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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…

I want it in writing!

To create a legally binding contract there must be in place the following four key elements: An offer to enter into a contract from one party to the other; Acceptance of the offer; Intention of the parties to create legal relations; and Consideration - being something (often money) in exchange for what is being offered. With the exception of contracts for land in English Law, there is no requirement for a contract to be in writing, and a verbal contract is just as valid as a written one. Verbal contracts,…

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…

Buying a property at auction

The main attraction of buying at auction is that you avoid the conventional drawn out process of purchasing a property. A variety of properties can be purchased at auction including residential, commercial, plots of land and freehold investment properties. When preparing for auction it is important to consider the following points: Contact the relevant auction house and request their catalogue. Most auction houses hold regular auction sales with a catalogue printed some weeks in advance. You can also subscribe to catalogue mailing lists. Most auction houses now publish online catalogues…

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…

Powers and Duties of Executors and Trustees

Unless the powers of executors and trustees are extended or varied by the will, the powers are limited to those given by statute. The main statutory powers are set out here under: Section 3 of the Trustee Act 2000 (the Act) gives a general power to invest in anything other than land. Section 4(1) provides that when exercising any power of investment trustees must take into account the statutory investment criteria which are: The suitability to the trust of investments of the type proposed and of that particular investment as…

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