“There is legislation that has gone under the radar,” says Tim Frome, Landlord Action’s Legal Director. “Everyone’s aware of the legal issues brought about by the pandemic that people are facing on a day-to-day basis. But the government has still been passing other lettings legislation.”

The situation with Covid-19 is rapidly changing and this article will continue to be updated throughout. For the latest guidelines, please refer to gov.uk.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been extended until 30 April 2021, with furloughed employees to receive 80% of their current salary for hours not worked, in order to support businesses as much of the country is put under Tier 3 restrictions. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has also confirmed that he would be extending the government-guaranteed Covid-19 business loan schemes until the end of March.

This situation is rapidly changing and this article will continue to be updated throughout. For the latest guidelines, please refer to gov.uk.

Letting agencies can continue to operate and viewings and house moves can take place during the second national lockdown, which begins on 5 November and will continue until at least 2 December. Under the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 4) Regulations 2020, activities in connection with the purchase, sale, letting or rental of a residential property have been made exceptions to the "stay at home" guidance.

How do you get the most out of your team? Goodlord's Oli Sherlock, Head of Insurance, and Leah Ellis, Head of People, joined Charlotte Campbell, Director of The Able Agent, to discuss how you can equip your lettings staff to get the best results.

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October proved a slower month for the UK rental market, with the average cost of rent decreasing and void periods increasing in all regions monitored in Goodlord's Rental Index.

The Regulation of Property Agents (RoPA) was first proposed in 2018, with a working group laying out a new regulatory framework in the RoPA Report, published in July 2019.

“We're a fairly traditional agency in our approach, and it works. We have real continuity with landlords. They like that we're traditional because they are as well,” says Beverley Myott, one of the directors at County Lettings, a Hertfordshire-based lettings specialist.

Bailiffs have agreed not to enforce court orders against tenants living in areas where Tier 2 and Tier 3 Covid-19 restrictions are in place. Eviction proceedings can still take place in the courts.

Charlotte Campbell knows that agents aren’t one size fits all and believes agency qualifications shouldn’t be, either. That’s why Charlotte, who is co-hosting a Goodlord webinar on empowering your staff, set up The Able Agent a year ago, to offer an alternative, online training option and qualification for estate and letting agents.

A Revised Code of Practice on Right to Rent officially replaces the previous version on 2 November 2020 and has set out the details of the Home Office’s new online right to rent check service, in addition to confirming how visitors from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the United States with biometric passports (also known as “B5JSSK nationals”) can prove their right to rent.