Media Coverage this week: 7th-13th July 2018

admin    Uncategorized     agents

The RLA was mentioned across national, local and trade publications this week, on a range of stories including the release of the English Housing Survey publication to the new Housing Minister. Have a read of some of the press coverage from this week, below. Jeremy Hunt new Foreign Secretary after resignation of Boris Johnson The Telegraph […]

The post Media Coverage this week: 7th-13th July 2018 appeared first on RLA Campaigns and News Centre.

View Full Article: Media Coverage this week: 7th-13th July 2018

TWENTY reasons to join the RLA

admin    Uncategorized     agents

This year the RLA turns 20, and we offer a lot for landlords and agents here at the RLA for our 30,000 + members! Here are 20 reasons to join the RLA Today! ASK  as many questions as you want to do with managing your lettings. Our Landlord Advice Team are here to answer your questions. Whether […]

The post TWENTY reasons to join the RLA appeared first on RLA Campaigns and News Centre.

View Full Article: TWENTY reasons to join the RLA

EPC D and CO2 emissions F ?

admin    Uncategorized     agents

I have encounter an problem on EPC and CO2 emission:

I received latest EPC on the property I am proposing to purchase today:
1. The EPC is D on the front page next to the color chart
2.

The post EPC D and CO2 emissions F ? appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: EPC D and CO2 emissions F ?

Eviction of travellers: Writ of possession or common law?

admin    Uncategorized     agents

There are approximately between 200,000 and 300,000 travellers living in the United Kingdom with around 60,000 who live in caravans on both authorised and unauthorised sites. If you do have problems with travellers then there are two options available to you

The post Eviction of travellers: Writ of possession or common law? appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Eviction of travellers: Writ of possession or common law?

Three-year tenancy agreements

admin    Uncategorized     agents

The government intends to hold a consultation on tenancy agreement lengths, with the proposal setting out the shortest term being three years with a six-month break clause.

As it stands around 80% of tenancies in England and Wales are either six or twelve month assured short hold agreements

The post Three-year tenancy agreements appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Three-year tenancy agreements

Government criticised for its response to HCLG report

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Private Rented Sector:

The government’s response to a recent Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Select Committee Report: “Private Rented Sector�, has been criticised for its low key response by The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH).

The institutes says the report makes key recommendations designed to improve standards in the private rented sector, but it has expressed disappointment at the government’s weak response to the Committee’s report on the PRS, reflecting that those people currently in the private rented sector have a right to “expected better�.

The CIEH contributed to the findings of the HCLG Select Committee on their extensive inquiry, giving evidence to the committee in February this year, and arguing for a total review of the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), a process currently used to assess safety standards in the sector.

HHSRS was introduced under the Housing Act 2004.  The system is used to assess risks to health and safety in the home and looks at faults and deficiencies that could cause injury and ill-health to residents. But it was argued in the report that it is 12 years out of date, too complex for the layman to understand, and in need of a review. But the government’s response so far has been not to commit to any review.

In the government’s response to the report, it says:

“We recognise that the methodology and associated guidance for the HHSRS is now several years old and we will carefully consider whether it needs to be updated. In doing so, we would wish to reflect upon who is best placed, and has the necessary expertise, to carry out such a review.�

CIEH housing policy manager, Tamara Sandoul, says:

“We are bitterly disappointed that the government has decided not to make a decision on the review and update of the Housing Health and Safety Rating System – an issue that has surfaced throughout the Select Committee inquiry into the private rented sector.

“The evidence and guidance that local authorities use to take action on dangerous housing conditions has not been reviewed or updated since it was introduced 12 years ago. Housing courts rely on this outdated guidance to make their decisions. We urge the Government to commit to a full update of HHSRS and to see how it could be improved going forward.

“We are further disappointed to hear that decisions have also not been made on two other key areas of housing safety. The requirement to undertake five yearly electrical safety inspections and the need to provide a working carbon monoxide alarm for all rented properties with a fuel-burning device have been postponed until a later date.

“This is simply not good enough and the millions of people currently in the private rented sector expected better.�

Several other proposals in the report were side-lined by the government’s response document.

The Private Rented Sector inquiry with government response – see here

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Government criticised for its response to HCLG report | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: Government criticised for its response to HCLG report

A Facebook friend, a fake bank transfer…a fraudulent tenant

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Tenant Fraud:

On tonight’s episode of Channel 5’s “Bad Tenants, Rogue Landlords�, two unlucky landlords learn the dangers of advertising a property via social media and how technology can be used to defraud landlords out of thousands of pounds.

Landlord Jessica and her husband Dennis find themselves in a nightmare situation. When they moved to a new house, rather than sell their old home they decided to rent it out temporarily. Never having been landlords before, they put a simple advert out on Facebook.  They were quickly contacted by a potential tenant – a single mother who provided all the necessarily documents and passed referencing checks.

On the day the tenant was due to move in, she met Jessica and Dennis at the property. She presented a screenshot on her smartphone of a bank transfer showing that she had transferred one month’s deposit and the first month’s rent.

Unfortunately, Jessica and Dennis handed over the keys to their property before checking the money had cleared.  They soon realised that the tenant had tricked them, the photo was fake, there was no money in their account and now the tenant was living in their home rent free.

Left with £5000 rent arrears and in a desperate situation, the couple call in Landlord Action. Founder, Paul Shamplina, says:

“We hear many stories about rental fraud and how hopeful tenants are being scammed out of deposits by rogue landlords offering properties online, but the risks are just as great for landlords. 

“On the one hand, technology is helping to provide greater protection for landlords, on the other, it is also creating opportunities for fraudsters and sadly, those with less experience of being landlords are easy targets.  I suspect from the details of this case that the tenant was a repeat offender.  

“As the industry continues to take great strides in identifying criminal landlords and letting agents, I agree with many other professionals that there should also be a register to identify ‘professional’ rogue tenants.â€�

Watch “Bad Tenants Rogue Landlords� tonight 12^th July, at 8pm on Channel 5.

www.landlordaction.co.uk

About Landlord Action

Landlord Action is a UK based organisation helping landlords, letting agents and other property professionals. As a champion for landlords, it has campaigned extensively and was instrumental in getting the law changed to make squatting a criminal offence.

It was founded in 1999 as the first ever fixed-fee tenant eviction specialist, they revolutionised this area of legal practice. They have now acted in more than 35,000 problem tenant cases and are considered the authority in this field.

Landlord Action run a free advice line to help landlords and property professionals understand their rights: 020 8 906 3838

About Paul Shamplina

Paul Shamplina is one of the key founders of Landlord Action with 25 years’ experience in the legal field. He has previously worked as a legal clerk, private investigator, debt collector and certified bailiff.

He has appeared regularly on TV and radio and lectures across the UK at landlord seminars and events and still works full time in the office, heading up the team of advisors.

Paul believes passionately in the rights of the landlord and is always available for comment on any landlord/tenant matters.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – A Facebook friend, a fake bank transfer…a fraudulent tenant | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: A Facebook friend, a fake bank transfer…a fraudulent tenant

Most tenants ARE happy with their rental homes

admin    Uncategorized     agents

The vast majority of PRS tenants are happy with their homes, according to the English Housing Survey report for 2016/17, published today. Contrary to the portrayal of landlords in the popular media, 84% of PRS tenants are satisfied with the place where they live. This compares to 81% of those living in social housing. While […]

The post Most tenants ARE happy with their rental homes appeared first on RLA Campaigns and News Centre.

View Full Article: Most tenants ARE happy with their rental homes

Most tenants satisfied with private rented housing says new data

admin    Uncategorized     agents

A large majority of private sector tenants, 84 per cent,  are satisfied with their housing according to the English Housing Survey report for 2016/17 published today. Satisfaction rates are higher in the private rented than the social rented sector where 81 per cent of tenants are satisfied with their housing. The report also finds that […]

The post Most tenants satisfied with private rented housing says new data appeared first on RLA Campaigns and News Centre.

View Full Article: Most tenants satisfied with private rented housing says new data

The 5 Year House Price Freeze Idea – How Stupid Is That?

admin    Uncategorized     agents

A “think tank” called The Institute for Public Policy Research has said that Britain needed to “resetâ€� the way it thinks about rising prices to break the “cycle of ever-rising house prices that drives property speculationâ€�, which it argues crowds out investment in the “real economyâ€�.

The post The 5 Year House Price Freeze Idea – How Stupid Is That? appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: The 5 Year House Price Freeze Idea – How Stupid Is That?