Helping the lettings industry stay compliant with changing legislation and advice during the continually-evolving Covid-19 pandemic.
Many businesses, including letting agencies, are choosing to furlough their staff and take advantage of the government support available during the pandemic. Here's a quick guide to the furloughing process.
It remains a legal requirement to obtain an Energy Performance Certificate before selling or letting a property during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the government has confirmed.
Right to checks can be carried out over video calls and tenants can supply scanned copies or photos of documents, after the government introduced temporary changes to the process as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The government is advising renters to delay moving into a new home for as long as possible and landlords to only carry out urgent repairs while emergency measures are in place to fight coronavirus.
The government will put in place a package of measures to protect both landlords and tenants during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Agency businesses that have been affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) could be eligible for government support, including statutory sick pay relief and interest-free loans.
It’s important that letting agents stay up to date with the latest guidance on the coronavirus (CVID-19) and put the appropriate plans in place to ensure their agencies can continue to operate with minimal impact on their businesses.
The word “furlough” has become commonplace in the past few weeks, but, despite the number of businesses choosing to take up this support from the government, many remain confused about how the furlough process actually works. We’ve put together a guide to what it means in practice - from how it affects your agency’s staff to your processes.
Topics: Covid-19
This article was published on 6 April 2020. Although we endeavour to keep our coronavirus (COVID-19) content as up to date as possible, the situation is rapidly changing, so please ensure you refer to gov.uk for the latest advice and information.
It remains a legal requirement to obtain an Energy Performance Certificate before selling or letting a property during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the government has confirmed.
Topics: Covid-19
This article was published on 31 March 2020. Although we endeavour to keep our coronavirus (COVID-19) content as up to date as possible, the situation is rapidly changing, so please ensure you refer to gov.uk for the latest advice and information.
The government has temporarily adjusted the process for carrying out right to rent checks due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, allowing checks to be carried out over video calls and tenants to supply scanned copies or photos of documents rather than providing originals. The temporary measures came into effect on 30 March 2020 and were outlined in the government’s guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): landlord right to rent checks.
Topics: Covid-19
This article was updated on 30 March 2020. Although we endeavour to keep our coronavirus (COVID-19) content as up to date as possible, the situation is rapidly changing, so please ensure you refer to gov.uk for the latest advice and information.
The government has issued guidance for letting agents, landlords, and tenants on managing house moves and repairs during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Topics: Covid-19
⚠️ This article was originally published on 19 March 2020. An updated post on the current situation with regard to government guidance on this topic can be found here.
The government has now published emergency coronavirus legislation which sets out the rights of tenants for eviction proceedings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Topics: Covid-19
This article was originally published on 16 March 2020. Although we endeavour to keep our coronavirus (COVID-19) content as up to date as possible, the situation is rapidly changing, so please ensure you refer to gov.uk for the latest advice and information.
The government has announced several measures to support businesses impacted by coronavirus (COVID-19) in the latest Budget. These include a statutory sick pay relief package for SMEs, small business grant funding for businesses who receive Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR), a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, and the HMRC Time To Pay Scheme. New legal powers will be brought forward in the coronavirus bill, enabling the government to offer "whatever further financial support we think necessary to businesses".
Topics: Covid-19
This article was updated on 25 March 2020. Although we endeavour to keep our coronavirus (COVID-19) content as up to date as possible, the situation is rapidly changing, so please ensure you refer to gov.uk for the latest advice and information.
Non-essential businesses and premises are now closed to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), so it's crucial that letting agencies have the right systems and processes in place to maintain business continuity with a remote workforce. The lettings industry has proven been very resilient in previous periods of financial crisis, so it’s important that agents take steps to preserve their existing portfolio and, perhaps, even take some time to think strategically about their agency’s future when the pandemic subsides.
Topics: Covid-19
