Lettings legislation unrelated to Covid-19 has still been passing during the pandemic, says Tim Frome, Landlord Action’s Legal Director, and letting agents and landlords need to keep abreast of changes to Electrical Safety Standards Regulations, right to rent, and Section 21.
In this excerpt from our latest e-book, "Your guide to lettings and the law, Vol II", the move towards regulation of estate and letting agents has progressed in 2020, with a consultation on the Code of Practice - and agents are looking ahead to the changes the regulation may bring to the industry.
Eligible tenants will now be able to prove their right to rent online via the Home Office’s new online checking service, while the rules for conducting right to rent checks on B5JSSK nationals arriving via e-passport gates have been clarified.
A consultation is underway on the Government's proposal to raise the minimum energy efficiency standards for private rented properties to EPC Band C by 2028.
DAS Law answers key questions about your employees' rights when returning to the workplace, including whether they can refuse to return if they feel it's unsafe, whether they can ask to remain on furlough, and if it's safe for them to return to work if they've recovered from Covid-19.
DAS Law answers key questions about the government's 'pre-action' protocol, including what agents and landlords should consider before initiating any proceedings, what could the pre-action protocol for possession claims based on rent look like, and what to do if you've already served notice.
Tenant referencing can impact whether or not you can retain a tenancy deposit if a tenancy application falls through and could even affect your eligibility for insurance, so it's crucial that you have a robust process in place.
Make sure you’re not wasting your agency’s time or money on applicants your referencing provider would advise against with just a few key questions.
The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 came into force on 1 June 2020 and require five-yearly inspections of electrical installations and inspection reports to be supplied to tenants.
Letting agents, landlords and contractors can now visit tenants’ homes to carry out a range of essential and non-essential work or maintenance, as long as they are following the guidance on working in people’s homes.