The salient points of the new proposed legislation, expected in force sometime Jan - Mar 2025. This will pass through Parliament fast as it had gone through to final reading before General Election. It had cross party support as the "Renters Reform Bill" under the Tories. Not expecting major amendments.
If you watched my video earlier this week, you know I have poked holes at this legislation. Reading the draft bill today, all I can say is a lot of it is actually worse for tenants (?!).
All the hype is around abolishing "no fault evictions" like it helps tenants. Let me tell you every section 21 we serve has a reason like rent arrears, landlord wants to move back in or sell up. Landlords use section 21 to get possession of their house and they often do not claim for the rent arrears. To do so, they had to use a section 8 and go to court. Well, guess what, if landlords will now be forced to use section 8, then they will include the entire claim for damages (arrears, property damage etc etc). So that will be more CCJs on tenants?
Bear with me on another legal point why this legislation should be called "Landlord Perks Bill". New Bill says we cannot write rent increases into the tenancies. We have to only do annual rent increases and to market rent only. Let me tell you a secret. Rent increase clauses in our tenancy agreements follow an inflation index. Ever since the Bank of England got our crazy inflation down to 2% ish, that rent increase has been a small 2%, and below market rent. SO if we can increase to market rent under the Section 13 procedure, then that is even better for landlords.
Rents will be going up across the country, simply due to supply and demand. Many landlords are selling up because they are scared, fed up and honestly think tenants' rights are more than landlord rights. Dig deeper, behind the headlines, talk to me with 17 years experience here as a solicitor, property investor landlady, manager of a lettings agency and I'll give you some facts to show you that landlords will be fine. The Private Rented Sector always adapts and thrives.
#lettingsagency #lettingagent #privatesectorlandlords #buytolet #propertyinvestment #belvoir
Josie Humphreys Raphael Hirschi Nigel Howle
Living Sectors Property Management Specialist Founder at Kings Residential Chair at the Association for Rental Living Consultancy | Projects | Fractional | Interim
9moGreat summary. Definitely some positive changes and a more workable proposal now than in the original format. I remain sceptical that £1.2m will touch the sides of digitally reforming the court system but hope to be proven wrong 🧐