‘Renters of homes have fewer rights than if they were renting a sofa or a fridge’

admin    Uncategorized     agents

This is the view of Labour’s new Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds who, LandlordZONE has discovered, has big plans for the housing market were she to make into No.11.

Labour’s new Shadow Chancellor is in favour of greater regulation of the private rental market, significantly increased rights for tenants and a beefed up role for council licensing of the private rental sector, LandlordZONE can reveal.

Anneliese Dodds, who was promoted by new Labour leader Kier Starmer recently to Shadow Chancellor only three years after becoming an MP, is also the Labour MP for Oxfordshire East.

But the 42-year-old has been active within the Labour party for many years and her official profile on the LabourList website, which has recently been updated, includes points of view that are likely to worry many landlords already battered by recent reductions in tax relief, evictions being suspended, increased costs tenants who are struggling to pay their rent.

Dodds says she wants to see the next Labour manifesto give local authorities more powers to “root out rogue landlords and maintain the balance of housing between family homes and houses in multiple occupation”.

Maiden speech

And during her maiden speech to parliament just after being elected as an MP, Dodds said: “Renters of homes have fewer rights than if they were renting a sofa or a fridge.

“Renters need stronger rights, and they need, above all, a system that recognises houses as homes—as places to live and not merely investment opportunities.

“We also, of course, need to unlock the potential of our communities and not allow them to be asset-stripped.”

And one of the people who Dodds says inspired her to become an MP is fellow Labour MP Karen Buck because of her work to “improve tenants’ rights by enabling them to complain against poor landlords and seek compensation if their landlord fails to act”.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – ‘Renters of homes have fewer rights than if they were renting a sofa or a fridge’ | LandlordZONE.

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My tenant has unfortunately passed away in hospital?

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My tenant unfortunately passed away in March after she was hospitalised in February. Obviously things are difficult and  I haven’t received any rent for February to date.

I am currently still awaiting for her daughter to hand back the keys to the house.

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End of Tenancy, Tenant’s Belongings, Tort Law and “Lockdown”?

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Hi, Here is a dilemma that many of us on Property118 might likely face in the coming weeks of these very challenging times.

The 12 month fixed term tenancy ending this week, current Tenant contacted 6 weeks before tenancy end date he verbally informed agents of the purchase of a new home and won’t be renewing the tenancy.

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Police won’t accept it’s theft?

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In a nutshell (as I’ve had nearly two months of stress and anxiety), agent I used 2 years ago without problem, found tenants for me in February. The tenant paid her 4 months rent up front plus deposit, plus 4 months council tax up front –

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LATEST: Suspend gas and electrical safety certification for six months, says NRLA

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Landlords’ association says difficulties sourcing engineers and worries among tenants about letting people into their homes mean safety certification, like MOTs for cars, should be waived until the crisis is over.

All gas and electrical safety certification for private rented homes should be automatically extended for six months, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) says.

The organisation says its poll of landlords found that 38% have been struggling to source maintenance contractors and that a third cannot complete safety and essential maintenance work because they or their tenants are self-isolating.

It also says many tenants are simply worried about letting tradespeople into their homes.

Also, the NRLA claims that there is a precedent for a safety certificate waiver following the Coronavirus pandemic; namely that the government recently did the same for vehicle MOTs.

This would give landlords the time to ensure that routine but legally binding checks can take place at a point when the danger of spreading the virus in rental properties is at least reduced, it is claimed.

Electrical safety

As well as gas safety certificates, the NRLA is calling on the Government to delay until next year the introduction of new routine Electrical Installation Condition Reports which are due to come into force from 1st July.

 “Whilst
landlords should ensure that urgent work to ensure properties are safe for
tenants is carried out, routine maintenance and checks need to be delayed to
prevent the spread of Coronavirus,” says Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the
NRLA.

“Extending the life of gas and electrical
safety certificates will protect landlords and tenants from unnecessary contact
and provide landlords with legal protection from enforcement action where they
are simply unable to get such work undertaken through no fault of their own.” 

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – LATEST: Suspend gas and electrical safety certification for six months, says NRLA | LandlordZONE.

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Landlords call for extension to safety certificates

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Landlords are calling for a six-month extension to the validity of all gas and electrical safety certificates to cover for the impact of the coronavirus.  This comes in response to a survey showing that 38 per cent of landlords are struggling to source maintenance contractors to undertake required work and just over a third are having difficulties […]

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Preparing to Exit Covid-19 – Online Meeting 7PM Monday 20th April

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Will you miss the best preparation for the opportunities this decade will present?

Some of the countries top experts join us this month for this online Great Property Meet event to share what they are doing to prepare to exit Corona Virus lock down and the opportunities they see ahead.

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Property Conference – landlords unite and raise money for the NHS

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Meet Property118 founder Mark Alexander at this unmissable online Event to raise funding for the NHS.

The Property Conference will be taking place on the 24th and 25th of April 2020, for full details including timings please see Facebook.

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Log on: How to survive #Coronavirus webinar for letting agents

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Key topics and challenges facing letting agents during the lockdown will be explored and explained by Paul Shamplina this Wednesday, 22nd April at 10am. Join him.

A free hour-long webinar is taking place on Wednesday at 10am for letting agents wondering how to survive the Coronavirus crisis.

To be hosted by HF Assist and led by Landlord Action’s Paul Shamplina, it will tackle some of the most pressing issues facing agents during the crisis.

This includes how to move tenants in and out of properties, help landlords whose tenants have stopped paying the rent, complete gas safety and EPC assessments safely and how to apply for government grants and other help aimed at SME businesses.

HF Assist is part of the Hamilton Fraser family of companies and exists solely to offer letting agents a telephone helpline staffed by people with both lettings and legal experience who can support agents in their day-to-day operations.

HF Assist’s Mike Morgan says: “We launched HF Assist, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, after survey results found letting agents would welcome a single ‘go to’ advice line.

“Lettings is a fast-moving industry with many moving parts and sometimes agents want to be able to just pick up the phone and check they’re compliant. 

“Since lockdown was enforced, letting agents have had to very quickly adapt their processes and learn what the changes mean for their business and their clients.”

Agents can register in advance for the free webinar, and then submit their questions in advance.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Log on: How to survive #Coronavirus webinar for letting agents | LandlordZONE.

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Legal Cases Webinar – Pease v. Carter

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Landlord Law Legal Cases – Pease v. Carter with Alice Richardson: Raising money for the Women’s Aid charity.

Renting property to tenants is heavily regulated and landlords have to know and understand the law.  This does not mean that you need to be a lawyer to be a landlord.

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