News

In June, the long-awaited government White Paper, ‘A Fairer Private Rented Sector’, was finally released.

The paper sets out a 12 point action plan containing the Government’s proposals for a fairer private rented sector. As expected, amongst other changes, it confirms the abolition of Section 21.

This means that in the future, landlords will need to provide a reason for…

Today (10 December 2020) MHCLG has published an updated version of the How to Rent Guide (England).

Did you know that under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, from 1 July 2020 landlords will be required to have property electrics checked at least every 5 years by a properly qualified person. The electrics must meet certain standards and landlords must give their tenants proof of this.

The right-to-buy your council home, if you were a sitting tenant, was a key Conservative policy introduced in the 1980 Housing Act by Margaret Thatcher. All of a sudden, people who had never had the option before could realistically think about owning their own home. But of course, just like today, people preferred some types of housing over others, such as a detached house over flat in a high-rise block. So, over time, as people bought the homes they once rented from their local councils, the authorities were left with a depleted housing stock of less than desirably properties. The once populist, profitable policy, has left a disastrous legacy affected today’s social housing market.

Rightmove and Zoopla take move to stop housing benefit discrimination

By the end of this month, the two biggest property portals in Britain, Rightmove and Zoopla, will no longer allow ‘No DSS’ lettings listings i.e. those that state tenants who receive housing benefits cannot rent an advertised home.

The decision by the portals is part of a wider stance being taken to stamp out discrimination…