BREAKING: Home Office extends Right to Rent checks deadline until 5th April 2022

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Landlords are now able to carry on completing Right to Rent immigration checks via virtual interviews and remote document checking until the 5^th April next year, the Home Office has announced.

The government had said previously that new tenants and their documents would have to be checked face-to-face from 31^st August onwards, but this has now been extended.

The statement by the Home Office (pictured) makes it clear that the delay is in part due to the technology advances recently that were developed to help tenants and their documents be checked safely during Covid.

“We have made the decision to defer the date following the positive feedback we received about the ability to conduct checks remotely,” the Home Office statement says.

“We initiated a review of the availability of specialist technology to support a system of digital right to rent checks in the future.

Digital solution

“The intention is to introduce a new digital solution to include many who are unable to use the Home Office online checking service, including UK and Irish citizens.

“This will enable checks to continue to be conducted remotely but with enhanced security.

“Deferring the end date of the adjusted checks to 5 April 2022 ensures the Right to Rent Scheme continues to operate in a manner which supports landlords and letting agents, whilst we look to implement a long-term, post-pandemic solution.”

The technology is now all the more needed – landlords or their letting agents habe been required to check all tenants regardless of their nationality including UK citizens since last month.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – BREAKING: Home Office extends Right to Rent checks deadline until 5th April 2022 | LandlordZONE.

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Rent controls in Scotland will be ‘catastrophic’ warn letting agents

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Property professionals have warned that Scotland’s decision to introduce a nationwide rent control regime will be ‘catastrophic’.

The proposed scheme, which is likely to become law next year, is a product of a new power sharing agreement between the SNP and Scottish Greens.

Part of the deal is that parts of the Greens’ radical housing manifesto will be turned into legislation, including rent controls.

The manifesto commits the party to ‘transform the private rented sector, providing greater security for tenants, regulating rents, and improving standards’, including a points-based system of rent controls, along with a winter evictions ban – a policy common in several parts of Europe – and make all grounds for evictions discretionary rather than mandatory.

National estate agency trade body Propertymark says rent controls are not the answer and that what’s needed instead is the ‘proper enforcement of existing rules, additional supply and more social housing’.

Ill thought through

Its Scottish representative Daryl McIntosh adds, “At a time when demand for privately rented homes is massively outstripping supply, several of the Greens’ proposals risk deterring private landlords from the market.

“The Private Rented Sector provides a vital service in the housing system and recently this contribution feels forgotten – surely an ill thought through policy objective.”

Leading letting agent David Alexander (pictured) says he would support limiting rent rises in popular city-centre postcodes to one or two percent a year to match inflation, but says more draconian ‘rent caps’ would be impossible to implement – i.e. would it be based on previous rent, square footage, size, desirability of the property and so on?

“Those who wish to lock the private sector into a rent control straitjacket – especially for ideological purposes – should remember the law of unintended consequences and be careful what they wish for,” he adds.

Read more: Step away from disastrous rent controls, landlords urge Sadiq Khan.

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BREAKING: Demand for pet-friendly rental properties up 120%, says Rightmove

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Rightmove has reported a deluge of tenants looking for pet-friendly properties to rent following the long months of Covid.

This includes a 120% jump in searches on its portal for rental properties whose landlord accepts dogs and cats while many agents have also reported a deluge of tenants getting in contact to find pet-friendly properties, the portal says.

Government and pet charity data reveals that just over 50% of all households now have a pet after some 3.2 million additional households purchased a dog or cat during the pandemic.

Richard O’Neill, MD of Romans Lettings, says: “There has been an increase in demand for pet-friendly homes over the past year, which we attribute to the pandemic and a resultant shift in priorities.

“Where more people are spending more time in their homes and now have more space, it is likely that they are fulfilling past ambitions of owning a pet and now feel as though they have the environment and lifestyle to facilitate that.”

Katinka Hill (pictured), a lettings director at Chestertons, says: “About half of the phone calls our offices are receiving now are from tenants who own a pet and need a suitable property.

“It’s a sharp increase compared to the number we were getting pre-lockdown but this is not surprising as so many people have bought pets during the pandemic.”

Campaigner Jen Berezai (pictured) of AdvoCATS, which works with multiple agencies across the animal welfare and private rental sectors, says: “We recognise that thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands of people are missing out on the joy and benefits of pet ownership, just because they can’t afford to get on the housing ladder.

“This is the reason behind our Heads For Tails! report and forthcoming campaign to amend the Tenant Fees Act (2019) and make the situation easier and fairer for both sides. Change is long overdue – watch this space.”

The Rightmove research will put extra pressure on the government to make pet-friendly PRS properties easier to rent, although it faces hostility from many landlords.

A recent poll by LandlordZONE revealed that two thirds of landlords are unwilling to accept pets in their properties.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – BREAKING: Demand for pet-friendly rental properties up 120%, says Rightmove | LandlordZONE.

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New-build market grinds to a halt as EWS1 argument continues to rage

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The latest research by StripeHomes, has revealed that new-build house prices boomed by as much as 20% across parts of England during the first half of this year, but transaction levels have ground to a halt as EWS1 requirements continue to prove problematic.

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Death of the Boiler Grant for Tenants Sees Rise in Landlord Boiler Finance

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The ever illusive and in flux boiler grant (ECO) scheme, a marmite creation of the Government and Big Six energy companies to both offset UK carbon emissions and help those deemed to be living in fuel poverty has long been a thorn in the side of anyone cursed with common sense.

Running since 2013, the Energy Company Obligation has certainly benefited hundreds of thousands and as, certainly helped to reduce carbon emissions by replacing old and faulty gas boilers with newer, condensing high efficiency models.

The ever changing qualification factors however, both in terms of individuals who qualify for the scheme through personal circumstances and property types, continues to frustrate.

According to BoilerGrants.org.uk, private tenants and by extension landlords, haven’t been able to quality for any boiler funding for over 18 months since changes to the boiler grant scheme.

Whilst some basic logic on this decision can be seen (landlords should in theory have this covered for their tenants), it neglects the fact that huge numbers of the aforementioned ‘fuel poor’ are of course living in rented accommodation. It also presumes and paints a picture that all landlords are cash rich, soulless tyrants impervious to declines in economy.

What if, for instance, there was to be a global pandemic decimating a countries economy and that particular pandemic was handled like an eel in buttered fingers by a Government with the resolute, unwavering commitment of Scooby Doo’s Shaggy? …What if?

Boiler Finance Options

Having accepted the ambiguity of Government plans to further combat these issues and no signs on the horizon of tenants being able to quality again on the much anticipated third sequel to the scheme, ECO4 – boiler finance plans have become ever popular with landlords.

According to Heatable.co.uk, a digital boiler installation platform operating UK wide – they’ve seen a sharp rise in boiler finance options as the preferred payment method for UK landlords, with 0% interest over a 2-year plan being far and away the most popular.

With boiler finance being commonplace and as simple as any other online transaction, it’s little wonder that payment spreading of an out of the blue grudge purchase like a new boiler is so popular.

An additional perk?

With the average cost of a boiler installation being over £2,000 – not having to outlay that in one lump sum is the main win here, but there’s protection too. After all, mortgageable.co.uk claim that a broken boiler can be one of the most stressful landlord problems, particularly those new to buy to lets.

Much like when using a credit card, the lender or bank facilitating the boiler finance loan provides an additional layer of consumer security and a peace of mind you’ll likely not find through traditional heating companies.

Exclusive offer

Visit Heatable.co.uk for instant, fixed online quotations for a new boiler with no survey required, and no hassle.

Use code: LLZONE60 for £60 off at checkout!

Sam Rigby, CSO at Heatable says:

“The post Covid climate has left homeowners and landlords alike with financial hardships they could have never accounted for. Moreover, the number of unfortunate Brits now short of, or entirely out of work at present that are currently accommodated in private rentals is of course having a knock-on effect to landlords.

A Government U-turn that would see private tenants qualify again for entire boiler grants or contributary funding seems less likely than a smooth Brexit transition right now, but never say never.

It means that finance plans for new boiler installations, particularly interest free agreements are of huge benefit, if not imperative to many homeowners and landlords at present. At Heatable, we’ve worked well with lenders to offer an incredibly easy Point of Sale route to finance through our digital platform, in addition to the ease of which we’ve allowed and helped landlords to purchase and arrange new boiler installations.“

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Death of the Boiler Grant for Tenants Sees Rise in Landlord Boiler Finance | LandlordZONE.

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LATEST: Rogue sub-letting tenant loses appeal against £50,000 fine

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A ‘rogue tenant’ in East London has had his appeal against a £50,000 fine for operating an unsafe and unlicensed HMO turned down by a First Tier Tribunal appeal hearing.

Bricklayer Flavio Garcia was given two £25,000 financial penalties in December 2019 by Newham council after a property he managed in Forest Gate, not far from the Olympic site in Stratford, was found to have been operated as an HMO without a licence.

The property (pictured), which is on Romford Road in E2 also had no working fire alarm, no hot water or heating and broken gas cookers which forced the occupants to use portable hot plates.

Court records show that Flavia had rented the property via an AST but then sub-let rooms within it to other tenants, including friends and family.

Two penalties

After being served the two penalties, his legal representative said he was a resident in the property not its manager, and that his lack of fluency in English meant he did not understand local licencing or property standards regulations.

On this basis Garcia challenged the two fines as ‘exorbitant and vastly in excess, unreasonable and unfair’ and that an agency employed by the property’s freeholder, Mr Singh, managed the property, not him.

But the Tribunal saw paperwork that contradicted his version of events, and Judge Shepherd said that: “The Appellant’s live evidence was unimpressive. He couldn’t remember details of his case and appeared to be supplementing his evidence as he went along.

“He wanted to blame everyone but himself, including the freeholder and the agents who he said were responsible for the setting up and management of the HMO”.

During the hearing a representative from Newham council said that its records showed Garcia ran a portfolio of similarly sub-let properties in the area, a point the tribunal agreed on, and that he had been fined before.

“He is very much a ‘rogue landlord’ who has thus far managed to avoid significant penalties,” said Judge Shepherd.

Garcia’s appeal was dismissed and his two fines will now have to be paid.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – LATEST: Rogue sub-letting tenant loses appeal against £50,000 fine | LandlordZONE.

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Mark Smith (Barrister-At-Law) presenting in person at the Hyde Park Property Meet 23rd Sept

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Zoomed out? Fed up with online technical gremlins? Well, we’re back, LIVE and we’re bigger and better than ever!

Hon. Legal Counsel, Mark Smith, Head of Chambers at Cotswold Barristers will be presenting in person an overview of several landlord tax strategies at the London Hyde Park Property Meet on Thursday the 23rd September 2021.

The post Mark Smith (Barrister-At-Law) presenting in person at the Hyde Park Property Meet 23rd Sept appeared first on Property118.

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100% Buy-To-Let Mortgages For Students & London ‘BANS’ New Permitted Development Rights!

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In today’s Property Breaking News, Students can now get 100% Buy-To-Let Mortgages, and the London office market is bouncing back whilst the nasty London councils try to ban the newly introduced Permitted Development Rights (PDR)!

Join Andrew Roberts and me as we explain how this affects you as a savvy property investor.

The post 100% Buy-To-Let Mortgages For Students & London ‘BANS’ New Permitted Development Rights! appeared first on Property118.

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Three years on and just 43 criminal landlords on database, reveals NRLA

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Just 43 landlords have been added to the government’s much-heralded database of rogue operators in England since it was launched in April 2018, the NRLA has revealed.

Heralded at the time as a major plank of the then Tory government’s fight against criminal landlords, it was designed to enable local authorities to target the most prolific offenders.

Those are landlords who have been convicted of banning order offences or have received at least two financial penalties within 12 months.

It also aimed to encourage joint working to tackle rogue landlords working across council divisions.

But the scheme has faced several difficulties, some of them own-goals by successive governments which have slashed their funding of local authorities by up to 50% and that, the Local Government Association estimates, will lead to £7.8 billion funding gap in local services by 2025.

Lacking funds

This means many councils lack the funds to chase up rogue or criminal landlords or the resources to identity landlords who meet the criteria for being on the national database.

Numbers of landlords on the database have been increasing, but only slowly. In February last year there were 18, by April this year it had hit 38 and now, 43.

At the time of launch in 2018, ministers said there were approximately 10,500 rogue landlords operating within the private rental sector.

But only councils are given access to the database, not the public. The Prime Minister said in October 2018 that it should opened to tenants and letting agents and launched a consultation. But since it closed nearly two years ago, nothing more has been heard.

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan runs his own rogue database, which is available for public scrutiny. It contains approximately 90 names and companies.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Three years on and just 43 criminal landlords on database, reveals NRLA | LandlordZONE.

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LATEST: ‘Chronic failure’ to tackle rogue operators slammed as regulation rises

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Heaping ever more responsibilities on private landlords is pointless and unfair unless local authorities are empowered and financed properly to prosecute the rogue and criminal landlords who shirk them, the National Residential Landlord Association (NRLA) has said.

It is urging the government to address the ‘chronic failure’ in England and Wales to tack the worst landlords many of whom put tenant lives and health and risk.

The trade body points out that the government’s expected rent reform White Paper expected next month will only heap more red tape and cost on good landlords, but do nothing to tackle the rogue operators who ignore the law.

Landlords and letting agents already face a considerable wall of legislation; 168 laws at the last count or a 40 percent increase compared to a decade ago.

Spending cuts

By contrast the amount spent on staff to enforce these laws has been reduced by a third as the government’s swingeing spending cuts have impacted local authorities.

The NRLA is calling on Ministers to adequately finance councils’ policing of criminal landlords, particularly given the extra legislation coming down the line within its White Paper.

This is expected to include requiring all landlords in England to register with a redress scheme, be recorded on national database and embrace a new, portable ‘lifetime deposit’ for tenants.

Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the NRLA, says: “As Ministers develop their plans for the sector, they need to be clear whether any of what they propose will be properly enforced.

“More broadly, it is vital that the forthcoming White Paper strikes a fair balance between the needs of both tenants and landlords.

“It is in that spirit that we continue to work with the government and others to develop workable policies that protect tenants from bad landlords whilst ensuring good landlords have the confidence to provide the homes to rent the country desperately needs.”

The NRLA is due to publish its own White Paper on PRS reform later today.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – LATEST: ‘Chronic failure’ to tackle rogue operators slammed as regulation rises | LandlordZONE.

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