Tougher On Local Authorities To Impose Selective Licensing
Under provisions contained in the Housing Act 2004, local authorities may introduce selective licensing of privately rented homes to address problems in their area, or any part of the area, caused by low housing demand and /or significant anti-social behaviour....
A Simple Deposit Claim Turns Into Terrible Libel Case
A dispute over dog hairs on a carpet and scratches on a door in a buy to let home ended up in a libel action before the High Court. Landlords Steven and Virginia Grose let the home in Fordingbridge, Hampshire to tenants Stephen and Abigail Owens who argued about...
How To Ensure The Lowest Penalty After Deposit Protected Late
Since changes made by the Localism Act 2011 section 214 Housing Act 2004 now provides that where the court is satisfied that the deposit was not protected within 30 days (or prescribed information not given in that time-scale), the court must order the payment of...
New Buy To Let Code For First Time Landlords
Buy to let lenders have signed up to a new code highlighting how new borrowing by first time landlords will work. Under the European Union Mortgage Credit Directive, from April 2016, new categories of consumer and professional buy to let borrowers are introduced....
Deregulation Bill Receives Royal Assent – Deposit Changes Start
Update: We have now added in-depth analysis and information about the tenancy deposit changes introduced by the Deregulation Act 2015. The Deregulation Bill received Royal Assent yesterday 26 March 2015 which means the provisions relating to tenancy deposit schemes...
Council Selective Licensing Powers Reined In
Government plans to curb the powers of local councils to designate selective licensing for private rented homes. In two key policy documents laid before Parliament, Housing Minister Brandon Lewis has thrown down the gauntlet to local authorities attempting to apply...
Modified Proposals for Preventing Retaliatory Evictions in Deregulation Bill
Deregulation Bill update. Retaliatory evictions In December 2014, provisions to prevent retaliatory evictions were inserted into the Deregulation Bill which is the same bill being used to address some of the problems created by the tenancy deposit Superstrike case....
Tenancy Deposit Interest Rate Order Revoked
Under the The Housing (Tenancy Deposits) (Specified Interest Rate) Order 2007, the custodial scheme operated by the Deposit Protection Service may pay interest on held deposits at the rate of the Bank of England base rate less 2.32 percent. The current base rate has...
LB Enfield Additional and Selective Licensing Designation Held Unlawful
On 1 April 2010, the Secretary of State issued a general approval to all local housing authorities in England in relation to the designation of areas for additional or selective licensing under the Housing Act 2004. The approval is conditional that any consultation...
Deposits Taken Before April 2007 and Section 21 Notices
Since Superstrike we look at most deposit cases that have not been answered yet and assume what is the very worst outcome possible and what was the least intention of Parliament. Once you start to think like that, you generally arrive at the correct answer to the...
Winter Weather Precautions
Arthur J Gallagher who are the brokers for our buildings insurance have produced some really useful guidance outlining winter weather precautions. Property damage caused by the escape of water from frozen pipes and other equipment can be extremely costly in both...
London Rental Standard Licence Awarded for Accreditation
We are pleased to announce that our accreditation arm - the Private Rented Sector Accreditation Scheme - has been awarded a provider licence for the London Rental Standard. The London Rental Standard has been created by the Mayor of London to help Londoners rent with...
Ground 7A Introduced By Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014
Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 We have previously reported on a rather useful new ground that has been added to the grounds available for landlords to seek possession. Contained in the same Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 is a...
DCLG Model Tenancy Agreement and Code of Practice
The other day, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) announced a couple of new measures which will put: ... power in the hands of people to get the deal they [deserve], without punishing the vast majority of good landlords while still encouraging...
Property Agents Must Join Redress Scheme By 1st October
The Department of Communities and Local Government has announced that the mandatory redress scheme which all letting and managing agents must become a member of will commence from 1 October 2014. By this date, all agents in England must belong to an approved redress...
Welsh Government Consultation Events on Model Contracts
The Welsh Government has previously produced a Renting Homes White Paper which includes a proposal for new types of contract when letting dwellings in Wales. One such contract is proposed to be a ‘standard contract’ which is “modelled on the assured shorthold tenancy...
Housing Benefit Recovery of Second Payment
Introduction Under the Housing Benefit Regulations, there are circumstances when a landlord is entitled to direct payment. Under previous rules (before Local Housing Allowance) one of those circumstances was if the tenant had made a request to pay direct to the...
Common Law Distress For Rent Abolished
In the modern day, distress for rent (a remedy which enables a landlord to recover arrears of rent by seizing property found in premises subject to a tenancy) has limited application in residential property cases. This is mainly because the courts permission is...
New Consumer Contracts and Distance Selling Rules
From 13 June 2014, The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 will consolidate and replace the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 and the Cancellation of Contracts made in a Consumer’s Home or Place...
London Rental Standard Launched – Accreditation For All
The London Rental Standard has now been launched whose aim is to raise professional standards in the capital’s private rented sector by providing a consistent standard of accreditation to consumers and a vehicle for increasing the number of accredited landlords and...
Coronavirus Guidance
Landlords Building Insurance
Guild subscribers can get preferential rates for landlords buildings insurance especially designed for landlords
