RICS calls for Stamp Duty holiday and it’s not a “Whim”

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As agents close their doors due to the lockdown, the spread of the virus across the UK has led to a near standstill of the housing market. The March 2020 RICS UK Residential Market Survey results highlight that despite the first few months of the year showing a marked pick-up in market activity

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Time to take advantage of record low Interest Rates and remortgage

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During the last few weeks there has been a rush of borrowers taking advantage of all-time low interest rates. Due to the impact of Covid-19, the Bank of England has taken the unprecedented step of making two cuts to the base rate in quick succession.

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Repossession form N5B updated by government

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Landlords who want to claim possession of a property must now provide copies of their gas safety certificates, EPC and how to rent booklet as part of their application. The government has introduced the new requirements in its updated N5B form for England. The N5B is the form landlords must fill in after the use of […]

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Too early to assess long-term impact of lockdown on UK housing market

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The latest Halifax House Price index figures for quarter ending March will not yet reflect the affects the lockdown has had on the housing market.

It was reported that house prices in March were 3.0% higher than in the same month a year earlier

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Lodgers who work for NHS should be given same rights as tenants during crisis, says NRLA

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Newly-merged landlord association supports calls for front-line workers who lodge in properties to be given greater legal protection as the pandemic rages, during a BBC Radio 4 Money Box programme.

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has backed calls for lodgers to be given the same rights as other tenants during the crisis.

Its spokesperson John Stewart made the comments during today’s BBC Radio4 Money Box programme, which devoted its entire coverage to the private rental market and the effect on it during the pandemic.

Presenter Louise Cooper highlighted the problem of lodgers’ rights during an interview with a nurse called Adriana, who is being asked to leave her landlady’s home where she has been lodging, and is in effect being made homeless.

Her landlady, who says she is a ‘vulnerable person’ because of her age and health, is worried the nurse will bring the Coronavirus home.

Same rights

Anny Cullum of campaigning group Acorn, who was also featured on the programme, said that for the duration of the crisis lodgers like Adriana should be given the same rights as traditional AST tenants.

The NRLA’s Stewart agreed, saying that it did not make sense to create additional home moves during such a severe national health crisis when the government is asking people to stay at home and keep travel and home moves to ‘essential only’.

The NRLA’s John Stewart also divulged more details of how the crisis is playing out among the wider landlord community during the show, which will soon be available to listened to in full on the BBC website.

He said some lenders are making it difficult for landlords to apply for a three-month mortgage holiday despite the recent government guidance, and that insurers were reluctant to pay out on guaranteed rent policies without a landlord beginning eviction proceeding against a tenant. This, he said, was becoming a significant issue during the crisis.

As LandlordZONE reported recently, many insurers including Direct Line have stopped issuing new contracts because of this problem.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Lodgers who work for NHS should be given same rights as tenants during crisis, says NRLA | LandlordZONE.

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Call of the week-coronavirus and gas safety inspections

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This week the advice team were able to assist one of our members with a query relating to how they should be managing their property in light of the coronavirus pandemic. This has, understandably, been the main topic of queries made to the advice team of late as we all face these unprecedented times together. […]

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Build-to-rent giant in ‘secret talks’ with London mayor to offer NHS staff accommodation

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Deal between City Hall and Greystar would be a major step forward in securing apartments for front-line staff who need somewhere to self-isolate in between shifts.

One of the UK’s largest build-to-rent operators and corporate landlords, Greystar, has confirmed it is in secret talks with the Mayor of London to offer empty properties within its 1,800 strong London property portfolio to frontline staff tackling the Coronavirus crisis.

It has properties available to rent at 20 locations within London at mostly central developments including within Kings Cross, Highbury, Islington (pictured) and Aldgate, as well as suburban sites in Harrow and Twickenham.

Other sites include on the South Bank at Old Street, White City, Nine Elms and Fulham.

LandlordZONE understands that the spare capacity will be offered to NHS staff who are seeking alternative accommodation to avoid living with their own families or co-residents if they’re living in shared accommodation.

Greystar has suspended face-to-face viewings at its residential sites but is keeping concierges open to serve existing tenants and manage properties, but not allowing direct meetings with residents.

The company’s statement on this indicates that tenants are able to move in if they are happy to only see the property ‘virtually’ prior to moving in, an arrangement that would also enable NHS staff to use the properties without having to interact with Greystar staff directly.

Greystar has spent £5.5 billion on developing build-to-rent and has 37,000 student and general market properties built or under management, with a further 4,000 in the pipeline in London alone.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Build-to-rent giant in ‘secret talks’ with London mayor to offer NHS staff accommodation | LandlordZONE.

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Councils move to shut down Airbnb listings ahead of Easter break

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Councils and tourism bosses are contacting short-lets landlords and asking them them stop offering properties to rent in a bid to get the message across that people should not travel over the holiday weekend.

Cornwall has been leading the charge, with
the county council fielding complaints that some holiday accommodation
providers are still hosting guests and operating illegally.

It’s urging letting agents and online booking
platforms to follow Government closure orders and reject bookings during the
emergency period.

With temperatures expected to soar this week,
other holiday hotspots in Kent have also been found to be flouting the new law.
When a local newspaper approached hosts around
the county to enquire about the Easter break it found some in Margate and
Whitstable willing to take their money. A search of beachside village Sandgate
returned 61 rental listings for a three-night stay this coming weekend.

A BBC investigation earlier this week also discovered Airbnb hosts listing homes as being “Covid-19 retreats” and “perfect for isolating with family” in the British countryside, with some allowing instant booking of rentals without any vetting. Tourism Minister Nigel Huddleston labelled these hosts “incredibly irresponsible” and said they could face fines of up to £960 for breaking the rules.

Airbnb has stepped in to block listings for shared properties, remove the instant book feature and ban adverts seeking to exploit the Covid-19 outbreak.

A banner in the ‘host dashboard’ on the platform reminds hosts to review the latest Government guidance and regulations before accepting any new bookings and guests are reminded about local travel restrictions when searching. 

A spokesman says: “We want to help hosts and guests follow the rules and we are working on further measures to help everyone follow government guidance and keep people safe.”

The site enables hosts to offer accommodation during the crisis and, although some are offering theirs exclusively to NHS and frontline staff (see an example here) there is no blanket shut-down yet by the platform. Instead it has published a statement at the top of all its listings saying: “Check travel restrictions before booking.The health and safety of our communities come first. Please follow government guidelines and travel only if it’s essential.”

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Councils move to shut down Airbnb listings ahead of Easter break | LandlordZONE.

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Most affordable rental areas for self-isolation

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Ome, has investigated the most affordable locations across the UK with the lowest population to maximise the chances of successful self-isolation.

Ome looked at the estimated population of every area of the UK coupled with its size to find the number of people populating each square kilometre.

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£89,000 at one HMO! Landlord fines continue despite Coronavirus lock-down

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Magistrates’ court in Essex hands down one of largest landlord fines this year after rule-breaking HMO was found in terrible state of repair.

A rogue Southend landlord faces a
whopping £88,976 fine after inspectors found his HMO in a shocking condition.

Freeholder Mr Arise was found guilty
of 17 offences following an investigation into anti-social behaviour and the
management of the property in Satanita Road.

It failed fire safety measures as the
kitchen and hallways were obstructed, while an electrical installation test
certificate was 12 months overdue.

Inspectors also found the property had been poorly maintained and had a catalogue of problems including boarded up windows, defective guttering, leaking pipes, window joints held together with tape and uneven flooring. Outside, a shed had collapsed and there weren’t enough bins or any recycling arrangements.

£5,000 each offence

Southend magistrates (pictured) found Arise guilty in his absence and fined him £5,000 for each offence along with costs and victim surcharge.

The property’s other operator was
granted an adjournment after pleading not guilty to the charges, and a trial
has been set for 26^th June, dependent on the Coronavirus crisis.

Councillor Ian Gilbert, leader of the
council with responsibility for housing, says: “Seeing the extent of the
problems at this property was quite frankly shocking.

“There is no excuse for allowing a
property to fail on so many different safety measures, which is supported by
the severity of the fine given.

“We hope this fine serves as a deterrent to those who fail to maintain their properties appropriately.”

This is not the first time Satanita Road has been in the headlines. Earier this year two mean were convicted of murdering of a tenant after attempting a ‘DIY eviction’ at another property on the road.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – £89,000 at one HMO! Landlord fines continue despite Coronavirus lock-down | LandlordZONE.

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