In the fast-paced property world, changes are constantly being made to legislation, keeping even the most vigilant of landlords on their toes. This October is no different, and signals a month of major changes to the lettings sector, effecting landlords and letting agents alike.
Being a landlord, it means you have a high level of responsibility and a duty of care towards your tenants, meaning it’s vital that you keep abreast of all changes. But that’s what we’re here for. At Kings Group, we pride ourselves on ensuring our landlords and tenants are kept in the loop and are always in-keeping with the latest legislative amendments.
Section 21
One of the major changes that landlords must know about is the changes to the Section 21 eviction process. From October 1st, at the start of every new tenancy, a landlord or agent acting on their behalf must provide tenants with a valid Energy Performance Certificate, an annual Gas Safety Certificate and a copy of the Government’s How To Rent guide. If a landlord or letting agent fails to do so, it means that they will be unable to serve the tenants a Section 21 eviction notice. These changes to the private rental sector have been introduced primarily to protect tenants from ‘revenge evictions’, which have caused quite a stir in the property industry in recent years.
These new amendments did look initially as if they might not go ahead as there were concerns about several drafting errors, alongside fears from industry bodies that the lettings sector were not adequately prepared for the changes. However, these issues were worked through and the deadline met. However, it’s important to note that landlords will be unable to validly serve a Section 21 notice within the first four months of a tenancy.
Red hot vigilance on Smoke and Carbon Monoxide safety
October 1st also signalled legislative changes regarding the implementation of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. The changes mean that both smoke and carbon monoxide alarms must be installed in all rented, residential accommodation. If a landlord or letting agent fails to adhere to these new guidelines then the landlord will face a hefty fine of £5,000, an additional and unwanted cost for landlords.
These amendments mean it’s vital that, whether you’re already letting property or are considering letting, that the agent whom you choose must be aware, and more importantly compliant, of these new regulations. Here at Kings Group, an estate and letting agent which operate across London, we are not only compliant with these new regulations, but we have won awards for excellence in ensuring landlords take Legionella seriously and carry out the proper risk assessments, ensuring that their rental properties are safe.
If you would like to find out more about the recent legislative changes or would like further advice about letting your property with Kings Group, then get in touch with the team today. Alternatively, if you would like to discover how much rent you could potentially generate from your property then check out our free, instant online rental valuation tool.
https://www.kings-group.net/blog/2015/10/08/keep-on-top-of-legislation-with-kings-group/
