The Lettings Market will be undergoing some legislation changes, which will affect agents and landlords:
Abolishing Section 21: The government has confirmed that it will put an end to ‘no fault’ evictions by repealing section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 as part of the Renters Reform Bill.
The Paper proposes simplifying tenancy structures by transitioning all tenancies to periodic – meaning that the tenancy will end only if the tenant chooses to leave, or if the landlord has a valid reason, as defined by law. Read More
EPC requirements: Currently in order to let out a property you would need to have minimum EPC rating of ‘E’.
The government have committed to look at a long-term path to improve energy performance standards of privately rented homes in England and Wales, with the aim for as many of them as possible to be upgraded to EPC Band C. All new tenancies from 1st April 2025 and all existing tenancies by 1st April 2028 must meet band C or higher on an EPC, where practical, cost-effective and affordable. Read More
Carbon Monoxide Detectors are also changing so landlords should be aware of the proposed new requirements. Currently, a carbon monoxide alarm must be fitted in every room, where there is a solid fuel -burning appliance
However, the government are considering extending those rules to include any room used as living accommodation where there is a fire or gas boiler. Read More
Material Information for property listings: A property’s council tax band or rate and the property price and tenure information (for sales) must be included on all property listings by the end of May 2022 and these data fields will should appearing in portals now. These changes represent the first phase of a project by the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team, in partnership with industry leaders and the UK’s major property portals, to define what constitutes material information for property listings. Read More