With more than 20,000 fires in homes in the UK caused by electrical appliances, the need for electrical safety in residential buildings is vital.
To help landlords and letting agents get started on preserving the safety of tenants in the communal areas of their residential lettings, here’s our guide to maintaining electrical safety.
What does the law demand?
Landlords are responsible for ensuring residents and visitors are in a safe space, including protecting them from electrical faults and fires caused by a fault.
Electrical safety in rented properties is covered by several laws. Most recently, the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require landlords to:
- Ensure that all electrical safety standards are complied with during any period in which the residential premises are occupied under a tenancy
- Ensure every electrical installation in the residential premises is inspected and tested regularly by a qualified person. This is every five years unless an inspection specifies a shorter period.
- Provide a copy of the electrical safety report to their tenants and local authority if requested
Landlords who don’t comply with government standards will find themselves held accountable and subject to substantial fines.
What is a communal area?
When considering electrical safety in communal areas, landlords need to think in broad terms about what those communal areas include:
- Entrance halls
- Foyers
- Kitchens and bathrooms
- Stairwells
- Landings
- Pathways
- Parking areas
- Gardens
- Parking areas
This means inside and outside spaces with electrical facilities must be maintained equally conscientiously.
What steps can landlords take to ensure electrical safety?
Firstly, be aware of what’s happening in your building by walking through it regularly and looking for changes, such as broken equipment or loose sockets.
Also:
- Conduct regular risk assessments, identifying hazards, and broken or faulty electrical equipment, including items such as emergency lighting and sockets.
- Remove, fix or replace broken or faulty equipment as soon as possible.
- Keep records of all actions taken regarding electrical safety.
Fire is a significant risk from electrical faults, so being prepared is also essential, which means:
- Putting systems in place to check regular fire safety procedures
- Compliance with current fire safety regulations, making sure that the suitable alarms, equipment, evacuation procedures and signage are in place to deal with fire emergencies
- Check that fire doors are working correctly and aren’t wedged open.
- Ensure that communal areas aren’t obstructed or used as storage areas and that evacuation routes are clear.
All of this takes time and effort, but, as for all safety issues, prevention is better than cure; it’s crucial to be proactive when managing potential hazards.
Maintaining up-to-date records means regularly reviewing electrical safety, but it will help you should you need to make an insurance claim.
Do you need help keeping on top of block management?
Maintaining electrical safety in communal areas isn’t just about preventing electrical shocks but also minimising fire risk from faulty wiring or appliances.
When inspecting communal areas, you must understand these risks and that risk assessments reflect the level of due diligence needed to address potential hazards. This means regular and comprehensive block inspections.
As a landlord or letting agent, it can be challenging to find the time to keep on top of regular inspections, but at No Letting Go, our estate and block management services provide a comprehensive solution to maintaining safety standards, with inspections conducted at intervals agreed with the landlord to include:
- Fire and Safety
- Fire Assets
- Communal areas
- Estate and block cleanliness and condition
- Maintenance
We can also produce bespoke reports to meet a landlord’s specific property or tenancy needs.
If you would like to contact us
No Letting Go – partnering with landlords to keep rental properties safe
At No Letting Go, we pride ourselves on the service we provide to our customers. If you would like to discuss how we can help maintain safety in all spaces of your residential premises, our expert team is ready to offer support and advise you so that tenants and visitors can feel safe in your properties.
Our local support and national networks can also help streamline costs and reduce your workload by running inspection schedules, recording inventories and providing professional advice.
To learn more about our services for landlords and agents, contact No Letting Go today.
Insuring your rental property is just as important as insuring your own home, so here is our guide for landlords to get started on the right track when protecting their rental market assets.
What is landlord insurance?
Landlord insurance protects landlords and their properties from the risks that come with renting out a property. It offers specialist financial protection for a range of scenarios. So, when choosing insurance for your rental property, it’s essential to ensure that these scenarios are covered to avoid financial risk and to protect your ability to let a property.
Why do landlords need special insurance?
For the same reasons that homeowners need insurance, landlords also need insurance. But landlord insurance is specifically tailored to meet the needs and potential risks of renting a property.
Landlord insurance isn’t a legal requirement, but many insurers demand an appropriate level of insurance and tenancy agreements may also stipulate insurance needs.
The right insurance cover helps landlords avoid financial risks. Even though you can’t know what’s happening in your property all the time, at least insurance offers peace of mind that any risk is mitigated because you will have the financial means through your policy to deal with any problem.
What can landlord insurance cover?
Landlord insurance is specifically focused on the kind of risks that landlords can be exposed. Some insurance coverage is standard while other aspects are additional, but this is great for landlords because it allows them to create an overarching policy tailored to their needs.
Landlord insurance policies can cover the following:
- Buildings. It’s important to ensure the policy covers the cost of repairs and a complete rebuild.
- Contents. White goods, furniture, furnishings, fittings etc., lost or stolen. Tenants can insure their own belongings.
- Loss of income. Whether tenants fail to pay rent or the property becomes uninhabitable for a period, the loss of any rental income can be covered.
- Liability. Protecting against compensation claims made by tenants or visitors.
- Accidental damage. For example, breaking a window or putting a foot through the ceiling when in the loft.
- Tenant damage. Tenant deposits can cover the cost of some damage, but insurance can make up any shortfall.
- Legal cover. This can help with legal fees if a landlord has to go, or is taken, to court.
- Emergency assistance. For a broken boiler, split pipes, security, etc.
Multiple rental properties can also be insured under one policy when arranged with the insurer, making it easy for landlords to ensure that all of their properties have the right cover.
How much does landlord insurance cost?
The insurance cost depends on several factors, such as the property’s condition, the number of contents, any extras requested, rebuild expenses, etc.
When choosing your cover, it’s just as important to know what is excluded and what’s covered. A policy may seem cheap, but if it covers only some of what you need, it may be a waste of money because you can’t rely on it in the worst-case scenario.
When thinking about costs, also be aware of the excess charge. Choosing a higher excess may make your policy cheaper, but you might need to pay more for making a claim. Are you comfortable having the money when needed to cover the excess charge?
How do I find the right landlord’s insurance?
Find a policy that covers all you need and factors in any loss of rent. Decide the cover required by the value of contents and cost to rebuild. Also, consider the additional extras such as emergency cover or liability insurance.
You can use comparison sites, insurance companies or a specialist insurance broker to find the best deal, but importantly, seek specialist advice if you need more clarity about the coverage you need. Buying the right insurance is critical for reducing the impact of a potential disaster.
Finding the right insurance is just one of the many tasks facing landlords. If you’d like to discuss how No Letting Go’s local support national network could become your inventory partner, streamlining costs, including insurance premiums, and reducing your workload, then contact No Letting Go today.
Before investing in a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) property, there are lots to consider. This guide will highlight the key issues to help you prepare to take that step.
What is an HMO?
Your property is an HMO (House in Multiple Occupation) if rented out by at least three people who are not from one ‘household’, such as a family, but share facilities like a bathroom and kitchen.
A large HMO is defined as a property that:
· Is rented to five or more people who form more than one household
· Requires some or all tenants to share toilet, bathroom, or kitchen facilities
· Has at least one tenant paying rent (or their employer pays it for them)
Large HMOs must have a licence if located in England or Wales. However, smaller properties rented to fewer people may still need a licence, and you need to check with your local council.
What responsibilities does an HMO landlord have?
In our blog, we have previously provided A beginners guide for HMO landlords, which provides details of the requirements placed on landlords. These are important because the responsibilities are broad in what they cover and specific in terms of what they require.
One example is that suitable bedroom sizes for HMOs are stipulated, so if you are thinking about applying for a licence, you need bedroom sizes that are at least:
· 6.51 square metres for a person aged 10 or over
· 10.22 square metres for two people aged 10 or over
· 4.64 square metres for a child under 10 years old
Again, this can vary between councils, and you need to understand the requirements in the council authority area.
You must also be aware that the local authority needs to be informed if:
· You plan to make changes to an HMO
· Your tenants make changes
· Your tenants’ circumstances change (for example, they have a child)
These specific demands on HMO landlords are in addition to the more apparent responsibilities like complying with HMO legal requirements, ensuring safety checks, providing furnishings, fixtures and fittings, maintaining communal areas and not allowing overcrowding.
The requirements placed on HMO landlords are comprehensive, so anyone considering investing in a House in multiple occupation property must be clear about them first.
What else do HMO landlords need to know?
Besides understanding their responsibilities, HMO landlords must be aware of their implications. No matter what property you rent, there will be challenges to address. But as an HMO landlord, you may need to consider the following:
• It can be harder to find financing for these types of rentals
• You need to find the right property to convert to an HMO
• Set-up costs can be higher
• Managing multiple tenants can be more challenging
• Tenant turnover may be higher
• Running costs may be higher
• Collecting rent from several individuals will likely present more work
• Maintenance costs can be higher
Making HMO management easier
Despite the potential challenges for an HMO landlord, the potential income is a big attraction. With the right support, the time needed to manage an HMO successfully can be substantially reduced.
The range of services, including pre-, mid- and end-of-tenancy services, offered by No Letting Go means landlords can make navigating the challenges of being an HMO landlord easier, ensure legal obligations are met, the investment is being protected and that tenants are content.
No Letting Go
If you would like to find out more about how the No Letting Go team can cut down on time needed to manage HMO and multiple properties, streamline cost and reduce workload, contact No Letting Go today.
Landlords are raising rents in response to tax changes
It’s been two years since changes to buy-to-let mortgages also changed the way that landlords are taxed. As some had predicted, many landlords have been forced to reconsider their position and think about what the future now holds for them.
How has buy-to-let tax changed?
Before 2017, landlords could deduct mortgage expenses from their taxable profits, including all of the interest they paid for the mortgage on their rental property.
In 2017 this began to be phased out until April 2020. it stopped altogether. This was replaced by a 20% tax credit, which is substantially less for higher rate taxpayers who, under the old system, would have received 40% tax relief.
How has this affected landlords?
These changes in how landlords are taxed have had significant implications for them, with one in three reporting that their portfolio is not as profitable as it was before the changes came in. The same number of landlords have considered selling properties due to the loss of mortgage tax relief.
Apart from the financial impact, the lettings sector is undergoing a raft of changes, with more on the horizon; we recently talked about how the Renters Reform Bill will change things. All these changes and proposals are proving challenging to keep up with, causing 58% of landlords to claim that changing and confusing government legislation is the biggest challenge.
Two options for landlords
In addition to changing legislation, 32% of landlords stated that rising taxes are also a key challenge. To manage the financial impact of these changes, landlords are taking one of two main options – raising rents and selling properties.
25% of landlords said they have increased rents to cover the cost of increasing tax on their tenants, and for landlords with more than 20 properties, this increases to 58% passing on costs.
Around the same proportion of landlords with more extensive portfolios (26%) have reduced the size of their properties to reduce the impact of tax changes. However, the percentage decreases to 13% for landlords with smaller property portfolios.
What does the future hold for landlords?
With more changes to the law on the drawing board that will impact landlords, for example, renting with pets, changes to energy efficiency rating requirements, as well as possible interest rate rises, life for landlords won’t get any easier in 2022.
Ongoing changes and uncertainty in the rental market will continue to have unintended knock-on effects, such as reducing the amount of affordable housing and rental properties on the market.
Despite the challenges, almost 60% of landlords still believe that letting a property is worthwhile. Demand for rental properties is still high, so there is still much for landlords to be optimistic about, so long as they have a realistic business plan, which includes the right support that keeps costs down and maximises occupancy.
No Letting Go
If you would like to discuss how our local support or national network at No Letting Go could become your inventory partner, streamline your costs and reduce your workload, then contact No Letting Go today.
Understanding the numerous taxes that apply to landlords and then calculating the amount of tax owed can be complex. To ensure that you meet all your obligations, keeping up to date with tax changes that may affect your income is essential.
In 2022, we’ve already seen buy-to-let tax changes coming into full effect, so what else should landlords be aware of?
Changes to tax
Some changes in UK tax regulations may impact landlords:
Tax on dividends – There is currently a £2,000 annual dividend allowance, but tax must be paid on income from a dividend after this allowance. From April 2022 tax on dividends increased by 1.25%. This means if you pay the basic tax rate, you will now pay 8.75% tax on dividend payments, those paying a higher rate of tax will pay 33.75%, and additional rate taxpayers will pay 39.35% on dividends.
National Insurance – National Insurance contributions have increased by 1.25%. Landlords renting properties as a business venture will see an increase in the NI contribution they must pay on any rental earnings if they exceed the relevant thresholds. It also means that if they employ people in their property business, employer contributions to NI will also increase.
Capital Gains Tax – The timeline for reporting and paying Capital Gains Tax made on profits from selling a buy-to-let property has increased from 30 days to 60 days.
Make Tax Digital – From April 2022, any landlord with a VAT-registered property rental business with a rental turnover below the VAT threshold of £85,000 must now keep digital tax records and report income and expenses figures online to HMRC each quarter as part of the Making Tax Digital initiative.
From 2024 this requirement will be extended to include self-employed landlords completing self-assessments. They will be required to maintain digital financial records compatible with HMRC’s Making Tax Digital system.
More changes on the horizon – 2022 is shaping to be an economically challenging year, with the possibility of higher inflation and recession affecting landlords’ finances.
Inflation, already at a 40-year high, is set to increase. In addition, rising interest rates are likely to continue their upward trend throughout 2022. Any rise in interest rates may concern landlords; if a mortgage is due to be renewed, it may be time to shop around for the best deal.
In addition to financial changes, The Renters Reform Bill will continue to go through the stages of parliamentary approval. Changes, such as proposed energy ratings certificate, carbon monoxide alarm regulations and “Lets with Pets”, mean landlords should be prepared for more changes in regulation and the extra costs they imply.
Preparing for an uncertain future
Making sure you are on top of your existing landlord’s obligations will make adjusting to whatever lies ahead easier because you won’t be in a position where you are already trying to catch up with reforms. Implementing a thorough inventory process is one important step to help you achieve this, providing you with a solid benchmark and clarity in an ever-changing sector.
The right business partner can also help you reduce running costs and ensure optimal occupancy for your properties.
No Letting Go
If you would like to discuss how our local support or national network at No Letting Go could become your inventory partner, streamlining costs, reducing your workload and boosting efficiency, then contact No Letting Go today.
Finding a new home to rent can be exciting, but it can also be daunting. It’s a big financial commitment and one you don’t want to get wrong. To help renters check that they’ve found the right property, here are five things to look out for before signing on the dotted line.
Five things renters should consider
1. Is the furniture in good condition?
It’s important to check that furniture in the property is in good working order and meets fire safety standards. Furniture that comes under fire safety rules should have labels attached to confirm they meet the required standards. Any furniture, including sofas, beds, cushions and mattresses that don’t meet fire standards, is broken or needs replacing through wear and tear should be replaced at the landlord’s expense. It isn’t your responsibility to replace the furniture in furnished property.
2. Is the property secure?
Different properties have different security needs, but it’s essential to know that your home is secured properly. You need to feel safe in your home, so ensure that locks are fitted properly and of good quality. Windows should also be checked to ensure they close properly and can be locked. It may also be necessary to consider security lighting and an alarm system.
3. Are there signs of dampness?
Damp and mould create uncomfortable living conditions and can be a health risk. Look in the corners of rooms and around widows for dampness and condensation. Signs of mould, flaking paint or wallpaper coming away from walls are all warning signs.
4. Are safety alarms in place?
There are specific regulations around smoke & CO alarms and CO2 monitors in rental properties, and you need to ensure that any property you are looking at has the required alarms in place and that they work. If not, this is a breach of the law and needs to be addressed before you can move in.
5. Check there’s an inventory
A comprehensive property inventory can save you from difficult conversations and disputes at the end of the tenancy. It should list all furniture, appliances, etc. and their condition, and you must agree that the inventory accurately represents the property’s contents and condition. If you don’t have one, you could find yourself bearing the cost of repairs and replacements you weren’t expecting when you come to leave the property.
Don’t rush in, only to pay for it later.
A few checks before you decide to rent a property could save you a lot of heartache and unforeseen costs down the line. Understanding what you and the landlord are responsible for when you look at a property can help you ask the right questions if you are unsure of anything.
Taking time to read a letting agreement can help you feel confident that you and your landlord are starting off on the right foot from the beginning of your tenancy.
No Letting Go
If you would like to discuss how our local support or national network at No Letting Go could become your inventory partner, streamlining your costs, reducing your workload and ensuring that both you and your tenants are well protected, then contact No Letting Go today.
Short term lets have had a significant role to play in the rental market over the past year, performing better than other sectors, and the good news is that this trend looks set to continue in 2022.
What’s driving the growth in short term lets?
Although the short-term rental market has not been immune to the challenges presented by the past couple of years, it has weathered the storm well for three key reasons:
The rise of the “staycation”: Many people are choosing to avoid foreign travel and remain in the UK for their holiday, with the increase of “staycations” driving demand for short-term holiday lets. People’s desire to explore the UK and enjoy the convenience of holidaying while avoiding airports indicates that demand for short-term lets for holidays is here to stay. BuyAssociation reported that 47% of families looking for holiday accommodation were interested in finding a cottage or villa rather than staying in a hotel.
Nomadic workers: Another trend driving the demand for short term lets is that of the nomadic worker. For many people, working from home looks set to remain a long-term work option; it doesn’t matter where they are based if they can continue to work. This has seen a rise in people taking on short term lets they can work from but also use as a base to explore a new area, allowing them to combine travel and work.
Modern rental options: We recently discussed how the build-to-rent sector continues to grow and the increasing availability of purpose-built rental properties specifically designed for the rental market. They offer an attractive proposition with great facilities, easy access to wi-fi, and high-spec interiors. Unlike many traditional rental properties, they offer flexible rental solutions, including short-term lets. These types of properties speak to those who don’t want to rent, and as the number of build-to-rent properties increases, it will also help attract more people to the short-term rental market.
How can landlords adapt?
As the short-term rental market is likely to continue performing well, landlords and letting agents may want to look to their own portfolios to see how they can benefit from the trend. In this case, the ability to be flexible and manage regular changes in tenants will be essential, and technology will play a vital role.
We’ve already seen how technology such as keyless entry, digital property guides, and an array of communications tools can smooth the onboarding process for new tenants. But there’s also an array of technology that supports the quick transition of tenants. Online inventory tools, check-in services, and end-of-tenancy checks all make property management efficient and easy while still protecting your property and keeping operational costs low.
There are plenty of opportunities for landlords and letting agents in the rental market, but you may need to examine how you apply tech to manage your properties to keep pace with change.
No Letting Go
If you would like to discuss how our local support or national network at No Letting Go could become your inventory partner, applying high-tech solutions to streamline your cost and reduce your workload, then contact No Letting Go today.
Will changes in the Model Tenancy Agreement and the proposed Dogs and Domestic Animals Accommodation Bill make renting with pets the new norm? It could make life easier for pet owners looking for rented accommodation, but it may not give tenants the absolute right to keep a pet they were hoping for.
Renting with pets is in demand.
Rightmove reports a 120% increase in the demand for pet-friendly rental properties. This is in stark contrast to the PDSA report that only around 7% of privately rented accommodation is advertised as pet friendly. It reflects that finding a rental property if you have a pet isn’t straightforward.
In a move that may address this, the government is taking steps to make it easier for anyone with pets to find somewhere to rent by changing the default position of landlords on pet ownership.
So what’s changing?
The Model Tenancy Agreement is the government’s recommended contract for landlords to use with tenants, and it has been updated to be more pet friendly. There’s no longer a blanket ban on tenants having pets, and landlords are being encouraged to allow them.
Renters must still seek written consent from landlords to keep pets on the property, but landlords must respond within 28 days, giving a good reason for objecting. However, they still have no legal obligation to accept pets.
In addition, the Dog and Domestic Animals Accommodation Protection Bill is seeking to add further assistance for responsible pet owners to find rental properties. While this bill is still awaiting approval, it proposes that pet owners with a ‘certificate of responsible animal guardianship’ would be able to demonstrate to landlords that they are responsible owners, making the landlord more comfortable with leasing to a pet owner.
Neither of these measures gives tenants the legal right to keep pets in rented accommodation, but they change the default position of pets in rented accommodation. The Model Tenancy Agreement states that landlords must not withhold or delay consent to refuse a pet. The Dog and Domestic Animals Accommodation Protection Bill would require landlords to have a certificate of exemption if they want to prohibit pets, for example, religious objections.
What does this mean for landlords?
Many landlords may wish to support their tenants having pets but are cautious about the potential challenges this can present. These include additional damage and wear and tear a pet may incur at a property or the risk that it may be loud and become a nuisance to other residents.
In our article Should I allow pets in my rental property? we look at the pros and cons for landlords of accepting pets and ways in which they can mitigate potential loss by ensuring that their tenancy agreement stipulates clear guidelines on pet ownership and ways to mitigate any additional costs.
It seems inevitable that demand for pet ownership in rental properties will increase. To keep pace with the change and tenant needs, landlords and agents mustn’t put this on the back-burner. Being prepared for change is the best way to ensure that you have the right solution that works for all parties.
No Letting Go
If you would like to discuss how our local support or national network at No Letting Go can become your inventory partner, protecting your property and its contents while streamlining costs and reducing your workload, then contact No Letting Go today.
We’ve seen rises in the cost of food, fuel and energy recently, but this may not be the end of it for renters. It seems that rents are also set to continue going up in 2022.
What’s happening with rents at the moment?
Since the end of 2021, rental prices have been on the increase. In the 12 months to March 2022, private rental prices paid by tenants in the UK increased by 2.4%, which is the most significant annual growth rate since July 2016.
London is the exception to the recent increase in rent prices, with private rental rates increasing by 0.4%. So if you exclude London, national rental prices across the rest of the country increased by 3.3% during that period.
What’s causing the rise in rents?
The rise in rents is driven by two key factors: a rise in demand for rental properties; and not enough supply to meet the demand. Both the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) report a growing demand for rental properties.
This is an ongoing trend, as the Rightmove rental price tracer for Q4 of 2021 reported:
· Tenant demand is 32% higher than the same time the previous year
· The number of available properties is 51% lower than the same period in the previous year
· Competition between tenants for available properties is at 94%, compared to the same time the previous year
With demand for rental homes increasing by 76% in the New Year period of 2022, compared with the same time in 2018 to 2021, there seems to be no let-up in sight.
What happens next?
Rightmove predicts rents will rise by 5% in 2022 as the struggle between supply and demand continues, whilst Zoopla predicts a rent rise by 4.5% across the UK in 2022, excluding London, where the surge is likely to be a little lower, at 3.5%.
Renting dynamics are expected to change over the coming months as city workers return to the office and want to relocate near their workplaces to avoid commuting. Students return to their places of study, including many from overseas.
Tenants who remained in situ during the pandemic may also be looking to make the move they had put off.
The rental market is expected to move quickly over the coming year, and competition for properties will be fierce. Renters need to move rapidly to secure the property they want. Yet, they could also face the additional challenge of increasing living costs that will squeeze their budgets. This means that many renters will have to reassess what they can afford.
High demand should mean landlords can secure a good return on their rental properties and reduce empty periods. However, it’s still important to maintain properties to a good standard if they want to attract their ideal tenants.
No Letting Go
If you would like to discuss how our local support and national networks at No Letting Go can help you to secure the tenants you want by acting as your inventory partner while streamlining your costs and reducing your workload, then contact No Letting Go today.
The Renters Reform Bill White Paper is expected in 2022 and will outline wide-ranging reforms proposed for the private rental sector. Landlords need to be prepared to make changes to ensure that they meet the new obligations when they are introduced.
What is expected to be in the Renters Reform Bill?
There are several fundamental changes proposed in the Bill that will directly impact landlords:
• Abolishing Section 21 “no fault” evictions: Landlords will need to provide tenants with a valid reason for eviction at the end of the tenancy, which is not currently required.
• A lifetime tenancy deposit: This will ease the financial burden for tenants when moving between tenancies as deposits will be transferred with each move, rather than having to save for a new deposit for the following property while waiting for the last deposit to be returned.
• Improved standards in rented accommodation: To ensure all tenants have a right to redress and stop criminal landlords from unscrupulous practices to improve the standard of rental properties.
• Strengthening repossession grounds for landlords: When the landlord has a valid reason to repossess the property, the Bill will ensure they can do so.
• Introduction of a landlord register: This will improve how they are held to account so tenants can be assured they are renting from a landlord who meets their legal duties.
• Improved eviction process: Making the process easier and quicker for landlords and tenants and providing mediation services to avoid the courts.
• Greater powers for local authorities: To enforce the rights of tenants.
Why are the changes being introduced?
The Renters Reform Bill is seeking to make changes to offer greater security for tenants while also ensuring that the rights of landlords aren’t unfairly diminished, allowing them still to take appropriate action when there’s justification.
The Bill will also elevate some of the financial burdens on tenants regarding managing deposits. These changes should improve standards for tenants with greater clarity on all sides over what their responsibilities are.
How will the proposed reforms affect landlords?
Landlords must make themselves up to speed with all the changes the Bill introduces so they don’t miss any of the new obligations. This could mean updating tenancy agreements, deposit and rental processes, including eviction notices, to reflect new regulations.
To remain competitive and attract the tenants you want, all landlords and agents should already be keeping their properties maintained to a high standard. A robust inventory procedure can help you achieve and maintain standards in your rental properties. If not already in place, landlords and agents should consider this as a tool to meet their new obligations under the Renters Reform Bill.
At No Letting Go, we will be working proactively to ensure that our inventories are ready for any changes the Renters’ Reform Bill introduces and will work with landlords and letting agents so that our services continue to help them meet their regulatory obligations.
No Letting Go
If you would like to discuss how our local support or national network at No Letting Go can become your inventory partner, keeping you compliant with the law, streamlining your costs and reducing your workload, then contact No Letting Go today.