The Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Bill
The Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Bill is to provide relief from certain rent debts for business tenancies affected by the pandemic.
Landlord and Tenant – The new Tenant Fees Act
A new act came into force recently that has a profound effect on the rental market. It’s relevant not just for landlords and tenants, but for agencies that, to date, have made a very nice little living out of charging tenancy fees and administration costs for rentals. These fees have affected both tenants and landlords, who have had to fork out hundreds if not thousands of pounds in fees and agency costs. Now, under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, all tenant payments are banned by default unless the Act specifically makes allowances…
Landlord & Tenant: A mouldy problem – who is responsible for getting rid of mould in rented accommodation?
By the end of 2021, a quarter of UK households will rent privately. That’s approximately 5.8 million households renting, due to the combination of soaring house prices and salaries remaining relatively static. Anyone who has been a serial renter will know that the state of privately rented housing can vary hugely. Some landlords take pride in their work, furnishing and finishing their properties to a high standard; whereas others complete the job as quickly and cheaply as possible. For the latter category, neglecting standards can cause all sorts of issues…
Service charges payable under leases
What is service charge? Essentially service charge is a payment made by the tenant to the landlord for costs that have been incurred in relation to services provided to the property. Charges may include costs associated with general maintenance, repairs, insurance, community central heating, lighting, cleaning of the common areas and gardening/landscaping. As a landlord am I obliged to provide services? This is subject to what the lease provides. Some leases will specify services that the landlord is required to provide. Others will mention which services the landlord may provide…
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…
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…