The New Renters' Rights Bill

/ Maplewood Property & Investments Ltd/
The New Renters' Rights Bill

The UK government's Renters' Rights Bill, introduced in September 2024, aims to enhance tenant protections and address longstanding issues in the private rented sector. Key provisions of the bill include:

  • Abolition of Section 21 Evictions: The bill seeks to eliminate 'no-fault' evictions under Section 21, preventing landlords from terminating tenancies without a valid reason. This change is intended to provide tenants with greater security and stability in their homes.

  • Regulation of Rent Increases: The legislation proposes limiting rent increases to once per year and requires that any proposed increase be in line with market rates. Tenants will continue to have the right to challenge unjustified rent hikes through a tribunal.

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Back to School, Back to Basics – Part 1

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Back to School, Back to Basics – Part 1

It’s September and that has meant back to school for not only millions of children across the UK, but all the ‘big kids’ too - the students who are back at university to take up their places on undergrad and postgraduate courses.

It’s the first year of a true ‘back to normal’ end-of-summer/start of the school year cycle since Covid and demand has been soaring. We’ve even let a few properties in the final stages of renovation such that they’ll be occupied from Day 1!

With so many new move-ins happening, it’s a great time to go back over the basics and ask: What exactly do you need to do in order to let your property?

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Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms in Rental Properties

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Fire Safety Regulation Updates

From 1st October 2022, the government’s newest round of fire safety legislation for rental properties comes into effect. With updates to the current laws having been in the works for some time, the updated regulations contain some subtle but significant changes for landlords with properties in the private rented sector.

The full legislation is available on the government’s website, though the guidance issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities covers the most common questions and situations.

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New Courts to Tackle Backlog of Evictions

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Lord Chancellor Unveils Plans for Ten 'Nightingale Courts'

On 19 July the Lord Chancellor, Robert Buckland, announced that ten ‘Nightingale Courts’ would be set up rapidly to help deal with the backlog of evictions proceedings. With court services having been suspended from March for all ongoing housing possession action in England and Wales due to the coronavirus, the industry has been expressing increasing concern at the significant backlog in the Courts.

On 22 July, it was announced that possession proceedings would recommence from 23 August and MP Christopher Pincher, whilst recognising that the prioritisation of cases is the job of the judiciary, expressed his belief that it is important that serious and antisocial cases be heard as soon as possible.

Two of the new Courts will be located in London and other measures are also being put into place to ease the pressure on the court system, including longer opening hours in order to increase the number of cases that can be heard in a day and continuing to use video technology to hear cases where appropriate.

Through our considerate and professional dealing with our tenants, we have a great track record of keeping our landlords up-to-date with their rent payments.

To work with us - and help avoid the build-up of arrears that can lead to a lengthy eviction proceeding - contact us now.