Tom

Unlike rodents, wasps and cluster flies, bats are not pests. As population numbers have fallen, all bats and their roosts are protected under The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (as amended). Under these pieces of legislation it is illegal to: * deliberately capture (or…

The extraordinary story of former Bath Tory councillor Donal Hassett who used false names, references and cover stories to rent homes to create a network of cannabis farms is a reminder of the problem this can be for landlords. Read the full story here Cannabis farms in rented accommodation have been a problem for landlords…

Third Party means a person who has paid a Deposit in respect of a Tenancy to a Landlord on behalf of a Tenant and who is a relevant person for the purposes of Sections 212 to 215 of the Housing Act 2004. The DPS Terms and Conditions covering the landlord’s responsibility to any Third Party…

The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 set minimum levels of energy efficiency for private rented property. From 1 April 2018, all rented property (both domestic and non-domestic) which is to have a new tenancy must have an energy efficiency rating of at least “E”. This requirement also applies to all…

Why It is a criminal offence for a landlord to allow a person who does not have a ‘right to rent’ to occupy premises in England. If a landlord does allow a person to occupy who doesn’t have a right to rent, they may be liable to a fine of up to £3,000 per adult…

OK so you have done all the hard work and preparation for the new tenancy but what must you do on the first day of a new tenancy… 1. Give the tenant a copy of the energy performance certificate Reference: Part 2, Regulation 6, (5) of The Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations…

Where a tenant expresses a wish to leave without giving the notice defined in law or as agreed with the landlord, this is an offer to surrender. A landlord may accept or refuse such an offer. There must be unequivocal conduct on the part of both the landlord and the tenant which is inconsistent with…

The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 were enacted on 8 December 2016 and impose statutory duties on distributors of electrical equipment. Landlords who supply electrical equipment to tenants for their use are, consistent with the definition in the regulations, considered to be distributors. The regulations tighten the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994. What equipment is…

Home businesses are now common but until recently giving a tenant consent to operate a business from their rented home was tricky because the landlord did not want to inadvertently give the tenant a business tenancy that could be caught by Part 2 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. A tenancy under those provisions…

Firstly, we should remind ourselves why a landlord should carry out repairs: • Meet implied obligations (law) • Meet express obligations (tenancy agreement) • Preserve the landlord’s asset • Keep the tenant happy (a happy tenant is a good tenant) The longer a landlord takes to carry out a repair the more likely they are…