The three individuals involved in running the letting agency, Crestons, operating in Islington and the surrounding London boroughs have been sentenced to 28 months in prison for fraud. They were convicted of carrying on a business for a fraudulent purpose in a trial in Blackfriars Crown Court last month. Between 2014 and 2016 Crestons failed …
The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) has announced this month that it will bring forward legislation to require landlords to join a mandatory redress scheme. This is part of a wider set of proposals to shake up redress across the entire residential sector and fill in gaps in existing redress. MHCLG is …
In November last year we wrote about the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) announcing a £2 million funding boost for local authorities to tackle ‘rogue’ landlords. In order to benefit from this additional funding local authorities were required to make a bid. The bidding process is now closed and the funds have …
The Tenant Fees Bill is now expected to come into force on 1 June 2019. Once the Bill receives Royal Assent it will apply to all tenancies that are agreed, whether new or renewed, after this date. Our previous posts on the Bill can be read here. The Bill had its third reading in the …
This is our second post this year on e-signatures. Our first post on e-signatures and deeds can be read here. In our previous post we discussed deeds and whether it was appropriate to sign them by way of e-signature. We are aware that agents and landlords are using e-signatures on contractual versions of agreements that …
E-signatures are on the rise in the rental market, but it is not always a good idea to have all documents signed this way especially where the document is a deed. Many lettings agents and landlords will be familiar with Deeds and where and when it is appropriate to use them. Examples of such documents …
The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) has issued a short note on what the Gaskin case means for local authorities. The full details of the Gaskincase can be read here. Summary of case The High Court held that the local authority’s fee for HMO licence renewals was unlawful under the Provision of Services …
We are often asked about the costs associated with a potential rental property claim and a tenant’s right to legal aid, the common name for public funding. This post will address the tenant’s right to legal aid. Generally, there are 2 situations relevant to rental properties where tenants may be entitled to legal aid: Possession …
This Bill received Royal Assent on 20 December 2018 and will come into force on 20 March 2019. It is hoped that the Act will help to boost standards in rental properties as well as give tenants powers to hold landlords to account where those standards are not met. Our previous post on the Act …
Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act Becomes Law Read More »
The government has launched the Regulation of Property Agents working group. The group will take forward the government’s commitment to implementing: Regulation of letting agents Minimum entry requirements for the sector A Code of Practice for the sector Fees limits and Right to Manage powers for long leases. Our previous post can be read here The …
As stated previously the Tenant Fees Bill is before the House of Lords and during this process a number of amendments have been incorporated. This post will specifically deal with the Client Money Protection (CMP) amendments that have been proposed by the Lords. In February 2018 the government brought into force the Housing and Planning …
A few weeks ago, we posted an update on the Tenant Fees Bill. We have since received a number of phone calls asking for more details on what agents can and cannot charge tenants for. Note that the fee ban does not apply to landlords. Unfortunately, the Bill could still be amended and as such …
The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has urged the Government to reconsider the £3,500 cost cap on Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards in the private rental sector. The cost cap of £3,500 will come into force once the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations have been amended. At present we are unclear …
A two-year lottery funded project called Open Doors has produced two free guides for tenants aimed at reducing discrimination and mistreatment in the private rented sector. The Open Doors guides are called ‘Common issues and how to overcome them’ and ‘Challenging Discrimination’. Whilst the guides are targeted towards tenants, they will also provide landlords with …
Spark Energy, a specialist supplier to tenants in the Private Rented sector became the seventh supplier to collapse this year. Fortunately for many tenants OVO Energy has been selected by Ofgem to take over the Spark Energy brand. Spark Energy acquired its largely private rental sector tenant customer base through letting agent referrals. Rental properties …
The Bill is currently before the House of Lords and during this process the government has made a number of substantial amendments. It is possible that further amendments will be proposed and at this stage agents and landlords should expect them. The Bill proposes to ban landlords and their lettings agents from requiring private tenant’s …
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