From April 1st 2019, all lettings agents who hold any client money in respect of rental accommodation, will be required to sign up to a Government-approved Client Money Protection scheme (CMP). The CMP scheme already exists, but on a voluntary basis, the new rules change membership to a mandatory requirement for all agents working in the private rental sector (PRS).
A lack of disability-friendly properties is becoming a serious issue in the UK – in fact, a 2018 report from the European Court of Human Rights labelled it ‘Britain’s Hidden Crisis’. According to the same report, 93% of our properties lack minimal accessibility features, and as numbers of people with disabilities rise, many are living in properties which simply aren’t adequate for their needs. Developers aren’t making enough new-build properties accessible because they say it’s harder to make a profit on them, while many disabled people say that their private landlords won’t allow basic adaptations to their homes.
As a landlord, the idea of your tenant illegally subletting your property is one that may keep you awake at night. But unfortunately this is a common problem across the UK.
Many private landlords will be familiar with that sinking feeling that accompanies the sight of a council-branded envelope on the doormat. But while councils can be frustrating to deal with, the truth is that owning a property in an area gives you responsibilities as well as rights – even if you don’t live there – and it’s usually not unreasonable for the local authority to remind you of this. Under some circumstances, these responsibilities might include paying the council tax on the property.
It’s every tenant and homeowner’s worst nightmare - finding that your home’s been broken into is always a horrible surprise. It may seem like this only happens to “other people”, but at some point you may well find that it happens to you. What do you do, and what are your responsibilities?
In the latest part of the Government’s wider plan to improve the UK’s private rented sector, it has been confirmed that five-year electrical safety checks will soon be required for all rented homes. House of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) are already subject to this rule. However, following a consultation and parliamentary debate, it has been agreed all rental homes will require official, electrical safety checks, also on a five-year basis.
