How many landlords are impacted by the building safety crisis?

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Hello, my name is Suzy Spilling, co-founder of the NON-Qualifying Leaseholder campaign group.

I didn’t know if any Property118 members are impacted by the Building Safety Act and Leaseholder Protections or are aware of the following NRLA survey.

View Full Article: How many landlords are impacted by the building safety crisis?

Property 118 – Feedback testimonials

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Hello to all Property 118 readers,

My name is Elizabeth Warburton and I am head of video content here at Property 118.
I understand that Property 118 has brought an extremely informative, educational and completely free platform to help us Landlords now for many many years

View Full Article: Property 118 – Feedback testimonials

Manchester’s selective landlord licensing scheme expands

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Manchester City Council has announced that its selective landlord licensing scheme has expanded this week to cover 700 more rented homes.

There are five new licensing schemes in four neighbourhoods and landlords will now need to be licensed.

View Full Article: Manchester’s selective landlord licensing scheme expands

Housing charity blasts misleading rent-to-rent claims

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Shelter has strenuously denied that it is involved in any rent-to-rent schemes after it was claimed that the charity was either acting as a guarantor or had placed tenants in rented properties.

It has threatened to take legal action against any individual or organisation which uses Shelter’s name to “promote, encourage investment in, or add legitimacy to a venture”. The group adds: “We would like to make it clear that Shelter have not at any time and will not be involved in these or any other property investment schemes. Claims that Shelter are, or may be, involved in these schemes are bogus and fraudulent.”

Action Fraud

It explains that it does not directly place tenants in properties, does not own any residential properties and does not lease, let or rent any residential properties. The group says it has notified Action Fraud of at least one scheme purporting to involve Shelter.

It adds: “In 2022 we were made aware of more than one instance of an employee of ACH Investments Ltd (company number: 12368029) wrongly representing Shelter and issuing contracts in which Shelter were named as tenants in a rent-to-rent scheme, dating as far back as 2019. Shelter has not entered into any agreement, or had any dealings whatsoever with ACH Investments Ltd.”

Offering education

“It’s totally understandable that Shelter don’t want to endorse a particular guaranteed rent company,” Landlord Action’s Paul Shamplina tells LandlordZONE. “What they should be doing is offering education to tenants dealing with these companies and the possible ramifications if it goes wrong, which we’ve seen a big increase in during and after Covid.”

LandlordZONE has tried to contact ACH Investments.

• Shelter says 24,060 households were threatened with homelessness in England as a result of a Section 21 order in 2022, 50% higher than in 2021, while 290,330 faced homelessness, a rise of 6%.

View Full Article: Housing charity blasts misleading rent-to-rent claims

DAY TO GO: Get ahead in property investment at the free Virtual Property Exhibition

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This is a friendly reminder that the Virtual Property Exhibition, brought to you by the property investors network, is happening tomorrow (Friday 12th May 2023). Why not join 9 industry experts from all over the UK?

This FREE 1-day event is designed to help property investors like you

View Full Article: DAY TO GO: Get ahead in property investment at the free Virtual Property Exhibition

Manchester rolls out next wave of selective licensing schemes

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Five more selective licensing schemes have opened in Manchester, covering 700 private sector homes.

Landlords in four new areas will now need to apply for a licence, in Levenshulme: Matthews Lane, Longsight: The Royals, Moss Side & Whalley Range: Claremont Road/Great Western Street/Bowes Street, and Rusholme: Birch Lane, Off Laindon Road and Dickenson Road. An early bird discount is available until 8th August.  

The new designations follow a public consultation last October. According to the council, potential schemes in Cheetham will need further investigation and it has promised to review the case for including this area in a future phase following further consultation.  

Four schemes

Four schemes already operate in the city, in The Ladders – Gorton and Abbey Hey, Hyde Road – Gorton and Abbey Hey, Trinity – Harpurhey and Ben Street area – Clayton and Openshaw.  

The council reports that 1,887 properties have been fully licensed since 2017, with 677 compliance inspections carried out; 82 properties were non-compliant and enforcement action has included 21 civil penalty notices totalling fines of £115,299.

Significant improvements

There are about 90,000 private rented homes in Manchester, 38% of the city’s housing supply, says councillor Gavin White, executive member for housing and employment, who adds that without intervention to tackle housing issues, it wouldn’t see long-term significant improvements. “This is where selective licensing is proving impactful, and our residents are seeing tangible improvements in their homes,” explains White.

“Of course, we know that the majority of landlords take their responsibilities seriously and work hard to provide a safe and well-managed property. But it is important that we work to tackle those landlords who seem willing to put their tenants’ safety at risk.”  

A new devolution deal was agreed by the government earlier this year to give the 10 Greater Manchester councils powers to approve larger selective licensing schemes.

View Full Article: Manchester rolls out next wave of selective licensing schemes

Renters Reform Bill is delayed – again

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In news that will not surprise anyone, the government has revealed that ‘procedural issues’ have delayed the publication of the Renters Reform Bill that is poised to shake up the private rented sector, the Mirror reveals.

It is now more than four years since the government first unveiled its plans to improve renters’

View Full Article: Renters Reform Bill is delayed – again

Hold-up for Renters’ Reform Bill blamed on ‘procedural issues’

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The government has delayed its long-awaited Renters’ Reform Bill, raising fears from the opposition that the draft legislation could be diluted.

It blamed the hold-up on “procedural issues” after Housing Secretary Michael Gove promised last week that the Bill would begin life a few days after the King’s coronation. A Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities spokesman told The Mirror: “We are absolutely committed to delivering a fairer deal for renters.”

Fuel doubts

Labour’s Shadow Housing Secretary Lisa Nandy warned the further delay would fuel doubts that ministers will deliver fully on their promises to the UK’s private renters. She said: “This government has already abandoned first-time buyers by caving in on housing targets. My message to ministers on rent reform is clear – do not backtrack on the promises you have made, do not drop any commitments, do not roll over to your backbenchers again.”

Labour has promised to bring in its own renter reform charter to beef up rights if it gets into power.

Four years

When the Renters’ Reform Bill is finally published it will be four years since the government first announced its proposals on ‘a new deal for renting: resetting the balance of rights and responsibilities between landlords and tenants’ back in 2019. After a protracted consultation, suggested measures are set to include abolishing Section 21, a property portal, requiring private rented properties to meet the Decent Homes Standard and establishing a new ombudsman covering private landlords.

The DLUHC spokesman added: “We will bring forward legislation very shortly, which will include a ban on ‘no fault’ evictions, so that all tenants have greater security in their homes and are empowered to challenge poor conditions. We are also introducing a Decent Homes Standard for the Private Rented Sector for the first time ever which will make sure privately rented homes are safe and decent.”

View Full Article: Hold-up for Renters’ Reform Bill blamed on ‘procedural issues’

Small claims action against managing agents?

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Hello, in one of my tenanted properties, there was a flat-to-flat water leak (from my flat) – there are 80 flats in total. The managing agents were advised by the flat below mine and it was classified as an urgent water leak.

View Full Article: Small claims action against managing agents?

Education job needed for tenants to make link between cold and mould

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Public information campaigns are needed to raise awareness of the consequences of not turning the heating on as often in rented properties, says the NRLA.

When quizzing 2,000 tenants in England and Wales about the impact rising utility bills have had on their household budget, the landlord group found more than half (53%) had limited heating and hot water times or turned off heating in certain rooms during the winter.  

There was an even split between those who had experienced problems with damp, mould, or condensation and those who had not, says the NRLA which adds that 44% of landlords felt rising energy prices and the heating being on less had a “significant or major influence” on issues with damp, mould and condensation compared with only 28% of tenants.

Contrasting viewpoints

“The contrasting viewpoints underlines the need for public information campaigns to increase understanding of the consequences of not turning the heating on as often in a property,” it reports. “More should be done to inform stakeholders about the consequences of not having the heating on during winter.” 

Most tenants surveyed – over 80% – have had to make some form of cutbacks elsewhere in their household budgets as a result of rising utility bills; of the 14% of tenants who had broached the topic with their landlord, two-thirds (66%) of landlords had provided practical help.

Cash deposit

Elsewhere, research by deposit alternative product Reposit found that nearly one third of renters are turning to friends and family, using credit cards, personal loans or dipping into their overdraft to fund a cash deposit, while some are using more than one of these sources.

Meanwhile, Which? estimates that 700,000 UK households missed or defaulted on a rent or mortgage payment last month. The consumer body says missed housing payments were particularly high among renters, affecting one in 20 tenants surveyed.

View Full Article: Education job needed for tenants to make link between cold and mould