Need to abolish Section 21 more pressing following Covid, says Age UK

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Age UK has joined the chorus of charities and
housing groups calling for Section 21 eviction notices to be abolished.

With the Government’s decision expected soon following
its consultation, the later life charity hopes it will keep its promise to
protect more than
750,000 people over 60 who rent privately. 

Age UK says ‘skyrocketing
rents’ leave one in three older renters in poverty after paying rent.

It believes
that they’re often too scared of what their landlord might do if they cause a
fuss and says landlords can evict older renters at short notice even when
they’ve done nothing wrong – which could leave some homeless.

Caroline Abrahams, Age UK’s charity director, tells LandlordZONE: “Before the pandemic Age UK was firmly of the view that abolishing Section 21 was the right thing to do and, if anything, the really difficult circumstances that many older renters now find themselves in further strengthen our support for it.

Older renters

“Older renters have a lot to worry about already, without the risk
of having to leave against their wishes and at a time when finding somewhere
else to live is likely to be hard, once the Government lifts its prohibition on
evictions.

“Doing away with Section 21 would create a fairer relationship
between them and their older tenants and we hope it will press ahead soon.”

The current stay in possession proceedings has been extended until
23^rd August, while notice periods have been extended to 30^th
September.

The Government has yet to confirm whether it’s going to follow the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee recommendation that once the courts re-open, they should be given discretion to dismiss Section 21 notices until 31^st December.

Read our guide to Section 21 notices.

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BREAKING: Universities quietly withdraw rent guarantor services for students in private properties

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UCL is the latest university to quietly end its rent guarantor scheme, suggesting students should contact commercial organisations for support instead.

The London university’s move has prompted
fears from students that those on a
low-income or from overseas will find it tougher to arrange private rentals.

Students without a
parent or relative to help, or non-UK residents, have historically relied on
the university to help it secure accommodation in the capital, by acting as
guarantor, providing they had no outstanding debts to the university and were
only living with other UCL students.

Now they say this stressful change will be difficult when students are dealing with the current restrictions preventing free movement.

Terry Mason, group operations director at Housing Hand, tells LandlordZONE that while the cost of the guarantor service is higher, it’s been working with UCL and covering these students for years, so the cost to them remains the same.

He adds that several universities have closed their guarantee services in exactly the way that UCL has.

Liability and loss

“I
can only assume it is down to liability and loss,” says Mason. “If UCL stood as
guarantor for 400 students this year and 200 of those have left their accommodation
without paying for the final four months, with a London rent of £1,000 per
month, the rent debt would be as high as £800,000.”

The change seems to have happened relatively quietly, with many
students only becoming aware it through a social media post.

A university spokesperson says: “UCL is advising students to use
external rent guarantor schemes, which are also recognised by landlords and
will still ensure their tenancy applications are approved.

“Moving forward, we will be monitoring this carefully. Students are advised to contact us if they are experiencing any issues so we can offer our support.”

Read about rent strikes at UCL accommodation.

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Landlord Hero of the Week #7: Philip Hillman

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“As soon as my employer’s London office closed in March and I moved back to the family home in Cheshire, I knew I wouldn’t be using my flat in Chelsea,” explains landlord Philip Hillman, “so I called the managing agent and asked if they could offer it to someone deserving for free.”

Managing agent Altido had just become involved in the Homes for NHS scheme and, within 48 hours, had found Philip an NHS tenant – a medical researcher at one of the London hospitals who wasn’t able to stay at home with her vulnerable parent.

He, like many of Altido’sclients, is part of the initiative, hooking
up
medical staff with free accommodation so they can stay nearer hospitals during the
COVID-19 outbreak.

A
chartered surveyor, Philip has rented out his one-bedroom Chelsea mews flat for
the last three years, spending a few days there each week.

But during
the lockdown he’s been working and joining in with community groups, delivering
meals and shopping for those isolating in his village.

He
says: “In the village there’s a direct way of helping people and coming
together as a community, but it’s harder to do that in London.

“To have this set-up was great and made me feel I was part of something – I could help someone focus their energies on getting an important job done.”

Utility bills

He
waived his NHS tenant’s utility bills during her stay where she was free to use
his Amazon TV and Netflix accounts.

“She
sent me two emails saying how grateful she was, which was nice, but I felt it
was only fair to keep to the spirit of the enterprise.”

And
although he was happy for her to stay on, after two months, the researcher is
moving out this weekend, and a commercial tenant is moving in. He adds: “It’s
been an easy experience and I’d be happy to do the same again if there’s ever a
need.”

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Northern Ireland market to reopen on Monday, but will Wales and Scotland follow?

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The rest of the UK’s housing markets are now set to open this month after Northern Ireland’s First Minister Arlene Foster yesterday announced that home moving could restart on Monday morning, making it the second country to open after England.

In a statement, she said that: “The real estate industry has the highest multiplier effect in the economy and I’m therefore pleased to announce that our Coronavirus Regulations will be amended to permit house moves for the sale of homes from Monday 15 June.

“This will incorporate the full end-to-end process from viewing to securing a mortgage and the house move itself. Guidance has been provided on all aspects of the house moving process and the Department for Communities plan to engage further with stakeholders.”

Northern Ireland’s decision to reopen now puts pressure on Wales and Scotland to follow suit.

England re-started four weeks ago and the next opportunity Wales and Scotland have to re-open their property markets will on the 18^th June when both their First Ministers are scheduled to make their latest Covid update announcements.

The Scottish government has been the most transparent about its plans. On 21^st May First Minister Nicola Sturgeon revealed that home moving restrictions were likely to be relaxed on June 18^th if the spread of the virus had been checked sufficiently. If not, the next review date will be August 11^th.

Industry trade association Propertymark says it has been working with the Northern Ireland Executive in recent months to “set the foundations for the reopening of the housing market”.

“We have supported the Executive to ensure they appreciate the economic significance and implement workable guidance, designed to protect the safety of the public and the professionals.”

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When Commercial tenants leave, the Dilapidations process needs careful handling

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With Coronavirus hitting many businesses hard, there could be an exodus of commercial tenants leaving landlords to pick up the pieces. In many cases Dilapidations is a process that will need to be dealt with and dealt with in a professional way if it is to be effective. This article provides some tips on how to go about it the right way.

Summary:

• Dilapidations claims can be substantial so tenants should be made aware of this and should fully understand their obligations.
• Tenants should be advised in good time to take steps to limit their dilapidations liabilities both at the commencement and ending of a lease.
• Tenants need to have the building checked and surveyed for pre-existing defects at commencement and these should be incorporated into a schedule of condition.
• Landlords should ensure that a schedule of condition is drawn up at commencement, agreed between the parties and appended to the lease.
• Final schedules of dilapidations are usually prepared by a chartered surveyor at lease termination.

Dilapidations in Commercial Property – Commercial Leases

Dilapidations is a term used when referring to the condition of a commercial property during the term of the tenancy or when the lease ends. It means the same as disrepair and is tied in with the repairing and decoration obligations in the lease agreement.

Dilapidations and schedules of dilapidations have serious financial implications for commercial (business) tenants, so they should ensure that they fully understand these implications and take steps at the outset to minimise their liabilities before signing a commercial lease.

Tenants should be aware that they could find themselves liable for pre-existing conditions if these are not identified and recorded in the lease.

Full Repairing and Insuring Lease

It is of particular relevance to landlords and tenants where the property has been let under the terms of a standard commercial Full Repairing and Insuring (FRI) lease where the tenant is responsible for repairs, both internal and external, including the structure of the building. The FRI lease is the norm rather than the exception in commercial property rentals.

Some small business tenants, in their eagerness to get in the premises are far too blasé about their legal obligations and will sign the lease regardless.  They will often agree to leases, even short term leases, which have full repairing and redecoration obligations and fail to record the in-going condition of the property, which is often a very expensive mistake. This is especially painful if they are leaving because of a failed business and funds are non-existent.

Landlords and tenants should always make sure that leases for commercial property include a thorough schedule of condition ideally supported by photographic evidence.

Initial Building Survey

Before taking on lease obligations tenants should consider commissioning an in-going building survey carried out by a chartered building surveyor.

At the end of a lease a tenant is almost always obliged to leave the property in a good state of repair and decoration, and this would in most cases be a better state than it is actually in at the lease end.

Tenants often fail to appreciate this obligation and don’t allow for the cost. Even when they have recognised their obligations, their budgeting is often far from adequate.

Landlords and tenants with a dilapidations claim need to be aware that there are statutory limits to the amount that the landlord can claim from the tenant.

The provisions of the Landlord and Tenant Act can lead to certain tactics being employed in the dilapidations process and the time to analyse these tactics is several months (at least 6 months) before the lease comes to an end.

Thinking ahead in this way means that any necessary works can be planned or negotiations conducted which could considerably reduce the landlord’s claim.

Schedules & Tactics

The landlord may serve a Schedule of Dilapidations on the tenant at different stages of the tenancy:

A schedule served during the fixed term of a lease is known as an interim schedule.

A schedule served within the last three years of the term is a terminal schedule.

A schedule served at or after the end of a lease term is a final schedule of dilapidations.
An interim or terminal schedule will specify both the disrepair alleged by the landlord and the remedial works which the landlord requires the tenant to undertake.

The difference with a final schedule is that whilst it contains the same alleged breaches of covenant and details of remedial work required, here the tenant will not have an option to carry out the works himself since his right of occupation has ceased.

With final schedule therefore the remedy for the landlord is to claim for damages which will cover the cost of remedial works, AND loss of rent, service charges, rates, professional fees and VAT for any period during which the property is off the lettings market.

The Schedule of Dilapidations:

The Schedule of Dilapidations is simply a listing of all outstanding repair, maintenance and decoration items which a landlord (or more likely his surveyor) has determined have arisen under the terms of the lease being the tenant’s repair and maintenance obligations.

The tenant is obliged to carry out the remedial works listed in the schedule or pay to the landlord damages which equate to the cost to the landlord of carrying out the works.

Schedules of Dilapidations are often the cause of disputes between landlords and tenants, the result of which may mean court action. A court will ultimately decide upon what is relevant and what is not in the Schedule of Dilapidations. It is in both party’s interests to try to avoid court action.

Statutory Relief for the Tenant

With an interim schedule, the tenant may obtain relief from forfeiture proceedings (eviction) under the Leasehold Property Repairs Act 1938. This is providing the original term of the lease exceeds 7 years, of which 3 or more years must remain un-expired.

In some situations the tenant may be entitled to relief. In the case of a final schedule and corresponding claim for damages, the tenant may be protected by Section 18(1) of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1927. This is with the proviso that:

The landlord cannot recover damages exceeding a sum by which the value of the landlord’s investment is reduced by the tenant’s breach of covenant.

Where a landlord intends to demolish the building or carry out structural alterations such that the tenant’s breaches of covenant to repair become irrelevant, then if the tenant can prove his case absolutely, no damages will be recoverable by the landlord.

How can the Tenant Limit his Dilapidations Liability?

There are some practical steps that tenants can take to limit dilapidations liability. For example, in initial negotiations for a new lease, particularly with short leases, the tenant may insist that the repairing liability be restricted to leaving the building in no worse condition than at the start of the lease, as an alternative to accepting full liability.

The word repair in a lease sometimes includes a liability to renew, for example, where a roof was so dilapidated that renewal was the only practical option. So, to limit any repairing liability a Chartered Building Surveyor should be instructed by the tenant to produce a Schedule of Condition, recording the state of decoration and any pre-existing items of disrepair.

These precautions as also very relevant on assignment where a new tenant takes on the obligations of an existing tenant. Here alterations and disrepair must also be considered carefully by the tenant considering the purchase (assignment) of another tenant’s lease.

If breaches and alterations are identified prior to the purchase of the lease, the tenant may be in a position to negotiate for a reverse premium from the outgoing tenant.

Professional Help in Dilapidations Matters

Landlord and Tenants will almost certainly need professional help ideally from a chartered surveyor when dealing with these matters particularly if there is likely to be a dispute.

In the case of the landlord schedules must be accurate and able to stand legal scrutiny.

In the case of the tenant, the adviser acting needs to determine:

1. Is the schedule of dilapidations accurate?

2. Is the standard of repair required by the schedule is justified?

3. Are there any appropriate statutory reliefs which may be applied?

4. Should the tenant organise the repairs and if so under what times scales, or would it be preferable to pay damages?

Pre-Action Protocol

The Civil Procedure Rules – Pre-Action Behaviour in other Cases (s4.1-4.10) covers all civil disputes including dilapidations claims and covers pre-action behaviour in cases not covered by a specific protocol.

The Property Litigation Association protocol on dilapidations gives guidance, and the Civil Justice Council is currently reviewing all adopted protocols and all draft protocols to determine whether one default protocol can deal with all civil claims, which include dilapidations.

This Article on Dilapidations was originally provided to LandlordZONE by James McAllister BSc(Hons) MRICS ACIArb FFPWS, Director, The Dilapidations Consultancy Ltd. It has be revised and updated by Tom Entwistle.

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Northern Ireland opens up housing market

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The Northern Ireland Executive announced in yesterday’s Covid-19 press conference it was opening up the remainder of the Housing Market from Monday 15th June.

This amendment enables house sales and moves and covers the end to end process such as viewing

The post Northern Ireland opens up housing market appeared first on Property118.

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Tenants face little chance of finding Legal Aid when remote possession hearings begin in August

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The Law Society has called for vulnerable
tenants to be given access to Legal Aid when the possession hearings re-start
in August, but experts that LandlordZONE has talked to warn that this laudable intention
is unlikely to be delivered.

The Law
Society says the lengthened stay on evictions is an important step to protect
vulnerable tenants, and its president Simon Davis claims that: “When hearings
recommence, it is vital that legal aid is available to tenants and that the
safety of court users is ensured.”

After August 23^rd, Courts will hear most possession hearings
remotely until the autumn and could conduct possession hearings by phone or
Skype.

Letters sent our recently by at least three county courts suggest that the lack of a duty solicitor, plus the practicalities of remote hearings, will make it hard for tenants to access any sort of advice and support, including Legal Aid.

Duty solicitor

But housing solicitor Sue James, of Hammersmith & Fulham Law Centre, believes taking away the duty solicitor will almost certainly mean more evictions.

“Clients facing possession proceedings often
have welfare benefit problems which means they are on very low incomes,” she
says.

“They may also lack computers to access the
court remotely or to have data or credit on their phones. Remote hearings for
duty possession cases are not workable.”

The housing team at Citizen’s Advice tells LandlordZONE that many of its offices are already working with their local courts to discuss what support can be put in place so defendants have access to advice beforehand, and representation if needed.

It adds: “If they have been unable to access
advice, then they should ask the court about what local arrangements have been
made. They could also ask the court to adjourn the case to allow more time to
get advice.”

Paul Shamplina of Landlord Action adds: “Getting Legal Aid at the best of times is very difficult for tenants because they have to prove they quality and often they don’t, but until we get a clear understanding of court representation, everyone’s a bit in the dark.”

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Latest research reveals London’s rental market Covid battering

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New lets agreed in the prime London lettings market over the course of lockdown fell by more than 70% compared to the same period last year, while achieved rents dropped by 3.4%, it has been revealed.

House prices did worse, though, falling by 8.4% between mid-March and the end of May compared with the period pre-lockdown, according to data firm LonRes.

It says while there was a 23% reduction in new lettings listings during lockdown compared with 2019, sales saw a 67% fall in new listings over the same period. It explains that this reflects the fact that landlords wanting to avoid void periods list their properties as soon as they become vacant, whereas owner-occupiers can often hold off selling until market conditions become more certain.

It reports that with
agents unable to show properties and home-movers unable to transact, it was no
surprise that the number of lets over lockdown was significantly down. Many tenants have been choosing to say put while
agents are reporting high levels of renewals. This meant that activity,
even pre-lockdown, was lower than during the same period in 2019. 

But as estate agents
opened and viewings began, new instructions have increased; in the second half
of May, there were 16% more new lettings instructions than during the same
period in 2019

Marcus Dixon, head of research at LonRes, says: “Looking ahead, landlords will be hoping that pent-up demand from tenants will be enough to absorb increased levels of stock currently on the market, if not we could see some further downward pressure on rents in the coming weeks.”

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CGT – I “want” to pay, but how?

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I seem to be caught between two systems. I sold a property in February 2020 and made a small loss. I sold another in May 2020 and made a gain which is not completely cancelled out by the previous loss plus my allowance.

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BREAKING: New cleaning rules revealed for Airbnb landlords

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Airbnb owners may have to follow a new set of property cleaning protocols when the tourism industry re-opens on 4^th July, it has been revealed.

The UK Short Term Accommodation Association (STAA) has developed the protocols with many of the UK’s leading tourism bodies for self-catering and short-term lets rentals.

The document has been shared with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and are designed to support DCMS Secretary Oliver Dowden’s efforts to open up this part of the tourism industry if ‘consistent with public health’.

Merilee Karr, Chair of the STAA says: “Self-contained accommodation has a lower risk than other areas, so I would hope that that will be at the front of the queue and the industry wants to ensure everyone is ready and able to meet the right standards,” he said recently.

“These protocols should provide consumers with the confidence to travel safely to any property that meets them,”

“I agree with Minister Dowden that short-term rentals which adhere to these cleaning protocols, offer a comparatively low-risk option for customers looking to book a holiday in the current environment.”

For landlords with Airbnb or other short lets platform properties, one of the best steps they can take is to get independently accredited by the STAA industry partner Quality in Tourism, through its Safe, Clean and Lega assessment scheme.

The protocols include:

Risk assessment

• The core principle of the guidance is risk management which is why a risk assessment of the property is the first thing that needs to be done. Broadly speaking, it involves identifying potential risks within a property and taking active steps to mitigate those risks.

Cleaning

• Cleaners must wear appropriate protective clothing, avoid using microfiber cleaning cloths and instead use disposable sanitising wipes because they are less likely to spread the infection accidentally. They must use products which both sanitise and disinfect and keep any contact with guests to an absolute minimum.

• It’s recommended that a cleaning checklist is given to cleaners with a clear set of instructions to follow, guidance on the basic materials and equipment to be used and specific areas that cleaners should be mindful of. Also, provide a cleaning standards tick list for incoming guests to show what has been cleaned.

Guest contact

• Contact may sometimes be inevitable e.g. when checking passports/IDs. In these circumstances, operators should wear protective clothing and maintain a safe two metre social distance whenever possible.

• Operators should consider using contact-free check-in methods, such as key safes, although they must be mindful that such methods still pose a contamination risk.

• Operators should ensure that guests have all of the relevant information that they need ahead of their arrival. Tips include providing information for guests via email before they arrive such as helpful numbers and contacts, guidance in case a guest shows COVID-19 symptoms, a list of local walks/attractions that are open under social distancing rules and appliance and heating instructions.

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