By Tony Booth

In part one of a two part article, experienced landlord Tony Booth looks at 10 of the most common problems faced by UK property landlords - and explains what to do about them...

1. Issuing Notice - Section 21 "Saving Clause"

Some parts of the Housing Act create problems for even the most experienced landlords and letting agents. The commonly issued Section 21 Notice is a typical example, as it must be precisely drafted, carefully completed and properly served - otherwise, it will be deemed invalid. This notice relies on the accurate calculation of date entries.

For example, when two months notice is required, the expiry date of the notice needs to include two full rental periods. Some landlords and their agents mistakenly provide the correct length of notice, but fail to take the two full rental period requirement into account or get the calculation of dates wrong. These simple but critical errors can wreck any chance of regaining possession, if the matter goes to court.