David Stancliffe, Author at Bowling & Co Solicitors

Effects of the Tenant Fees Act 2019 from the 1st June 2020 on all residential tenancies

The Tenant Fees Act 2019 (‘the Act’) came into force on 1 June 2019 and imposed limitations on the fees that Landlords and Agents could charge Tenants under Assured Shorthold Tenancies granted by private landlords, tenancies of student accommodation and most licences to occupy housing in the private rental sector in England. It meant that any fees charged outside of the Act were not permitted and consequently banned. The Act has the effect of reducing the costs incurred by the Tenant throughout the Tenancy so as to make the private rental…

Property Ownership – who is the real beneficial owner?

The UK has become one of the most popular destinations for foreign investment in real estate over recent years. Such investment has significant benefits to the economy and provides many jobs for the construction industry. When overseas companies invest in the UK this gives concern for potential illegal activity to take place. This concern has been voiced by the UK government and has led to the proposed introduction of a beneficial ownership register. The UK government seek to have clear corporate transparency in order that properties which are owned through…

Landlords converting family homes to student homes

Some landlords have tenancy agreements in place with one person only, however, that particular person might come with a family of four, thereby, leaving that one particular person responsible for paying the rent to the landlord. Progressively, the more experienced landlords are making the most of the current market by raising the overall rent earned from a property by renting to individuals or households living in the property separately. This is also known as a HMO, (Houses in Multiple Occupation). A HMO is when separate tenants have private access to…

Mistakes that mean Landlords lose the right to break up

Landlords looking to terminate a lease have received a blunt reminder of what it takes to serve a valid break notice after a legal battle reached the High Court. The ruling in Vanquish Properties (UK) Limited Partnership –v- Brook Street (UK) Limited centred around premises ear-marked for development on Fenchurch Street in London. The premises were let to Brook Street by the City Corporation as freeholder, with a break clause in September 2016 on six months’ notice. When developer Vanquish came along, they were granted an overriding lease, so they…

A fifth of London tenants paying over asking price

April 26, 2016
David Stancliffe
Litigation

Countrywide, the UK’s largest property services group, announced that 1 in 5 tenants based in London pay over the asking price to secure their homes, by comparison with 1 in 8 tenants over the rest of the UK. London, compared to other cities in the country, has seen the largest growth in rents since 2007. Countrywide's monthly lettings index found Londoners were paying an average of £1,309 a month in the year to February, up from £1,295 the year before, £94 above the average monthly asking rent, in London. Over the…

Rogue landlords

February 17, 2016
David Stancliffe
Litigation

Local Authorities are looking to crack down on rogue landlords. It is reported that a cash injection of £5million will be distributed amongst 48 local councils in order to tackle the growing situation of negligent landlords, who are letting their properties to tenants that are living in dangerous conditions. Local Authorities have long been trying to reduce the number of rogue landlords. Some London Councils have sought to tackle rogue landlords by the introduction of the Private Rented Licencing Scheme in 2014. The Scheme requires all landlords or their agents…

Landlords’ obligations to check tenants’ right to rent

January 12, 2016
David Stancliffe
Litigation

If you intend to create a tenancy (or sub-tenancy) on or after 1 February 2016, you have a duty to undertake identity checks to ensure that a tenant or lodger has the right to rent in accordance with the Immigration Act 2014, whether there is a written tenancy agreement or not (subject only to very limited exceptions). This duty has been in force since 1 December 2014 in respect of properties in Birmingham, Walsall, Sandwell, Dudley and Wolverhampton. The checks must be carried out within the 28 days before the…

David Stancliffe