of benefits and Julie Ford, who is a tenancy mediator for the Property Redress Scheme and runs the NRLA course on Tenant Finance.
They talk about the issues they are experiencing on the ground and what needs to change.
Joseph Taylor of the Landlord Advice Team joins us for our regular update on the hot topics on the phonelines, before Richard talks to landlord MaryAnn Richmond-Coggan, who built a successful rental portfolio in South East London, before opening a farm and community garden in Kent, running a charity enabling youngsters from the city to experience the great outdoors.
She talks about buying at the right time, the challenge of refurbishment and giving something back.
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ACCREDITATION: You can now pick up a CPD point to be used towards NRLA accreditation by listening to the podcast. To log your point, visit the accreditation dashboard in the ‘Your Account’ section of the NRLA website. Select ‘Other’ then ‘NRLA Podcast’ from the dropdown menu.
More information
To download a transcript of the podcast click here.
If you would like further details on how to become accredited with the NRLA click here.
To find out more about the NRLA campaign on welfare and benefits click here.