PRS Industry News

Harry Ulaeto

The Renters' Rights Bill: Navigating new costs for Local Authorities

The Renters’ Rights Bill will return to Parliament for debate this week. The introduction of the Decent Homes Standard and the expansion under the proposed legislation of Awaab’s Law to tackle damp and mould, along with the requirement to report property inspection data, will give tenants greater confidence that they are living in safe and warm homes.

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Harry Ulaeto

Through the front door: How comprehensive property inspections hold the key to successful licensing schemes

After Leeds City Council introduced selective licensing in two of its wards in 2020 the resulting “closer working” between the council and allied agencies - enabled by the licensing schemes - ended up with “the seizure of over £50 million in Cannabis across the city as a whole.” Now the council is looking to extend licensing across five more of its ‘priority’ wards, in part, as a result of this licensing success.

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Harry Ulaeto

Will the new housing policy environment see Selective Licensing as the best way to improve PRS housing standards?

With the recent statements by the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves MP, about the £22 billion “black hole” ‘discovered’ in the nation’s finances (and her consequent remedies) and the focus of the Secretary of State for Housing, Angela Rayner MP, firmly set on a huge house building programme fuelled by reform of the planning system, private rented sector reform seems to have taken somewhat of a backseat on the journey to resolving the national housing crisis.

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Harry Ulaeto

The new Renters' Rights Bill

The pomp and circumstance of the King’s speech during the state opening of Parliament sees the formalised beginning of the new parliament and a new legislative programme. Whilst the new Government is hoping for an increase in the economy’s growth rate to help fund the across the board “National renewal” that they wish to see, for the moment the path to making a difference looks like it will be via regulation with nearly 40 new legislative bills laid out in the speech.

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Home Safe

What does the 2024 election result mean for the private rented sector in practice?

A new Government is in place and Parliament will be swearing in MPs on Tuesday 9th July. There is a new Secretary of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities and a new legislative programme will be officially unveiled during the King’s Speech on 17th July. The current stabilisation of interest rates and inflation levels, although still higher than through the last decade, will hopefully help create some economic stability but huge fiscal challenges remain.

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Harry Ulaeto

A local authority's £21,000 HMO licensing civil penalty appeal is allowed and clarifies requirements of councils' Notices of Intent

In an important case for councils and PRS landlords the Upper Tier Tribunal (UTT) has allowed an appeal by Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council after the First Tier Tribunal (FTT) invalidated a £21,000 civil penalty imposed on a private rented sector HMO landlord.

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Harry Ulaeto

A PRS landlord's spent convictions can be taken into account in banning order applications says UTT

The Upper Tier Tribunal has dismissed a private landlord's appeal against a banning order imposed by the First Tier Tribunal (FTT) on behalf the London Borough of Newham Council.

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Harry Ulaeto

Barking & Dagenham Council's knuckles rapped for disrespecting First Tier Tribunal in selective licensing appeal

The landlord's appeal was against the decision of the council to issue her with a selective licence that lasted only 12 months on the basis that her property was previously rented out without a licence.

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Harry Ulaeto

As Renters' Reform Bill due for 2nd reading in Parliament today, Govt has said that S. 21 ban won't happen until after court system also reformed

The Bill is scheduled to go through its next legislative stage in the House of Commons today (with a planned protest by renters' groups outside Parliament this evening).

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Harry Ulaeto

Durham County Council's first selective licensing prosecution sees PRS landlord ordered to pay £15,743 in fines and costs

The landlord was convicted of 4 Housing Act offences at Peterlee Magistrates, including failure to apply for licences to operate 2 rental properties in the Horden area.

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