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Painsmith Solicitors Limited trading as Painsmith Solicitors, Director: Marveen Smith. Registered No. 07617210.
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Emma qualified as a solicitor in 2010 after completing her academic training at Bournemouth University and the University of Law, Guildford.
After undertaking her training contract at a large firm on the south coast she began her career with the same firm before accepting a position with PainSmith Solicitors in November 2012.
Emma specialises in all aspects of property litigation and can assist in resolving most disputes, regularly acting for landlords and land owners in connection with dilapidations disputes, forfeiture and possession claims, land registration disputes, building and boundary disputes, and recovery of arrears and other debts.
Emma is also able to draft up to date tenancy documentation, being fully conversant with all relevant requirements and guidance that applies to this heavily regulated and changing area. She has been praised for her ability to quickly understand her clients’ objectives and for offering commercial, pragmatic advice in a straightforward manner.
David Whitney is a solicitor and mediator. Prior to joining PainSmith five years ago he was a Partner in a West London practice. He has practised in the field of landlord and tenant law for about 20 years and has over the last 15 years developed a specialism in long residential leasehold work. His work encompasses dealing with all aspects of landlord and tenant including dilapidations claims, repossessions, enfranchisement, lease extensions, RTM applications and service charge disputes to name a few. In the past 12 months alone David has assisted over 200 hundred flat owners to either purchase their freehold or extend their lease. David understands the, often, competing interests of differing parties and prides himself on giving clients pragmatic and commercial advice. David also sits as a fee-paid Judge of the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) on the Southern Region and as a member of its mediation panel.
Laura graduated from the University of Portsmouth in 2013 with a degree in Law with Business. This year, Laura also completed the Legal Practice Course.
Prior to joining PainSmith Solicitors, Laura worked for a local council. She has the experience and knowledge to confidently handle her own caseload across a range of property matters and uses her understanding of business to ensure that she produces practical commercial solutions to client’s problems.
Richard came to PainSmith in August 2011 as a Paralegal after graduating with a degree in law from the University of Sheffield. Whilst working for PainSmith he completed the Legal Practice Course at weekends completed a training contract at the firm and has been taken on by the firm as a fully qualified Solicitor. After receiving considerable training provided by PainSmith, Richard joined the legal helpline and has been one of the advisers on the helpline for over four years.
He has over five years of experience in Landlord and Tenant law and his normal work load ranges from case handling of possession matters, deposit disputes, drafting of tenancy agreements, advising on HMO properties and debt and disrepair claims. He is experienced in lengthy and complex litigation and settlement negotiations.
David Whitney is a solicitor and mediator. Prior to joining PainSmith five years ago he was a Partner in a West London practice. He has practised in the field of landlord and tenant law for about 20 years and has over the last 15 years developed a specialism in long residential leasehold work. His work encompasses dealing with all aspects of landlord and tenant including dilapidations claims, repossessions, enfranchisement, lease extensions, RTM applications and service charge disputes to name a few. In the past 12 months alone David has assisted over 200 hundred flat owners to either purchase their freehold or extend their lease. David understands the, often, competing interests of differing parties and prides himself on giving clients pragmatic and commercial advice. David also sits as a fee-paid Judge of the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) on the Southern Region and as a member of its mediation panel.
Marveen Smith was one of the founders of PainSmith Solicitors in 2001 and has been the only Principal of PainSmith Solicitors a niche firm who are specialists in property law since 2006. Marveen has a background in accountancy and tax; forging a second career in law by qualifying as a Solicitor before starting her own practice. As well as working in her legal practice daily Marveen is one of the trainers for ARLA and other organisations presenting legal courses throughout the country; giving presentations at regional meetings for ARLA; and at seminars for landlords. Marveen has made regular appearances on Money Box for Radio 4 and Watchdog where she endeavoured to balance the one sided view of letting agents that can be presented by the media, as well as disseminating information to enable landlords to act in a more professional capacity. Marveen was the first person to establish a legal helpline for landlords and agents; and to offer both standard and bespoke documents designed specifically for the lettings industry. Today PainSmith offers a wide choice of legal documents to satisfy the requirements of both relocation companies, letting agents and landlords.
Yes you are your brother’s keeper. Immigration Bill 2013
Last week the Immigration Bill was given its first reading in Parliament. As was mooted in the Queen’s Speech, it contains requirements on landlords and agents to check the immigration status of tenants, with penalties for failure to comply.
If the Bill becomes law, people living in the UK without the “right to rent” are to be prohibited from renting premises in the UK. Section 17 of the Bill provides that persons “disqualified by immigration status” are not to be granted tenancies. Tenants who become disqualified during a tenancy are to lose their right to rent.
And the landlord/agent is responsible for checking.
If a landlord and/or agent lets a property to, renews a tenancy agreement with, or possibly allows continued occupation once a statutory periodic tenancy arises of a disqualified person, that landlord/agent will face a penalty of up to £3000.00.
There is a list of excuses that landlords can look to rely on, including that it was the agent’s fault (!), or that the “prescribed requirements” ( yet to be prescribed, but probably something along the lines of taking copies of passports/visas etc) were complied with before the tenancy was granted. If a person becomes disqualified during the tenancy the Landlord can try to wriggle out of paying a penalty if he tells on the tenant. Agents will have similar excuses set out in section 21.
The penalty system looks like this: 1. Landlord/agent receives penalty 2. Landlord/agent objects 3. Penalty is cancelled, reduced, increased, or no action to be taken. The prospect of an increase might put some people off lodging an objection.
The Bill anticipates that landlords might try to get around the responsibility to check immigration status by inserting a clause into the tenancy agreement prohibiting occupation by a disqualified person; section 17(6) provides that any such clause will be ignored for the purposes of determining whether there has been a contravention.
In anticipation of the fact that asking landlords and agents to do the job of the UKBA could give rise to racial profiling and discrimination ( hmmm, that name looks a bit foreign, let’s be on the safe side and not let our property to them),
Section 28 provides that a code of practice is to be issued to ensure compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and Race Relations ( Northern Ireland) Order 1997. Interestingly though a breach of the code will not incur civil or criminal proceedings. This looks like a dangerous balance: breach of the Immigration Act will incur a penalty, whereas breach of the so-called safe-guard will not.
Points to note:
• The Bill is currently in draft form. If and when it becomes law the current draft provisions may have been amended considerably.
• It does not apply to British Citizens, EEA nationals or Swiss nationals.
• Currently the referencing checks that reputable agents carry out would probably provide the necessary information ( sight of passports, evidence of bank accounts etc).
• The Bill covers tenancy agreements whether written or oral.
The above may seem unusually political for a Painsmith blog. This is not the intention. However Painsmith is committed to helping to eliminate discrimination in the private rental sector and in its current form this bill is set to cause problems.