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Snita Kaur

This author has written 38 articles

Deregulation Act 2015 and what it means for landlords

Over the last few years it has been widely reported in the media that the country has a housing crisis. With more and more people moving into rented accommodation, protecting tenants’ interests against rogue landlords has been high on the government’s agenda. Lobbyists have been calling for better protection for tenants, and landlords and practitioners have been requesting clarification on landlord’s responsibilities concerning the protection of tenant deposits. We reported last month that the House of Lords were to discuss the Deregulation Bill. The Bill received Royal Assent on 26…

5 ways to improve your office space

There are a wide variety of changes that can be made to create an ideal office space and you don't necessarily have to spend a large amount of money to achieve it. Simple changes such as the following can make a big difference: 1. Comfort It is often thought that when working conditions for staff are uncomfortable staff wellbeing and productivity decrease. However, if people feel comfortable in their place of work this could lead to higher productivity. Small things to improve could include: lighting, air conditioning or climate control, even comfortable…

Selective Licensing

The London Borough of Waltham Forest has given notice that the borough will be designated for selective licensing starting today, 1 April 2015. Where a property is a house in multiple occupation and licensed as such, selective licensing will not be required. Once selective licensing comes into force, any person operating a licensable property without a license will be guilty of an offence under section 95(1) of the Housing Act 2004 and shall be liable to prosecution. When managing your rental properties, please be aware that in order to issue…

Terms and conditions must be clearly stated to apply

Battle of forms highlights a hard truth for company contracts Two companies who went to court in an argument over whose terms and conditions applied to a contract between them, have both lost out. The ruling from the High Court has said that neither company made enough efforts to deliver up their terms and conditions to the other side, leaving both without a leg to stand on in a dispute over a supply of rubber gaskets. The dispute arose between Transformers & Rectifiers Ltd and Needs Ltd. Needs argued that…

Budget 2015 – The key points

George Osborne's March 2015 Budget has been announced today and below we have summarised the key points of this year's Budget: The new Help to Buy ISAs effectively give investors tax relief on a cash ISA investment for home buying. The Government will provide a £50 bonus for every £200 of monthly savings up to a maximum of £3,000 on £12,000 of savings. The scheme is for first time home-buyers on houses worth up to £450,000 in London and £250,000 elsewhere in the UK. The aim is to start the scheme…

Court fees set for rise on 9 March 2015

The Government has decided that as from 9 March 2015 there is to be an increase in fees for issuing Court proceedings with a value of £10,000 or more. Whilst there have been increases in Court fees over the recent years, this new increase reflects a substantial and significant increase and may prove to be prohibitive for Claimants. The figures on money claims As from 9 March 2015, money claims with a value which exceeds £10,000 but which do not exceed £200,000 will have an issue fee of 5% of…

A landlord’s guide to dealing with Anti-social Behaviour

Having to deal with anti-social behaviour will undoubtedly be one of the most daunting problems that a landlord will have to deal with. The general rule is that a landlord cannot be held liable for a tenant’s action unless they have authorised the anti-social behaviour. The first thing that may cross a landlord’s mind is how do they evict the tenant. Before embarking upon legal proceedings the landlord should consider discussing the matter with their tenant, but should their behaviour not improve seeking a possession order may be the only…

Property transactions and Japanese Knotweed

Japanese Knotweed is an invasive species of plant which can cause damage to properties if left untreated, particularly with drains and other buried services, paths and driveways, boundary/retaining walls, outbuildings, conservatories and gardens. Your legal responsibilities for invasive plants and injurious weeds If you have invasive plants or injurious weeds on your premises, you have a responsibility to prevent them spreading into the wild or causing a nuisance. You must not plant or otherwise cause to grow in the wild any plant prescribed under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.…

Impending changes to the divorce process

The way divorce petitions are processed is changing, following a consultation by Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS). There will now be designated divorce centres which will be the only points of entry across the single family court for the issuing of divorce petitions and financial remedy applications. All divorce petitions will be sent by post to one of the centres unless there is an urgent reason to seek to issue at the counter. The application process will remain unchanged but all uncontested petitions will be prepared and made…

Protecting your assets: extending your lease

Many people who own a leasehold property will – at some point - face having to make a difficult decision about whether or not they should extend their lease. With an aging and growing population and with the continuing trend of developers building blocks of flats, this question can only become more prevalent. The first question that will, naturally, spring to cross one's mind is: how? Followed closely perhaps by: it is worth the time and expense? In an era where most people look for ways to create wealth, extending…

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