The PropertyGoose blog.
Practical, no-nonsense guides on referencing, the Renters' Rights Act, deposits and tenancy management — for letting agents and self-managing landlords.
AML and sanctions for letting agents: a plain-English compliance guide
Plain-English guide to AML supervision and financial sanctions screening for UK letting agents: thresholds, the 14 May 2025 rules, penalties and compliance
Craig Ryder · 13 Jul 2026
The void-period playbook: cut empty days and protect landlord yields
How letting agents can cut void periods: build a pre-qualified pipeline, speed up referencing and price right to protect landlord yields under the 2026 rul
Craig Ryder · 12 Jul 2026
How to win more landlord instructions in 2026
Practical guide for UK letting agents on winning more landlord instructions in 2026: trust, Renters' Rights Act compliance, transparent referencing and fee
Craig Ryder · 11 Jul 2026
End-of-tenancy cleaning and your deposit: what landlords can require
What landlords can require for end-of-tenancy cleaning, what the Tenant Fees Act 2019 allows, and how to make deposit deductions for cleaning actually stic
Craig Ryder · 10 Jul 2026
Zero-deposit and deposit replacement schemes: are they worth it?
Do zero-deposit and deposit replacement schemes actually protect UK landlords? What they cover, what they don't, and why check-in/check-out evidence still
Craig Ryder · 9 Jul 2026
What to put in a tenancy agreement after the Renters' Rights Act
What landlords must put in (and leave out of) a tenancy agreement after the Renters' Rights Act 2025: periodic tenancies, void clauses, pets, deposits, Sec
Craig Ryder · 8 Jul 2026
Check-out reports and schedules of condition: ending a tenancy cleanly
How to produce a check-out report and schedule of condition that holds up at deposit adjudication, and what the Renters' Rights Act changes for landlords.
Craig Ryder · 7 Jul 2026
The landlord inventory guide: why a check-in report is your best insurance
A landlord's guide to check-in inventory reports: what makes them defensible at deposit adjudication, and how the Renters' Rights Act raises the stakes.
Craig Ryder · 6 Jul 2026
How to win a deposit dispute: the evidence adjudicators actually reward
What UK deposit scheme adjudicators actually reward: the signed inventory, matched check-out report and itemised invoices that win disputes — and the error
Craig Ryder · 5 Jul 2026
Fair wear and tear vs tenant damage: what you can and can't deduct
How UK landlords can tell fair wear and tear from tenant damage, apply betterment and item lifespans, and document deposits to win adjudication.
Craig Ryder · 4 Jul 2026
TDS vs DPS vs mydeposits: which deposit scheme should you use?
TDS vs DPS vs mydeposits compared for UK landlords: custodial vs insured, fees, Northern Ireland cover, disputes and what the Renters' Rights Act changed.
Craig Ryder · 3 Jul 2026
Prescribed information: the document landlords forget (and the 3x penalty)
Prescribed information is the deposit document landlords forget — risking a 1-3x penalty. What it must contain, common mistakes, and the Renters' Rights Ac
Craig Ryder · 2 Jul 2026
The 30-day deposit rule: how to protect a deposit correctly
How the 30-day deposit rule works: protect a tenancy deposit and serve prescribed information correctly, the penalties for missing it, and the deposit cap.
Craig Ryder · 1 Jul 2026
Tenant referencing after Section 21: why front-door vetting matters more
After Section 21's abolition on 1 May 2026, front-door tenant referencing is the key risk control. A landlord and agent guide to lawful, consistent vetting
Craig Ryder · 30 Jun 2026
Bidding ban, rent-in-advance cap and anti-discrimination rules explained
Bidding ban, rent-in-advance cap and anti-discrimination rules under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 explained for UK landlords and agents, with penalties.
Craig Ryder · 29 Jun 2026
The tenant information sheet: what landlords and agents must serve
Landlords and agents had to serve the Renters' Rights Act information sheet by 31 May 2026. What it covers, how to serve it validly, and the penalties.
Craig Ryder · 28 Jun 2026
The rent-arrears eviction process under the Renters' Rights Act (Ground 8)
How Ground 8 rent-arrears eviction works under the Renters' Rights Act 2025: the 3-month threshold, 4-week notice, double-threshold rule and why records ma
Craig Ryder · 27 Jun 2026
Renting with pets under the Renters' Rights Act
How the Renters' Rights Act 2025 pet rules work from 1 May 2026: the 28-day consent rule, what landlords can't charge, and a practical request process.
Craig Ryder · 26 Jun 2026
How to increase rent under the new Section 13 process
How to legally increase rent in England under the new Section 13 process and Form 4A from May 2026 — notice rules, timing, tribunal challenges and common m
Craig Ryder · 25 Jun 2026
Fixed terms are gone: how periodic tenancies work under the Renters' Rights Act
How periodic tenancies work under the Renters' Rights Act from 1 May 2026: fixed terms abolished, Section 13 rent rules and the new Section 8 grounds.
Craig Ryder · 24 Jun 2026
The new Section 8 grounds for possession explained
A landlord and agent guide to the new Section 8 possession grounds under the Renters' Rights Act 2025: notice periods, thresholds and the evidence you need
Craig Ryder · 23 Jun 2026
Section 21 is abolished: what replaces no-fault evictions
Section 21 ended on 1 May 2026. Here's what replaces no-fault evictions under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 — the new Section 8 grounds, notice periods and
Craig Ryder · 22 Jun 2026
The Renters' Rights Act timeline: what changes and when
The Renters' Rights Act timeline explained: Section 21 abolition on 1 May 2026, the 31 May Information Sheet deadline, the PRS database, ombudsman and 2035
Craig Ryder · 21 Jun 2026
The best tenant referencing for letting agents: a 2026 buyer's guide
A 2026 buyer's guide to tenant referencing for UK letting agents: speed, fraud detection, Open Banking and transparent pricing under the Renters' Rights Ac
Craig Ryder · 20 Jun 2026
Renting without a guarantor now rent-in-advance is capped
How to rent without a guarantor now rent in advance is capped at one month under the Renters' Rights Act 2025: alternatives for tenants, landlords and agen
Craig Ryder · 19 Jun 2026
Referencing overseas and international tenants with no UK credit history
How to reference overseas tenants with no UK credit history: Right to Rent, Open Banking, UK guarantors, RGI and the 2026 rent-in-advance rules.
Craig Ryder · 18 Jun 2026
How long does tenant referencing take — and how to get it done faster
How long does tenant referencing take in the UK? Typically 2–5 working days, or 24–48 hours with prompt applicants. Where the time goes and how to speed it
Craig Ryder · 17 Jun 2026
Guarantors for rent: who needs one, who can be one, and what they're liable for
How rent guarantors work in England: who needs one, who qualifies, the 36x income test, charging rules, and what the Renters' Rights Act 2026 changed.
Craig Ryder · 16 Jun 2026
Referencing self-employed tenants: what counts as proof of income
How to reference self-employed tenants: SA302s, Tax Year Overviews, accountant references, bank statements, Open Banking and guarantors explained for UK la
Craig Ryder · 15 Jun 2026
Rent affordability explained: income requirements for UK tenants
How UK rent affordability checks work: the 2.5x/30x income rule, what referencing providers assess, and how the Renters' Rights Act rent-in-advance cap cha
Craig Ryder · 14 Jun 2026
Tenant referencing fraud: how to spot fake payslips and forged documents
How UK landlords can spot fake payslips and forged tenant documents, with the tax-code, NI and net/gross checks plus open banking and HMRC income verificat
Craig Ryder · 13 Jun 2026
Failed or declined a tenant reference? A landlord's decision guide
A landlord's decision guide for failed or declined tenant references: diagnose the cause, weigh guarantors, RGI and open banking, and stay compliant.
Craig Ryder · 12 Jun 2026
What's actually checked in a tenant reference (and why each part matters)
A plain-English breakdown of what a comprehensive UK tenant reference covers — identity, credit, affordability, employment, previous landlord and Right to Rent — and what each part tells you.
Craig Ryder · 11 Jun 2026