Tom

The Act started life as the Renters (Reform) Bill in May 2023 and finally made it onto the statute books on 27th October 2025. This is the biggest piece of legislation to affect the rental sector since the Housing Act 1988, and introduces many changes documented in 270 pages. We have been following the passage…

1. If it needs it, upgrade your property to ensure it will meet the Decent Homes Standard: Doing this may involve more investment, but you can’t expect to make money without putting money in. In some cases, there may be funds available for upgrades. 2. Be rigorous about the way you select your tenants. The last…

Myth 1: All evictions are banned under the Act. Fact: The Act abolishes possession without a reason (known as a ground), but evictions are not banned. The Act once fully implemented, will establish a total of 37 specific grounds for possession available to landlords under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 e.g., rent arrears, landlord selling…

The agreement to, and payment of, a holding deposit creates a legally binding contract between the landlord (or his agent) and the prospective tenant. The contract is commonly called a holding deposit agreement, sometimes referred to as a HDA. A HDA is a conditional contract, which grants the prospective tenant both the right and obligation…

On 7th September 2023 the UK government issued guidance on damp and mould in rented accommodation. The guidance is 56 pages long, not including linked references, and there are 185 occurrences of the word ‘landlord’. This article provides a summary of what it is landlords should be doing regarding damp and mould in their properties.…

In Dorrington Residential Limited v 56 Clifton Gardens Limited, Dorrington were the long leaseholder and 57 Clifton Gardens were the landlord.The long lease leaseholder had sub-tenants. The landlord served the long leaseholders notice within the terms of the lease to inspect the property. The landlord was unable to get access and the long leaseholder was liable…

Where a building contains two or more sets of domestic premises a fire risk assessment must now include an assessment of: * Building’s structure * External walls * Any common parts * Doors between the domestic premises and common parts. Further Reading Article 6 of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

The Fire Safety Act 2021 came into force on 16 May 2022 and amends the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 now applies where a building contains two or more domestic premises and applies to: (a) the building’s structure and external walls and any common parts; (b) all doors…

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 come into force on 1st June 2020 and apply to all new tenancies from 1st July 2020 and all existing tenancies from 1st April 2021. Overview Landlords must ensure that the standards for electrical installations in the eighteenth edition of the Wiring Regulations…

Common Law * The minimum period for a notice to quit is a complete period of the tenancy * The notice period must end on the last day of a period of the tenancy * A notice that expires on the first day of a period of the tenancy has the same effect as a…