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    LANDLORD FINED!

    How can I make sure I’m compliant on my rental property?

    Coventry City Council has become the first council to fine a landlord under the ‘Electrical Safety Standards 2020′ legislation.

    In July 2021, new rules came in to force whereby all rental properties must have a 5-year electrical certificate by a qualified person. A copy of the certificate must be given to the tenants and provided to the council if requested.

    The landlord in question (who has not been named) failed to have a certificate and was fined £1,600.00. Adrian Chowns, the enforcement officer for Coventry City Council, said “We believe this is the first time these powers have been used by a local authority in England”.

    The government and local councils are keen to ensure rental properties are kept up to a decent standard of living for tenants, and that the appropriate safety measures are in place. Local councils now have the authority to fine landlords up to £30,000 for breach of regulations.

    At Move On, we make sure all our landlords can sleep at night, because this is what we do every day. We make sure we are always up to date with latest legislations, and we are often ahead of the deadline.

    Check out our FREE Compliance Guide for UK Landlords to find out if your rental property is complying with the latest legislation

    Is it time to move on with Move On? Call me or come in and have a chat, we really are a friendly and professional bunch.

    If you would like a free, up-to-date rental appraisal or fresh eyes over your paperwork to ensure you are compliant, then please contact me 01202 711169 or email sharon@moveon.biz

     

    Sharon

    Blog Articles

    What can happen if your paperwork is not up…

     

    The law is unbending! Naivety is not an excuse! Over 300 legislations in the last 3 years – do you know them?

    The courts have been filled in recent years with landlords being heavily fined and, in some cases, having to pay back the last 12 months’ worth of rent received.

    None of us would like to find ourselves in this position, but more and more landlords are finding this simply because they haven’t kept up to date with the law.

    A landlord recently failed to evict a tenant through non-payment of rent, due to not having a valid Gas Safety Certificate and Electrical Certificate.

    Another landlord had to pay back 3 times the deposit plus the deposit of £1000.00, totalling £4,000 to the tenant as they had failed to register the deposit. Local councils have the ability to fine landlords up to £30,000 for non-compliant properties including properties in disrepair. Two or more households is a HMO! Three unrelated friends or 2 couples is a HMO! Do you have the correct license?

    Another landlord had not noted the visa on his tenant had expired and they did not have the right to rent in the UK. The landlord narrowly missed going to jail.

    At Move On, we make sure all our landlords can sleep at night, because this is what we do every day. We make sure we are always up to date with latest legislations, and we are often ahead of the deadline.

    If you would like a free rental appraisal and fresh eyes over your paperwork, then please contact me 01202 711169 or email sharon@moveon.biz

    Sharon

    Blog Articles

    Possession Notices Back to Pre-COVID Length

    When COVID hit us back in March 2020, none of us had any idea of the impact this would have on our lives and how every sector would be affected – good or bad (there are always winners and losers after all).

    As it became apparent that COVID was going to be around for a while and many people furloughed, the Government deemed it necessary to bring in additional measures to stop any tenants being evicted from their homes, especially as there was nowhere to go: hotels, etc. were all closed.

    The extension of the possession notices from 2 months to 6 months caused huge ramifications to landlords who already had tenants in rent arrears.

    Some landlords have been incredibly generous to their tenants where COVID had an impact, and either came up with a payment plan or, in some cases, gifted a month’s rent.

    There will always be people who like to use the system, thankfully this is not the majority of tenants.

    The government then confirmed that, from the 1st of October, possession notices would revert to as they were in to pre-COVID times, meaning landlords can now give their tenants 2 months’ notice to vacate the property through a Section 21 notice for the time being. Section 8 notices have also reverted to pre-COVID rules.

    If you need help or advice on your tenancy management then please do not hesitate to contact us. We are not just good; we are amazingly good!

     

    Have a good month!

    Sharon Canning

     

    If you would like a friendly, no obligation chat regarding buying, selling, renting or investing in property, then please email sharon@moveon.biz   or telephone 01202 711169.