Under new plans private landlords will no longer be able to evict tenants at short notice without good reason.
Section 21 notices allow landlords to evict renters without a reason after their fixed-term tenancy period ends. The National Landlords Association said members were forced to use Section 21 because they had "no confidence" in the courts to settle possession claims.
First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced similar plans for Wales. Housing Secretary James Brokenshire said that evidence showed so-called Section 21 evictions were one of the biggest causes of family homelessness. Mr Brokenshire also said the plans would offer "speedy redress" to landlords seeking to regain possession of their property for legitimate reasons, such as to sell it or to move into it themselves. At the moment, landlords can give tenants as little as eight weeks' notice after a fixed-term contract ends. Under the government's new plans, landlords would have to provide a "concrete, evidenced reason already specified in law" in order to bring tenancies to an end. For the full story, click here. What are your thoughts? Keep up to date with the latest developments by following us on Facebook, LinkedIn and/or by following our blogs. If you would like to discuss how this may effect you please do not hesitate to contact our housing litigation team on 01446 789359.
From today (20th March 2019), under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act, tenants will be able to sue their landlords over unfit homes. Properties may be deemed unfit if there are issues with:
- Heating Systems
- Damp
- Mould
- Insulation
- Asbestos
- Ventilation
- Water supply
- Lighting
- Repair
- Food preparation and cooking facilities
- Internal arrangements
- Sanitary arrangements
- Stability
Understandably, the above list is open to interpretation and we will no doubt see, in the coming months, an increase in litigation. We will keep you updated via our blogs and social media... It has never been more important to ensure properties are up to scratch and to know the law. Here, at Newbold Solicitors, we can help with our free of charge initial advice line, and if you choose to instruct us our transparent and great value fees. For further information call us on 01446 789359 and keep up to date via our blogs and social media post.
A professional landlord from Briton Ferry who was refused a Landlord Licence because of the condition of his properties, his management practices and a prosecution by Neath Port Talbot Council over his failure to comply with an Improvement Notice, has lost his appeal against the decision.
This will come as welcoming news for all tenants and should encourage more tenants to report 'rogue' landlords.
Read the full story here.
If you are having problems with your landlord and/or have issues relating to your rental property, please contact our specialist housing solicitors on 01446 789359.
There are a number of different ways that a Landlord can recover possession of a property when the tenant has been served with an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement (AST).
One way a Landlord can recover possession is to serve a Section 8 notice (S8), Housing Act 1988 as amended. This notice is served if a tenant has breached one or more terms of the tenancy agreement. The notice is usually for a period of 2 weeks, although some of the grounds (set out below) require more than 2 weeks notice. Each tenant must have a copy of the Section 8 notice. They must be notified the grounds that the landlord is relying upon, and why they have breached those grounds. The tenant then has 2 weeks in order to rectify the breach, or agree reasonable terms with the Landlord. if the Landlord does not hear from the tenant, or the terms are totally unreasonable, then after the notice has expired, the Landlord should apply for a Court order. You cannot insist that a tenant vacates without a court order, even if the notice has expired. The notice must be served in the prescribed form, we can assist you by providing you with a pro-forma for the notice. You can then either complete the form yourself, ask us to complete the form and serve the notice and provide a certificate of service, or you can simply ask for 40 minutes advice on how to complete the form for £60.00. Our fee for completing the form and serving it, is only £75.00 plus vat. So you may feel it is money well spent to make sure that the notice is valid. Please be aware, there are discretionary grounds (where the Judge can use his/her discretion to order possession) or mandatory grounds. We have set the grounds out below.
These are the mandatory grounds 1 - 8
Ground 1: The Landlord requires possession as he used to occupy the property as his main home or he now wishes to occupy the property as his main home.
A private landlord has been ordered to pay over £12,000 relating to 19 offences at his property in Riverside. Councillor, Lynda Thorne, Cabinet Member responsible for housing issues for the Shared Regulatory Service confirmed that they will act on any complaint that is made and if the property isn't brought up to standard, they will take these matters through the courts and prosecute. To read the full story, click here. You can ask your landlord to pay you compensation if disrepair caused damage to your health or your belongings. For further information on our services click here and/or contact us on 0330 123 1131 for a free no win no fee consultation.