Page 477 – Property118

Is change coming to the Evictions industry?

18th September 2020

Any firm or solicitors offering a specialist eviction service can operate under a Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) licence. However, if they operate without an SRA licence they will not have the legal authority to complete many parts of the process. This has created a grey area into which many unlicensed firms, many calling themselves ‘lawyers’ […]

Landlord Action – 3 Steps to Tenant Eviction

18th September 2020

The risks associated with illegal eviction missed rent payments and possible damage to your property if tenant eviction is badly handled are significantly reduced by paying for professional advice or services. Accuracy is critical. Landlords won’t find a more accurate service. Generally using Section-21 or Section-8, both follow a three-step procedure. About half of all […]

9 Golden Rules as courts begin to hear possession cases from 21st September

18th September 2020

New golden rules to sustain tenancies in the rental housing market have been published ahead of the courts beginning to hear possession cases from the 21st September: Click Here The rules, drafted by the National Residential Landlords Association, form a central part of measures announced by the Government to ensure courts can start to process […]

Top 5 ‘Need-to-Knows’ for tenants – Citizens Advice

18th September 2020

Amy Hughes, Housing Expert at Citizens Advice, shares the top five ‘need-to-knows’ for renters in England worried about staying in their home. Find out where you are in the process: “If your landlord wants to evict you from your privately rented home there are three stages they’ll have to go through. First, they’ll need to […]

Bank of England emblem symbolising decision to hold the Base Rate at 5%

Bank Base Rate remains at 0.1%

17th September 2020

The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted unanimously to maintain the Bank Base Rate at 0.1% and for the quantitative easing stock to remain unchanged. Economic outlook is particularly uncertain, but the bank’s central growth projections still assume the direct impact of Covid-19 on the economy will dissipate gradually and assume an immediate, […]

Stick to a realistic asking price

17th September 2020

The latest market research from Rightmove may suggest that if you want to sell a property quickly you should set a realistic asking price and stick to it. Rightmove reported on over 300,000 properties listed for sale between 13th May and 31st July looking to see if the price was reduced or if they were […]

Now commercial tenants will be protected until Christmas

16th September 2020

Businesses will be protected from the threat of eviction until the end of year, providing commercial tenants with greater security, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick has announced. The government will also extend the restriction on landlords using Commercial Rents Arrears Recovery to enforce unpaid rent on commercial leases, until the end of the year. The government […]

My first ever working tenant!

16th September 2020

I have a flat to rent and had an enquiry from a single lady (with son aged 13) who will be working, but whose rent will be topped up by the DWP. All of my tenants to date in the area have never worked at all, so I have a few questions I hope my […]

Rent control proposals could close off London to new residents

16th September 2020

Proposals by the Mayor of London for rent controls in the capital would be a disaster for tenants. As Sadiq Khan once again seeks the powers to introduce them, the National Residential Landlords Association is pointing to a report published by The Treasury in 2010 under the last Labour Government, of which the Mayor was […]

Section 8 Antisocial Behaviour?

16th September 2020

We have a tenant who has just been raided for the third time in six months and who is noisy, deals drugs, leaves crap everywhere, and we need them gone. In the current circumstances what are our best options? Section 8 Ground 14? Any advice gratefully received. Jon Editors Note: Housing Act 1988 >> https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/50/schedule/2 […]

Only 49% of landlords say they have received full rent payments

16th September 2020

A survey of 1200 landlords carried out by Hamilton Fraser has revealed that since March 2020, when COVID-19 lockdown rules were introduced, 43% of landlords have been contacted by their tenants to say they will struggle to pay rent and only 49% of landlords have received full rent payments. More than a quarter of landlords […]

It’s been 6 months but…

15th September 2020

The current ban on repossessions in the residential rental market in England and Wales is due to end on Sunday 20th This follows a U-turn on the 21st August which saw the Government extend the ban by a further month in chaotic, last-minute circumstances.  At the time the Master of the Rolls described the nature […]

Government forcing landlords to house non-paying tenants for lengthy periods

15th September 2020

When Robert Jenrick made his shock announcement on the 21st of August of a new 6-month notice period in England (copying ‘socialist’ Wales) he further abrogated the state’s responsibility. How could it be right that private citizens are now made to house non-paying tenants whom they ordinarily would have been able to evict after ‘only’ […]

Lincoln Licensed Deathtraps

15th September 2020

This story concerns two slum-like death trap HMOs which had both been granted recent HMO Licences by Lincoln City Council and condemned as unsafe for habitation by an independent expert. One such HMO Licence was granted as recently as January 2020 and even after inspection by one of Lincoln City Council’s supposedly expert Housing Officers, […]

Guidance for lenders to support borrowers post mortgage holiday period

14th September 2020

The FCA has published additional guidance for firms, to ensure that consumers who have benefited from payment deferrals under the current guidance who still face financial difficulties, as well as those whose financial situation may be newly affected by coronavirus after the current guidance ends, continue to get the support they need. The measures mean […]

The Law Society logo representing its call for more funding to prevent tenant evictions.

Law Society comment on government protection of tenants

14th September 2020

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has announced further measures to protect renters. Law Society of England and Wales president Simon Davis said: “Possession hearings restart on 21 September, meaning that landlords are able to commence hearings to evict tenants. However, in areas where a local lockdown is implemented, enforcement of any possession […]

Parking sign

Ex-tenant threatening legal action over parking?

14th September 2020

A tenant that has recently vacated one of our properties left the place in such a state that we said we would need to keep some of his deposit to cover deep cleaning and removal of many items left behind. His deposit is with ‘My Deposit’ – all arranged by the agent that lets out […]

Electric safety certificate/CCU/fuse board

14th September 2020

Hello,  I have a number of properties where the fuse board/CCU is not in a metal cabinet or metal frame. In fact on some certified electricians have over the years replaced the old board with plastic boards to include circuit breakers etc. I not convinced that in any circumstances – or particularly plastic boxes need […]

Could be waiting until the latter half of 2021 to regain possession?

14th September 2020

On the 5th of June 2020, the UK Government announced that it would be suspending all housing possession cases in the courts for a further 2 months. Recently, this was extended again taking the total ban on legal evictions to 6 months. The Government have confirmed that the new 6-month notice period will be in […]

Making a property a Freehold / Leasehold

14th September 2020

Hello, Please can anyone point me where to look on the internet (or Property118) where I can read up about how to turn a Freehold Property ie a property with just 1 Land Registry Title into two titles i.e. A Leasehold and a Freehold. I would also like to be able to read up about […]

How Landlords can take advantage of the new government Green Homes Grant

11th September 2020

The new government Green Homes Grant will give up to £5,000 in vouchers to landlords to make their homes more energy-efficient. This scheme is part of a £3b investment in green technology to promote energy efficiency, as well as to help boost the economy during the coronavirus pandemic by creating jobs. If you are looking […]