20/9/21
Ministry Of Housing Renamed Department Of Levelling Up, Housing & Communities.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has had its name changed to become the ‘Department for Levelling Up’ under Michael Gove‘s leadership.
Mr Gove will head up the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, a role that will see him responsible for delivering “improvements to every part of the UK”, Downing Street has said.
Mr Gove said: “I’m thrilled that the PM has asked me to lead the levelling up agenda, the defining mission of this Government.
“With a superb team of ministers and officials in a new department, our relentless focus will be on delivering for those overlooked families and undervalued communities across the United Kingdom.
“We have a unique opportunity to make a real difference to people’s lives.
So the message is loud and clear, the government's priority is to kick start their levelling up agenda, knowing if they fail to convince the electorate, that the Conservative Party will very likely fall from power at the next general election.
Importantly Housing will be seen very much as a major part of the levelling up agenda.
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25/8/21
What Will Boris Do To 'Level Up Britain', His Renters Reform Bill Is On The Way !
A statement on the National Residential Landlords Association’s website says that its chief executive Ben Beadle has been invited to discuss the government pledge for a White Paper to be issued this autumn.
This is likely to be the long-awaited Renters Reform Bill which, according to the Conservative manifesto at the last General Election, will probably scrap Section 21 and modify Section 8 possession powers for landlords. It will also introduce the concept of a deposit which can be ‘passported’ from one property to another when a tenant moves home.
Beadlle himself says: “The outline proposals detailed when the Bill was first mooted two years ago included some of the biggest changes to the private rented sector in 30 years.
“It is therefore vital the government ensures reforms are fair and workable for both landlords and tenants and we will be working with ministers to make sure that is the case.
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24/8/21
Scotland Will Introduce Rent Controls & Increase Tenant's Rights By 2025
The SNP and Green parties struck their deal to create a solid majority in the Scottish Parliament and agreed on a joint housing strategy which will bring in rent controls for the private rented sector and increased tenants' rights by 2025. Would the Labour Party in England follow suit if they gained power ?
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16/7/21
Planning Change Of Use or Licensing Which Legislation Will English Councils Adopt ?
Edinburgh will become the first British city to make Airbnb hosts / Short Stay landlords apply for planning permission for a change of use,
Councillors in the Scottish capital have passed plans meaning landlords will have to ask the town hall before putting up homes as short-term lets.
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11/ 5 /21
Renters Reform Bill Part Of Queens Speech.
A briefing document on the measures included in the Queens Speech makes a reference to a Renters Reform Bill. It said the government will publish a consultation response on banning ’no fault’ evictions under this bill later this year.
It's official it's on its way !
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16 / 3 / 21
Renters Reform Bill Now Set For End Of 2021
The government’s Renters Reform Bill has been delayed and is not expected to be introduced until later this year, according to National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA).
This Bill, which includes measures to abolish Section 21 rights for landlords and their agents, was expected to be introduced in the coming months.
The Bill, which first appeared in the 2019 Conservative General Election manifesto 15 months ago and later featured in the Queen’s Speech, will also see the introduction of so-called lifelong deposits which can switch from one property to another, preventing the need for tenants to raise new deposits every time they move home.
In real terms it is becoming harder for landlords to end a tenancy if the tenant does not wish to leave, and when the bill becomes law then landlords will have to apply to the courts or perhaps a housing tribunal / mediation service for a judgement to get back possession of their property.
Despite the bill being delayed, there is already a back log of possession hearings and realistically it could be 6 months or more before a landlord could apply for a court hearing.
So in any event landlords are facing the future prospect of a potentially expensive ( agents will have to charge to attend a court / tribunal) & time consuming process to get possession of their investment property / ies. It is likely that courts will push for mediated settlements especially with rent arrear cases.
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14 / 2 / 20
Global Short Let Platform - Silver Door - Introduce Requirement For Property Accreditation
One of the first examples that the industry players are responding to the political pressure to introduce regulation for short let properties is the announcement by Silver Door, that they are introducing a requirement that advertised properties should be registered with a recognised accreditation Scheme, such as Quality in Tourism & Visit England.
Silver Door is a large Online Travel Agent that specialises in corporate clients looking to secure high standard serviced apartments in the U.K., U.S.A. and Far East.
Watch this space - we will be expecting more O.T.A. 's to follow suit shortly.
This trend will potentially weed out 1000's of city centre apartments that are operating short lets without the permission of their freeholders' buildings insurer, thus removing competition for properly insured and accredited short stay properties.
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15 / 1 / 20
Renters Reform Bill - When will Section 21 be Abolished ?
No date has been set by government for the second reading of the Renters' Reform Bill 2019-20.
The Bill was announced in the Queen’s Speech on December 19.
In addition to abolishing so-called ‘no fault’ Section 21 evictions the Bill will also give landlords the right to gain possession of their property through the courts “where there is a legitimate need”.
However a statement from the House of Commons issued just before Christmas confirmed that no date had been given by the government for its second reading.
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17/12/19
Section 21 Will Be Abolished Within The Next Parliament
Number 10 briefings to the national media suggest that the scrapping of Section 21 will be announced in Thursday’s Queen’s Speech.
In a bid to win over Generation Rent the government will promise to outlaw no-fault ‘section 21’ evictions, which allow landlords to instruct their tenants to leave a property without having to have a cause.
No date has been set by government for the second reading of the Renters' Reform Bill 2019-20.
The Bill was announced in the Queen’s Speech on December 19.
In addition to abolishing so-called ‘no fault’ Section 21 evictions the Bill will also give landlords the right to gain possession of their property through the courts “where there is a legitimate need”.
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Airbnb To Support U.K. Wide Council Registration Of Short Stay Lets In 2020
Airbnb has announced that it will be in talks with politicians across the UK on the proposals for a clear, modern and simple registration system for short-term rentals in UK cities.
Starting on 26 September 2019, Airbnb will begin a 6-month roadshow of major cities across the UK to meet with local government policymakers.
Airbnb will put forward proposals for a registration system in a white paper that will be presented to the government in 2020.
A competent registration scheme would weed out leasehold apartments operating without the necessary permissions & insurance in place, so reducing competition for legitimate short stay properties.
A good step for existing short stay operators would be to join the new Visit England Accreditation Scheme. this is a simple entry level scheme showing basic permissions are in place along with health and safety measures for your short stay property.
Want to be one of the winners when regulation enters the market email us to discuss in more detail.
Act Now - Be In Front Of The Game
Less competition due to new regulation would increase the yields for those freehold serviced blocks and properties which are eligible for the correct planning status.
Landlords with freehold or compliant leasehold, holiday / short stay lets would be wise to take all steps to protect their future right to run their commercial short stay property;
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Many 'Airbnb City Apartments' Are Breaking The Terms Of Their Leases.
It's simple - You cannot let out your leasehold apartment on a short stay licence agreement If your lease prohibits it :
- Prohibits running a business from your leasehold apartment
- Prohibits any use other than a ' Private Residence '
Recent legal case illustrating this : Nemcova v Fairfield Rents Ltd UKUT 303 (LC).
Landlords thinking of entering the short stay market should not go to the cost of setting up a fully furnished and equipped property, only to find that they could well be prohibited from operating by their leasehold management or local council.
The government says it wants to ban outright Section 21 'no fault' eviction powers in England and Wales.
Instead landlords seeking to evict tenants would have to use Section 8, which can be implemented when a tenant has fallen into rent arrears, has been involved in criminal or antisocial behaviour or has broken terms of the rent agreement, such as damaging the property. The government says it will amend Section 8 to allow it to be used by landlords if they want to sell the property or move back in themselves. Unlike S21, tenants can challenge S8 evictions in many cases.
The mayor of London has stated that he is considering introducing rent controls across LondonSadiq Khan announced that London needed to adopt a “strategic approach to rent stabilisation and control”, since the arguments in favour of capping rent inflation are becoming “overwhelming”.
“I have long advocated such reforms; in 2013, I suggested reforms could give renters the right to longer-term tenancies and predictable rents. The housing crisis is now having such an effect on a generation of Londoners that the arguments in favour of rent stabilisation and control are becoming overwhelming.”The proposed changes include ending section 21 “no fault” evictions, which the housing campaign group Generation Rent said have been the leading cause of statutory homelessness since 2012. “This law allows evictions with no reason needed, and this is one more reason why we should scrap it,” the group said.Assured shorthold tenancies, the standard rental agreement for almost all renters in England, should be replaced with open-ended tenancies – providing greater security of tenure to renters, according to the draft blueprint. Currently, landlords are able to evict tenants immediately after the initial fixed term, usually six months, without a legal reason.