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In line with new recommendations, The Online Letting Agents will be removing references to “no housing benefit claimants” from all of our adverts from 15th April 2019, and will no longer screen tenants on this basis. All enquiries will be sent directly to the landlord, to give them the opportunity to assess each individual on…
New Energy Efficiency Rules from Monday 1st April
New energy efficiency rules for rental properties in England and Wales come into force on Monday, April 1, 2019. They spell out the costs that landlords legally face in improving properties that have an EPC rating below E. The Statutory Instrument to bring them in was made super-quietly earlier this month on March 15. It…
Comprehensive guide the the Tenant Fees Act 2019
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 commences from 1 June 2019 and applies to England only (for the time being as it has the ability to extend to Wales). The Act controls what payments a landlord or letting agent may require “in connection with a tenancy of housing in England.” and restricting what third-party contracts a…
New Fitness for Human Habitation Act in rental homes comes into force today
The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 comes into force today, Wednesday 20th March. It will apply to all new tenancies lasting up to seven years granted on or after today. It will also apply to existing tenancies that go periodic tomorrow or afterwards. It will also apply to all periodic tenancies in existing…
Electrical safety checks to become mandatory
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced that mandatory five-year electrical installation checks (Electrical Installation Condition Report, EICR) on private rented housing in England will be introduced. The implementation date has not yet been clarified, but the MHCLG intends to introduce legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows. A transitional period will…
Housing Complaints Resolution Service announced
The government have announced plans to launch a complaints service for homeowners and tenants. The new Housing Complaints Resolution Service will provide a straight-forward way for buy to let tenants and homeowners to get help when faced with unresolved disputes about problems with their home, such as repairs and maintenance. Under the new scheme, private…
Rent a Room Scheme – Earn up to £7,500 pa tax free!
Resident landlords can also earn up to £7,500 per year tax-free under the Rent a Room Scheme (figures correct as of Jan ’19). If you rent part of a property which is your only or main home you are considered a resident landlord, and are eligible for Rent a Room relief. There are certain rules,…
Security deposit cap reduced to five weeks rent
Private renters are set to benefit from new measures reducing the amount tenants have to pay up front to secure a home from 6 weeks’ rent to 5 for annual rentals of under £50,000. The move, announced as part of the Tenant Fees Bill, is a further step by Communities Secretary James Brokenshire MP towards ending…
Health and Safety Rules for Rented Homes to be Tightened
Landlords in England face a stricter health and safety regime as the government announces an overhaul of out-of-date rules. The review will look at updating the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) rules for residential dwellings and tightening the law demanding landlords install carbon monoxide alarms in rented homes with gas appliances (not just with solid…
Tenant fees ban looks set to become law earlier than expected
A date for the final debate on the tenant fees ban has been announced by the government, suggesting that the legislation may become law earlier than expected. Next week on Tuesday, 20th November, peers will have a final opportunity to debate the bill at Committee stage following a first sitting earlier this month in the…