A leading lettings agent in the south west is advising landlords to take advantage of a new ‘easy to read’ guide published by the Government.

Anyone letting a property is required to provide renters with the standard How To Rent booklet at the start of a new tenancy or if a tenancy is renewed.

Now Juliet Noble of Parker’s Estate Agents in North Somerset warns that it is a simple requirement but failing to comply can cause problems for landlords.

“In the last year there have been temporary changes to the way people rent properties due to Covid-19 and these have made the situation more complex.

“A few weeks’ ago the government published a new ‘easy to read’ version of the How To Rent booklet and, although it runs to 48 pages it is a great help for both landlords and renters to understand their obligations and the latest rules.

“The rental sector in Bristol is booming and there are also many people across North Somerset that are renting properties out. Anything that simplifies the rules and helps landlords understand their obligations is a help to them.

“The role of letting agents like ourselves is also covered off in the new guide so that all parties know exactly where they stand on all aspects of renting.”

She adds: “Handing those renting an up-to-date copy of the booklet is a legal requirement and for the last few years the rules have stated that every time there is a renewal an updated version must be handed over. Falling foul of simple regulations can land a landlord in trouble if there is a future dispute.

“At the moment the rules still require the full booklet to be presented to tenants but the Easy To Read version is certainly more straight-forward and less time consuming to go through.”

Landlords can obtain a copy of the document from Parker’s by calling 01275 460396 or via the government website here.