Charities report an increasing number of landlords in England are evicting tenants at the last minute before a new law outlawing 'no-fault evictions' comes into force next month.
Singapore's Inland Revenue Authority (IRAS) has identified landlords under-reporting rental income, prompting an advisory on tax compliance to avoid penalties.
In Kenya, charities are collaborating with landlords to address gender-based violence, particularly domestic violence experienced by women living in overcrowded, impoverished areas.
New regulations are being introduced for landlords offering short-term apartment rentals in Poland, with registration becoming more difficult after May 20.
Individuals who initially intended to sell their homes are increasingly choosing to become landlords instead, a trend that is reportedly creating positive outcomes for renters.
A mortgage specialist advises Czech landlords on how choosing between a flat rate and actual costs can significantly impact their tax liability, especially during the tax return period.
Some pub landlords are implementing bans on children, citing unruly behavior, safety concerns, and lost trade as reasons, while others argue that pubs should remain accessible to everyone.
Increasing rental costs are compelling many Swiss residents to allocate more than a third of their income towards housing, significantly benefiting landlords.
Lithuanian authorities are implementing new regulations that could lead to fines for residents living in lofts and significant taxes for landlords, despite rising real estate prices in the country.
Hong Kong retailers and restaurant operators are adapting to weakening demand and falling rents by moving from upper floors to street-level shops and experimenting with short-term leases.
An analyst from Arion Bank states that new taxes on rental income and capital gains from rental apartments, effective next year, will create a disparity between landlords and tenants, likely leading to significant rent increases in Iceland.
In Poland, landlords are freezing rents to prevent tenants from leaving, as a growing number of people who previously relied on renting are now considering purchasing homes.
The Landlord Association says that "benefit changes, the weak economic situation and growing unemployment have weakened the ability of hundreds of thousands of tenants to pay," while immigrants are more likely to share housing.
Surveyors estimate that landlords in Hong Kong may need to spend at least HK$15,000 to certify up to four subdivided units under a new law establishing minimum living standards for shoebox flats.
Following a public vote, Switzerland will implement a system change for property taxes, abolishing the imputed rental value. This will impact homeowners, landlords, and mortgage amortization.
Only one landlord in Hong Kong has sought certification for subdivided flats since a new law on minimum housing standards took effect two weeks ago, though applications for a grace period have been submitted for over 1,100 homes.
An analysis suggests that Ireland's recent rent reforms, intended to boost housing supply, may paradoxically increase rental income for major landlords like Ires Reit by up to 25%, highlighting a contradiction in policy goals.
A tax consultant highlights that individuals renting spaces to companies cannot benefit from the 3% tax bonus on this income offered by ANAF, raising concerns for a category of property owners.
Footage shows an agent, who issued eviction notices to 36 Wexford households, stating that new rental laws are 'very unfavorable to landlords,' sparking concern among tenants.
A new registration scheme for subdivided units has taken effect in Hong Kong, with an industry representative highlighting the significant costs landlords will incur for renovations and inspection fees.
Struggling office landlords in Hong Kong are converting their properties into co-working spaces and student accommodation to adapt to intense competition and a shift towards quality assets, according to analysts.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has proposed new rules that would allow housing agencies and landlords to impose time limits and work requirements on rental aid recipients to encourage self-sufficiency.
New rental laws in Ireland, effective March 1, will allow landlords to increase rents for new tenancies to 'market rent,' raising questions about how this will be determined.
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Analysis by the e61 Institute suggests that landlords exploiting property tax rules, such as capital gains tax discounts and negative gearing, are exacerbating Australia's housing affordability crisis.
Fine Gael MEP Regina Doherty stated that Ireland needs more landlords who own multiple properties and treat their role as a business, as the government aims to change the country's housing culture.
An opinion piece highlights that immigrants in Portugal are frequently rejected by real estate agencies and landlords when seeking housing, often being told that properties are not rented to foreigners.
A guide explains who is eligible to request a rental extension in Spain and how to do so, noting that landlords are currently obligated to accept the extension if formally requested by the tenant.
An extension of rental agreements in Spain has caused a new conflict between the government and the real estate sector, with landlords and lawyers criticizing the measure for increasing legal uncertainty.
Spain is projected to lose more than a third of its rental contracts expiring within a year, with many landlords planning to sell or convert properties to short-term rentals, a situation expected to worsen if current interventionist measures persist.
Ireland is bracing for a record surge in evictions this year, as sales by landlords now account for almost half of the homes available on the market, intensifying the squeeze on renters.
Cabinet members received angry correspondence from property owners prior to the enactment of new legislation, indicating that the increase in eviction notices would not come as a surprise.
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Small-scale landlords are expressing apprehension regarding Mamdani’s proposed rental plan, fearing potential negative impacts on their properties and rental businesses.
Small-scale landlords are voicing their worries regarding Mamdani’s proposed rental plan, fearing potential negative impacts on their properties and businesses, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
The Polish tax authority clarifies that VAT-exempt taxpayers renting premises to companies should issue invoices via KSeF, though tenants may not always require them for cost accounting.
Furnished apartments, complete with beds, tables, and kitchens, are proving beneficial for individuals seeking short-term accommodation and for landlords, raising questions about potential disadvantages.
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Finnish landlords report that the rental market was exceptionally difficult last year, indicating challenges for both tenants and property owners in the country.
Landlords in Poland are reportedly not increasing rental rates, fearing they might not find tenants, indicating a stable rental market with no shortage of available properties.
The Western Regional Rent Control Department in Ghana has highlighted the lack of proper tenancy agreements and their mismanagement as a primary source of disputes between landlords and tenants in the housing sector.
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The post Plateau Tenancy Bill scales second reading appeared first on Vanguard News.
Mayor Mamdani's proposal to 'freeze the rent' has energized New York City renters, who make up 69% of the population, but landlords argue the economics do not support the plan.
Landlords of subdivided flats in Hong Kong that comply with new government living standards can now apply to CLP Power for smart meter installation, expanding coverage to 90% of residential households.
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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani held the first of his 'Rental Ripoff Hearings,' where New Yorkers gathered to express grievances about landlords and housing issues like rats.
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Frankfurt is issuing vouchers for memberships in tenant associations, a move criticized as one-sided and typical of municipal politics, portraying landlords as adversaries.
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Amid Minnesota Fraud Scandal, Legitimate Autism Centers Face Closure
Authored by Troy Myers via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
A Minnesota autism center for adults and children, which has been operating for more than 20 years, is facing closure in the wake of the massive fraud scandal in the state that dates back more than a decade and involves more than $9 billion of U.S. taxpayer money.
The Holland Center in Minnetonka, Minn., on Feb. 11, 2026. Larson told a House subcommittee hearing on Jan. 21 that her center and numerous others in Minnesota are facing collapse after becoming collateral damage from the massive fraud scandal. Adam Hester for The Epoch Times
The Holland Center is one of many legitimate centers in the state, which collectively serve thousands of disabled people. Founder, owner, and CEO Jennifer Larson built the Holland Center for her autistic, non-speaking son, who is now 25 years old.
She said she has recently been forced to put hundreds of thousands of her own dollars into keeping the center afloat because the state didn’t pay a single claim for nearly two months.
Because of the payment delays, Larson said autism centers like hers are being forced to reduce hours, cut staff, and close in some instances. Families are scrambling for help, disabled children and adults are regressing, and parents are leaving jobs to care for their disabled loved ones.
Larson told The Epoch Times her facility can’t continue much longer.
“The feds say it’s the state. The state says it’s the feds,” Larson said.
“The kids are going to be the collateral damage.”
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services paused child care and family assistance funds to Minnesota in early January due to the alleged rampant fraud. The state is appealing.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services told The Epoch Times via email that the federal government’s threat of withholding funds is “not impacting the current payment situation.”
However, Larson’s center accumulated nearly two months of unpaid claims from Dec. 5 to Jan. 29, totaling more than $600,000.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks during a press conference at the state Capitol building in St. Paul, Minn., on Feb. 3, 2026. Beginning in late December 2025, the state began using a new pre-payment review vendor called Optum, which uses artificial intelligence in its claims and reimbursement processes. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
‘Everything Was Flagged’
Beginning in late December 2025, the state began using a new pre-payment review vendor called Optum, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) “at every step” of its claims and reimbursement processes. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had announced the contract with the new system in late October 2025.
“They implemented it because of the fraud. Obviously, the state wasn’t catching the fraud in the 300 or 400 centers that popped up in the last three years,” Larson said. She blames the Minnesota government for turning a blind eye to the “crime ring” involving fraud at Somali-run autism centers to an immense scale.
Neither Walz nor his office could be reached for comment during multiple attempts via emails and phone calls.
Now, she said, Optum is causing the delay of claims with few or unclear explanations in the review process.
“The state has failed and lost millions and millions of dollars in the system, so, clearly, the state wasn’t going to be able to tell Optum what to look for because they didn’t know what they were doing,” Larson told The Epoch Times after she recently testified in Congress.
“All of us, for the first round, nobody got anything. Everything was flagged.”
Larson told a House subcommittee hearing on Jan. 21 that her center and numerous others in Minnesota are facing collapse after becoming collateral damage from the massive fraud scandal.
Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) asked Larson: “Ms. Larson, none of this would have happened if the fraud did not occur, is that accurate?”
“Yes,” she responded. “What happened in Minnesota had nothing to do with the ethical, longstanding autism providers.”
Larson said in her testimony that the state government’s “clumsy response” to fraud failed to distinguish between criminals and caregivers.
She said abrupt disruption or loss of service can destroy weeks or years of progress for disabled children and adults, causing lifelong consequences.
Payment Process
The Minnesota Department of Human Services told The Epoch Times that it sent the first batch of more than 100,000 claims to Optum for review in late December 2025.
The department said every two weeks, Optum receives batches of claims from the state. The system analyzes and flags any that need further review. Unflagged claims are paid after the initial analysis, the Minnesota Department of Human Services said.
The agency will continue sending payments for unflagged claims on regular two-week cycles. A provider will receive an update every two weeks on a flagged or suspended claim, accompanied by reason codes, the department said.
“If a claim is flagged, we may need additional information and documents from the provider before payments are made, which may cause further delay,” the Minnesota Department of Human Services said. Claims in Optum are listed as suspended until the state reaches a payment decision.
The department did not provide detailed answers on why the Holland Center or other similar, longstanding facilities might have their claims flagged.
Jennifer Larson, founder and CEO of the Holland Center, and her son Caden Larson in Minnetonka, Minn., on Feb. 11, 2026. Larson built the center for her autistic, non-speaking son, who is now 25 years old. Adam Hester for The Epoch Times
The agency said it did not wish to disclose what kind of identifiers cause it to suspect someone is billing for services they did not provide, but officials generally look for “patterns of concern—claims that fall outside expected norms,” some of which could be blamed on administrative errors or poor documentation rather than intentional fraud.
“Optum helps the state of Minnesota identify potential fraud, waste, and abuse by conducting pre‑payment reviews,” the company said in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times. “Optum has no authority to approve, deny, delay, or suspend claims, and payment decisions are made exclusively by [the Minnesota Department of Human Services] and the Office of Inspector General.”
Most claims should be paid within 30 days, and legitimate claims that may have been flagged within 90 days, as required by the federal government, according to the agency.
Financial Hit
Meanwhile, with a payroll of $250,000 every two weeks, Larson has been forced to ask many of her employees to take unpaid leave.
After nearly two months of unpaid claims, her center was partially paid on Jan. 29, bringing the owed amount down to about $300,000, Larson said. She said there’s been little to no word from state or health officials on why her claims were flagged in the first place.
Larson doesn’t expect to get another payment for two weeks, putting her in a several-hundred-thousand-dollar deficit she doesn’t think will ever rebalance.
She’s spent so much of her own money to keep the center’s lights on, Larson said, that she’s been forced to cut back on other bills to make ends meet. Fortunately, Larson said her landlords have been understanding of the situation.
New Centers
Years ago, when Larson witnessed new autism treatment centers popping up around her area and the state, she was initially relieved because, to her, it meant more help was coming for disabled children and adults.
“There’s a need, and there’s a high prevalence of autism in the Somali community in Minnesota,” Larson said. “And I know that and I service a lot of the kids, but we can’t take them all. We’ve always had a waiting list.”
A 2023 study by the University of Minnesota showed autism rates in 4-year-olds to be much higher among Somali children compared to other races and ethnicities. The report found 1 in 18 Somali children had autism, compared to 1 in 64 for white children, 1 in 31 for Hispanic children, and 1 in 30 for non-Somali black children.
But when hundreds of autism centers popped up, it was a red flag for Larson.
“No one wants to talk about it because everyone’s scared of saying anything wrong,” Larson said. “That’s why we’re here. It’s because everyone’s too afraid to say something.”
Independent journalist Nick Shirley, who brought national attention to the alleged Minnesota fraud at day care centers with his viral video posted Dec. 26, 2025, attended the congressional hearing with Larson.
“What we saw in Minnesota is how complicit the government has been in enabling this fraud to happen. Quality ‘Learing’ Center had over 90 violations, yet they continued to give that daycare $1.9 million,” Shirley said in his testimony.
Meanwhile, the closure of Holland Center would dismantle a lifetime of work for Larson that all started with the birth of her son.
Read the rest here...
Tyler Durden
Thu, 02/19/2026 - 20:55
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Continue reading...
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