As under Tier 4 restrictions, the lettings industry can continue to operate during the third national lockdown in England. Letting agencies can "continue to work" and people are permitted to move home.
Covid-19 guidelines for letting agents and landlords, updated with the introduction of a fourth tier and still applicable during the third national lockdown, continue to prioritise tenant safety while reminding agents of tenant protections in place.
From Electrical Safety Standards through to right to rent changes as a result of Brexit - in addition to the continuing impact of Covid-19 - it's going to be another busy year and landlords are going to need letting agents' guidance more than ever when it comes to compliance.
2020 has been a year of unpredictable change in the lettings industry. Disruption to the day-to-day management of properties, with imposed safety measures and new legislation to protect tenants, has had a far-reaching impact. Estate and letting agents have shown immense adaptability - highlighting just how valuable they are to landlords in this context.
It's a year on from the Queen's speech outlining the Renter’s Reform Bill, including lifetime deposits. Here's an extract from our latest e-book, Your guide to lettings and the law, Vol II, to look at the sentiment around this deposit passporting concept.
Goodlord and DAS UK Group jointly won "Claims Partner of the Year" at the 2020 Insurance Times Awards, recognising their market-leading Rent Protection & Legal Expenses Insurance policy which ensured that landlords, agents and tenants stayed protected throughout the pandemic.
Goodlord’s Head of Insurance, Oli Sherlock, discusses how Rent Protection Insurance could help letting agents strengthen their offering to landlords in 2021.
The Chelmsford branch of Martin & Co has found the best way to balance its independence, while benefiting from the support and expertise of the group’s head office and extended franchise network.
How prepared is your agency for 2021? Andrews and LiFE Residential discuss the continued impact of Covid-19, how Brexit could impact the lettings industry, and what's in store for the year ahead.
The cost of rent dropped in every region monitored by Goodlord during November, with void periods edging up in most regions.
The situation with Covid-19 is rapidly changing. For the latest guidelines, please refer to gov.uk.
The government has confirmed that people can still move home and continue to view properties during the third national lockdown in England, as under Tier 4 restrictions, while continuing to follow appropriate Covid-19 safety guidelines. The lockdown will come into law on 6 January 2020 and is expected to be in place until at least February half term.
Topics: Covid-19
The situation with Covid-19 is rapidly changing. For the latest guidelines, please refer to gov.uk.
The 2020 holiday period was disrupted by the introduction of Tier 4 Covid-19 measures across much of England, and now 2021 starts with a new national lockdown. The government has confirmed that the lettings industry can continue to operate under these restrictions, and its guidance for home moving emphasises that the safety of tenants should remain the "first priority" for agents and landlords.
Topics: Covid-19
The end of coronavirus legislation - and the as-yet-unknown impact this will have on lettings, with extended notice periods and furlough set to end - is just one of the dates letting agents and landlords should be marking in their calendars this year. The deadlines for Electrical Safety Regulations and client money protection are fast approaching while the mid-year changes to right to rent as a result of Brexit are yet to be confirmed. Plus, the Renters' Reform Bill and Regulation of Property Agents (RoPA) are likely to come back onto the agenda as the pandemic is brought under control. In short, it's going to be another busy year and landlords are going to need letting agents' guidance more than ever when it comes to compliance.
Topics: Compliance
From a consultation on the abolition of Section 21 and the introduction of the new Electrical Safety Standards Regulations to the Renter’s Reform Bill, many new regulations were passed or announced in recent times to pave the way for a “fairer and more affordable private rented sector that provides security and stability for both tenants and landlords.”
Topics: Business
At the end of 2019, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said “The costs of deposits make it harder [for tenants] to move. We are going to fix that.” A solution was outlined in the Renter’s Reform Bill during the Queen’s Speech in December 2019 - lifetime deposits.
Topics: Compliance
Goodlord and DAS UK Group have been jointly awarded "Claims Partner of the Year" at the 2020 Insurance Times Awards. The accolade recognises their market-leading Rent Protection & Legal Expenses Insurance policy.
Topics: Goodlord Group
Rent Protection Insurance has never been a more crucial component of a letting agency's landlord proposition than it has been this year, providing landlords with the security of income in an environment of uncertainty. Now, it’s more important than ever that letting agents are offering their landlords this protection as part of a comprehensive proposition. Goodlord’s Head of Insurance, Oli Sherlock, answers questions about how the market has changed in 2020 and how Rent Protection Insurance can help you strengthen your offering to landlords in 2021.
Topics: Business
“Being part of a corporate network as well as having independence as a branch is the best of all worlds,” says John Frost of Martin & Co Chelmsford, a franchisee operating its agency independently while under the branding of the extended Martin & Co network.
Topics: Business
Covid-19 completely disrupted the plans of many businesses this year and will continue to have an impact on the global economy until the vaccine is rolled out. At the same time, an uncertain Brexit remains just around the corner. Ellie Donaghy, Head of Lettings at Andrews, and Jonathan Werth, Managing Director at LiFE Residential, joined Goodlord to discuss a challenging year and how they're preparing for 2021.🎧
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Topics: Business
The latest Goodlord Rental Index shows a subdued rental market during November, thanks to the country-wide lockdown. Rents were down and voids were up, with the average income of tenants also starting to slide. However, the market picked up speed again during the last week of November, with renewed activity sparking an above average rate of new applications during a traditionally quiet period for the market.
Topics: Data
