Banning order offences are introduced today
Today the Government will introduce banning orders on rogue landlords and letting agents. Local authorities in England can apply to the First-tier Tribunal to issue a banning order against the landlord or agent. The Housing and Planning Act 2016 (Banning Order...
Tenant Fee Bill under pre-legislative scrutiny
Following the launch of the Governments Draft Tenant Fees Bill the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee (MHCLG) has been asked by the Secretary of State to carry out a pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft bill. On the 26 March 2018 the...
Licensing of agents on the cards
In October 2017 there was a 6 week call for evidence about regulating all agents. On the 1st April 2018 the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) released a press statement explaining what they see as the way forward. This will involve an...
New HMO Rules
New HMO Rules On 23 February 2018 new HMO rules were agreed by parliament and will come into force on 1 October 2018. The new rules are covered by “The Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Prescribed Description) (England) Order 2018”. Mandatory condition and...
Equality Laws and Housing Benefit
It was announced on 26 February 2018 that single mother Rosie Keogh has won compensation for sex discrimination from a letting agency that refused to consider her as a tenant because she was in receipt of housing benefit. The agent informed Ms Keogh that they would...
Electrical Safety Consultations
The Housing and Planning Act 2016, section 122 includes a provision to allow legislation to be brought in requiring landlords to have the mains electrical installation inspected every 5 years. During the course of the next 8 weeks (17 February 2018 until 16 April...
Strengthening Consumer Redress in the Housing Market
Having a roof over your head is not a luxury, and moving home is not always an easy option when problems occur. That’s why it’s so important that consumers have swift, effective routes to complain when things go wrong; that they know where to go, and are clear about...
New How to Rent Guide January 2018
Yesterday, 17 January 2018, the Government released a revised version of the How To Rent Guide. This should be used for all tenancies set up from today onwards. The point in law about if you gave the old guide to a tenant who moved in yesterday is not clear so we...
HMO Licensing
On 28th December Alok Sharma MP, the Housing Minister, announced that the HMOs that fall into mandatory licensing will change. Currently HMOs with 5 or more people from two or more families and where the property is over three or more qualifying storeys, need to have...
More Energy Consultations
On the 19th December another consultation was launched about minimum energy standards. In October a 97 page guide was issued and this consultation proposes some significant changes to that guidance. At the heart of the guidance is the rule that the landlord should not...
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