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Have a pet and need to rent_

Have a pet and need to rent?

If you have a pet and need to rent, you will no longer struggle to find properties Under the new Model Tenancy Agreement, announced by Housing Minister Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP, on the 28th January 2021, landlords will no longer be able to issue blanket bans on tenants with pets. Instead, consent for pets will be the default position, and landlords will have to object in writing within 28 days of a written pet request from a tenant and provide a good reason. The pandemic has led to an…

Construction industry

The construction industry to adapt to be more energy efficient

Tony Chauhan, Property Partner at Bowling & Co Solicitors comments on the Government's response to the consultation on Future Homes Standard (FHS), and consults on Future Buildings Standard. He explains that "the changes are going to have a positive impact upon the environment and will require the construction industry to adapt to be more energy efficient in the way they build. This will mean more cost and careful planning for construction methods." Background: In October 2019, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) published a consultation on the…

Long leases for London's tenants

Long leases for London’s tenants

Sadiq Khan leads the way with long leases for London's tenants looking to get on the shared ownership property ladder. Affordable Housing Programme The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has outlined plans to sell shared ownership homes delivered as part of his new Affordable Housing Programme with long leases for London's tenants on a standard 999-year lease term. Sadiq is determined that London leads by example and sets the benchmark for higher standards for leaseholders across the UK.  The new expectation, which was set out in a letter written by…

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Stamp Duty Land Tax: 2% surcharge for non-UK residents

In the Spring 2020 Budget the government confirmed that non-UK resident who bought residential property in England and Northern Ireland will be subject to an increased rate of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT). A surcharge of 2 percent will be imposed on transactions with an effective date on or after 1 April 2021. A non-resident residential purchase (for more than £40,000) of a major interest in land, where the buyer is (or, if there is more than one buyer, includes) a person who is non-resident. On 26 October 2020, HMRC…

Notice periods

COVID-19: notice periods for seeking possession

The Coronavirus Act 2020 (CVA 2020), which came into force on 26 March 2020, extended the notice periods in relation to possession proceedings for certain residential tenancies. The provisions contained in Schedule 29 were originally due to end on 30 September 2020. COVID-19 notice periods for seeking possession have now been extended until 31 March 2021. The notice period that must be given in most types of notice seeking possession of residential properties in England or Wales between 29 August 2020 and 31 March 2021 is increased from three to…

Leasehold reforms

Upcoming leasehold reforms

Upcoming leasehold reforms are planned to make it easier and cheaper for people to buy their homes  In July 2020, the Law Commission (Commission) published Leasehold Home Ownership: buying your freehold or extending your lease, which set out recommendations to make it easier and cheaper for leaseholders to buy the freehold of their building or extend their lease. Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick, announced on 7 January 2021 that, millions of leaseholders will be given the right to extend their lease by a maximum term of 990 years at zero ground rent…

Smoke and Carbon

Update to the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm regulations for residential landlords

In late 2020, the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government published a consultation seeking views on proposed amendments to the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/1693). Landlords of residential rented properties in England must comply with the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015. The aim of the consultation was to require landlords to: Install a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation where a fixed combustion appliance that uses any fuel type is installed (excluding gas cookers). Repair or replace…

Forfeiture

COVID-19 update: Protections from forfeiture for non-payment of rent

In October, our blog explained how commercial tenants should act without delay when applying for relief from forfeiture from non-payment of rent. A further update to this is that business tenants affected by COVID-19 will continue to benefit, until 31 March 2021, from: Protection from forfeiture for non-payment of rent. This will bring the length of time business tenants have been given support from the threat of eviction to one year. Restrictions on landlords recovering unpaid rent by the exercise of commercial rent arrears recovery. If you would like any…

Squatters beware

How to repossess your property from squatters

Squatters have been an inconvenience for landlords, both residential and commercial, for many years. Of course, in residential situations, a person trespassing, or squatting in a house is a criminal offence, and assistance from the police is common. In a commercial scenario, the situation is far more complex and time-consuming, with a squatter having to be evicted with assistance from the courts and with possession being enforced by County or High Court Enforcement Officers. Our Litigation department at Bowling & Co recently assisted a client to recover possession of their…

Landlords safety checks

Landlords must gear up for new safety checks 

Residential landlords must get their house in order with the arrival of further legislation to protect tenants through electrical and building safety requirements. New electrical safety standards are rolling out for private sector tenancies and the other upcoming challenge for residential landlords is fire safety compliance for building structures.  Both safety aspects have been accelerated following tragic outcomes.  Electricity causes about half of the UK’s 37,000 house fires a year, according to the charity Electrical Safety First, and faulty electrics cause some 70 deaths and 350,000 injuries each year in…

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