October 2015

MPs scrutinising the Government’s latest immigration proposals used RLA background briefings to challenge Immigration Minister, James Brokenshire MP, over discrimination, the criminalisation of landlords and the retrospective nature of the changes.

RLA Policy Director David Smith has penned the following article on the Right-to-rent checks that landlords will be required to conduct for all tenancies from 1st February 2016. David considers the role of agents doing right-to-rent checks and the implications of training staff and having a procedure in place to mitigate any threat of sanction…

The Welsh Government has announced that registration and licensing applications will open for ‘Rent Smart Wales’ on Monday 23rd November 2015. Landlords will be able to register with Rentsmart Wales and begin their licensing applications. Agents will also be able to begin their licensing applications. Landlords letting property in Wales have one year to comply. Landlords will be able to register with Rentsmart Wales and begin their licensing applications. You will be able to do this online at: https://www.rentsmart.gov.wales/en/…

The Local Government Finance (Tenure Information) Bill will receive its 2nd Reading on October 30 2015. Introduced by Dame Angela Watkinson, the bill includes RLA proposals to use Council Tax forms to discover rented properties. The RLA called for the measures within this Bill to be introduced in its manifesto for the private rented sector published before the election…

RLA Policy Consultant Richard Jones has written the below following an RLA member getting caught up in the business/consumer issue many landlords face. The article provides a warning when conducting business as a landlord and why being aware of consumer / business rights and legislation is an important aspect of being a landlord…

According to a new study, over 80% of tenants think that their landlords should pay for damage they have caused when their tenancy ends. The study*, conducted by PropertyLetByUs.com – a leading online letting agent, also reveals that over 90% of tenants say they have tried to hide the damage from their landlord and one in ten tenants admits to causing more than £500 worth of damage to their rented property. A further 72% of tenants said they ended up in a dispute with their landlord over the property damage…

The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has joined forces with the RLA to provide online qualification training aimed at improving the private rented sector (PRS). Act fast as registration closes soon!..

The Home Office have announced today – 20th October 2015 – that the Right-to-rent phase 1 scheme in the West Midlands will be rolled out across England in early 2016. Right-to-rent is one part of the government’s ongoing reforms to the immigration system to make it harder for illegal migrants to live in the UK…

Government efforts to make it more difficult for illegal immigrants to access rented housing have been left in tatters following the publication of a new report today. In December 2014 landlords in the West Midlands were chosen to pilot the Government’s ‘Right to Rent’ scheme which made them legally required to check the immigration status of their tenants…

Many landlords in Wales will already be aware of the Licensing and Registration scheme, Rent Smart Wales, which is due to start later this autumn. What many landlords may not be aware of is the Renting Homes Bill, which is currently making its way through the National Assembly. The Renting Homes Bill looks to radically alter the way tenancy contracts are written in Wales, using a number of Fundamental, prescribed and additional terms to create a ‘standard contract’, as well as introducing a Key Matters document…