RICS hopes Building Safety Bill is a step change

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RICS responded to the publication of the amended Building Safety Bill for England saying the Government’s proposals, alongside the publication of the Fire Safety Act earlier this year, should ensure that this country never allows a tragedy like Grenfell to occur again.

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Problems loom for ‘rent-to-rent’ as DWP demands Covid cash back

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People in receipt of Universal Credit renting in properties via ‘rent-to-rent’ arrangements face being asked to repay back-dated housing payments due to a change in DWP policy. 

The government suspended full checks after the first lockdown because it could no longer see claimants face-to-face but the department is now revisiting claims it approved during this time and asking for proof of tenancy agreements.

Housing charity Safer Renting fears renters in this ‘shadow’ part of the UK’s private renting sector will be hit hardest, where rogue landlords refuse to provide agreements or even confirm knowledge of their tenants’ existence.

According to i News, Tina Newman, 40, from Essex, has been told she must repay £5,372 of the housing element of her Universal Credit despite being able to provide bank statements showing that she had been paying rent to another tenant.

Unlicenced HMO

At the time of moving into the house-share with seven other people Tina didn’t realise it was an unlicensed HMO and says she was not asked to provide a tenancy agreement by the DWP last March.

While it would accept a written letter from her landlord as proof, he has refused to provide one and is currently denying all knowledge of Tina living at the property. He also denies operating an illegal HMO.

Rent-to-rent increase

Safer Renting says it has seen a 100% increase in rent-to-rent arrangements from March 2019-2020 to March 2020-2021 and is concerned about how many renters may be unprotected and asked to repay benefits by the DWP.

It argues that the DWP’s policy of asking for a tenancy agreement has no legal basis under Section 54 of the Law of Property Act which says you don’t need a written contract to create a tenancy unless it is to be for more than three years.

Director Roz Spencer (pictured) tells LandlordZONE: “DWP don’t seem to be interested in whether the landlord has acted properly, they just want to put the whole responsibility on the tenant.”

LandlordZONE has approached DWP for comment.

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Landlord battles Facebook after posting pictures shaming nightmare tenants

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A landlord who named and shamed his nightmare tenants on Facebook after she and her partner left their flat in a shocking state had his post taken down – then reinstated – by the social media giant.

Stephen Maxwell, from Falkirk, told followers that his post was initially removed “for bullying” but after getting local press coverage he was allowed to re-post it after Facebook agreed it didn’t breach any privacy rules.

Sharing photographs of the flat also resulted in numerous offers of help from both friends and strangers who turned up to help clear the property and take rubbish to the dump.

Stephen and his girlfriend Asha Ramzan rented out the property on Atholl Place, in the Ladysmill area of the town, to a tenant and her two children, but told The Daily Record that due to the pandemic, they weren’t able to do regular inspections.

The couple only saw the state it was in after the woman moved out; there was cat poo all over the floor, along with dirty dishes (pictured), soiled underwear and half eaten food and rubbish everywhere.

Fortune

Maxwell, 31, said: “It’s going to cost me a fortune to get this place sorted again. I gave this lassie a very low deposit to help her get on her feet and this is the horror I am repaid with.

She assured us she was getting the floor sorted last month, then this month it has been left half ripped up. The rubbish she has left is beyond shocking.”

He named the tenant and added: “This is a warning to other landlords – I really hope that nobody else is fooled by them.”

Read more about nightmare tenants.

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BREAKING: Major reforms to private rented sector planned for NI

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Tenants living with the Northern Ireland private rented sector have been promised more protection with the introduction of a Private Tenancies Bill.

If approved by the Assembly, the Bill would make it mandatory for landlords to provide smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and to carry out periodic electrical checks.

It also proposes limiting tenancy deposit amounts to one month, extending the notice to quit period, and restricting rent increases so that rent can’t be raised in the 12 months after a tenancy starts or within 12 months of a previous increase.

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey (pictured) says the needs of tenants are at the heart of her approach.

“Private renters should have access to good-quality, affordable homes with peace of mind over the length and conditions of their rental contract. I want to see restrictions in rent increases and I want to extend the notice to quit, meaning we protect tenants when it comes to evictions.”

Electrical Safety First says the Bill finally gives tenants in Northern Ireland the same protection from electrical dangers provided to PRS tenants in England and Scotland.

Five-yearly checks

However, the charity’s chief executive Lesley Rudd, adds: “The Bill, at present, does not specify the frequency of the proposed electrical safety checks and we would urge the Assembly to ensure these are introduced on a five-yearly basis.”

Propertymark believes it will be important to get the detail right to make sure the safety measures are effective.

It adds that some aspects of the Bill could demotivate existing landlords and discourage new landlords from entering the market.

Says strategic development director Scotland and Northern Ireland, Daryl McIntosh (Pictured): “It is important to recognise that landlords make an essential contribution to local housing systems providing homes for those who need them. Propertymark will be scrutinising the Bill as it progresses.”

Read more about Northern Ireland.

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Sales (demand) still outstripping new stock (supply)

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As the stamp duty holiday price threshold drops in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, housing market demand remains above pre-pandemic levels and a record sale to stock ratio for agents has contributed to the 13.4% annual house price increase in June

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Average house price inflation cools 0.5% as Stamp Duty holiday incentive eases

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The latest Halifax House Price Index reports annual price inflation of 8.8% compared to 9.6% in May and the average UK property price now stands at £260,358.

Regions and nations house prices:

Whilst the two Midlands regions and Greater London saw slightly slower annual price gains compared to May

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EXCLUSIVE: How landlord duo in next Nightmare Tenants TV show faced horror hoarder

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The extraordinary story behind a landlord couple featured on the next episode of Channel 5 TV show Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlord has been exclusively revealed to LandlordZONE.

They are Lynda Lampert and her husband Barry who are friends of evictions expert Paul Shamplina, who is also one of the show’s stars.

During the programme he helps the Lamperts regain possession of a room within an HMO in Luton that is part of their portfolio.

The couple are shown trying to evict their tenant who was several thousand pounds in arrears and is a known extreme hoarder, making the property a fire hazard.

“They have been good, professional landlords for many years but sadly Barry had a stroke recently despite being fit as a fiddle over the years and a keen sportsman,” says Paul.

“He’s now reliant on full-time care which means the couple’s living expenses are higher than before – which made the arrears that had been piling up harder to bear.”

During the episode Paul helps the couple evict the tenant via a Section 21 notice.

Fire hazard

Although the arrears were significant, it was the fire hazard created by the hoarded goods within his room and the threat that posed to other tenants in the property that worried the Lamperts most.

“Lynda had tried to get the council to intervene and help the tenant, who clearly had mental health issues,” says Paul. “But to no avail.”

“This eviction, which was defended by the tenant despite the arrears, is a good example of how, if Section 21 notice evictions are abolished without Section 8 clauses being modified adequately, will be much harder in future.

“For example, as in this case, a mandatory ground for eviction should be a tenant not giving access to their landlord or agent.”

The episode, which was all filmed before the Coronavirus pandemic struck, is being aired at 10pm on Thursday 8^th July 2021 on Channel 5. Watch it live or via catch-up.

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TECH: New app launches that puts landlords’ portfolios in their pockets

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iPhone-using landlords now have the chance to carry their portfolios in their pockets with the launch of a new app.

Online portfolio management platform Lendlord has launched its IOS app to give users the same experience as the website from their smartphone, following the launch of the Android app last year.

Lendlord lets landlords manage and track their portfolio’s data and optimise its performance by giving them a safe and secure place in the cloud where they can put all of the information they need to manage their investments.

Rental app-titude.

The app helps them manage their tenants and tenancies, track monthly income and expenses, understand their financing options and evaluate and analyse potential new property acquisitions.

All new enhancements to the platform will be automatically added to the app.

Aviram Shahar, co-founder and CEO (pictured), says that since its launch Lendlord has helped thousands of portfolio landlords to track the performance of their portfolios and improve their bottom line as a result.

He adds: “We are very excited to launch our new IOS app, which puts the full functionality of the Lendlord platform at landlords’ fingertips. It’s a great advantage for landlords who can now literally carry their portfolio in their pocket.”

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – TECH: New app launches that puts landlords’ portfolios in their pockets | LandlordZONE.

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If you own a second or holiday home Wales is coming for you

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The Welsh Government has announced a new plan they say has ‘fairness at its heart’ to ensure everyone in Wales can have access to good quality, affordable housing.

The three-pronged plan will focus on: – Support – addressing affordability and availability of housing

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Danny Butcher: MP calls for servicemen to be warned over ‘get rich quick’ property schemes

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Danny Butcher, the former soldier who committed suicide after attending a property investment training academy, has been mentioned in Parliament as part of a push to help ex-service personnel avoid get-rich-quick schemes.

Nick Fletcher MP (pictured) spoke about his death while urging the Minister for Veteran Affairs to ensure ex-service personnel had guidance on how to avoid unscrupulous money-making schemes and were fully integrated into civilian life once discharged.

Danny, 37, became depressed after trying to clear his debts by enrolling on a £13,000 course run by Property Investors in 2019.

Fletcher told the Commons how the on-line money-making scheme had plunged Danny into debt.

“He was, by all accounts, an outstanding member of society. He had toured overseas during his time in the British army and was mentioned by his commanding officer in Despatches.

“Yet after leaving the armed forces, he was lured in by a property scheme that offered those involved to get rich quickly.”

He asked: “What steps is the department taking to ensure all those departing the forces have adequate financial literacy skills so they know how to spend their money wisely and become integrated fully in civilian life?”

Minister Leo Docherty replied that his thoughts were with the family of Danny Butcher.

Absolute tragedy

He added: “Every veteran’s suicide is an absolute tragedy, and we must seek to learn lessons from this. We are working to ensure that all service leavers have adequate financial educational awareness…specifically with regard to debt, household financial management and mortgages.”

Disgruntled property training course attendees are gearing up to bring a group action against Samuel Leeds.

Jarmans Solicitors is set to pursue the action on behalf of dozens of former trainees of the evangelical-style guru, who claims that his investor clients can make their fortunes after attending courses.

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