Hat trick of legislation to wheedle out rogue landlords

Last week saw the third piece of major legislation this year to affect the property industry; marking the cards of any rogue agency and ending the days of the amateur landlord.

And, with further laws coming into force later this year, the overhaul of property industry regulation is taking a significant turn in favour of quality, transparency and fairness.

From now on landlords and agencies need to ensure that all client monies are protected by a government backed scheme. Simply put, it protects all payments made by tenants and landlords who rent their properties through an agency.

It joins the requirement set out in March for landlords to join a Landlord Redress Scheme to handle complaints and disputes. It formed a significant plug in the gaping hole of dispute resolution between landlords and tenants.

The third piece of legislation is the Fitness for Human Habitation Act 2018. This important law may have slipped under the radar for many tenants living in very poor quality accommodation. It gives them rights and, importantly, legal protection to complain about issues such as damp or lack of adequate heating without the risk of being evicted by the landlord.

The Act is clearly aimed at bad landlords, but even good landlords will need to ensure that they take more care and more precautions to remain compliant.

Gerry Mason-Rolls Lettings Director at James Peacock Property explains the impact the new law will have
“I think this is a really positive step, not only in boosting protection for millions of renters across the country but also for recognising property management as the professional business that it should be.
It will encourage landlords to focus on customer service and building relationships, as well as the quality of their properties, help to professionalise the industry and provide a level playing field for landlords and tenants.”

Here at James Peacock Property our regular inspection pattern picks up on things as we go and we maintain a detailed log and images of work done to ensure we’re fully compliant. The law will really affect those landlords that have got away in the past with evicting tenants who are rightly unhappy about living in poor housing”.

Further legislation changes for 2019 include The Tenant Fee Ban which will prevent agencies and landlords charging tenants for things like referencing, inventories and cleaning in addition to their deposit and advance rental payments. If the law is breached they will be subject to fines up to £30,000 per case.

If you are a landlord and you would like support with the new legislation contact Gerry on 01925 243366 gmason-rolls@jamespeacockproperty.co.uk