20% Discount for Blue Light & Defence Discount Service Card Holders

Do you have Defence Discount Service or Blue Light Card?

As a firm NewBold Solicitors are very proud to support those in our community who work within the emergency services and the armed forces. That is why we have teamed up with Blue Light Card and Defence Discount Service to offer all card holders 20% off our legal fees across our services. We can advise on a number of services including:
  • Property Litigation
  • Landlord Services
  • Tenant Services
  • Wills & Probate
  • Family Law
  • Conveyancing
It has been a difficult year for all of us and especially those working on the front line during the pandemic. We would like to offer our support where we can. If you would like more information on our services please have a look at the services page of our website or call us on 0330 123 1131. We hope to be able to assist you soon. *a valid Blue Light Card or Defence Discount Service card must be presented at the time of instruction for the discount to be applied. Discount for Blue Light & Defence Discount Service Card Holders You are eligible for a Blue Light Card if you are an employed and paid staff member of the following:
  • NHS
  • Police Service
  • Ambulance Service
  • Fire Service
  • HM Prison Service/HMPPS
  • NHS Dental Practice
  • HM Armed Forces
  • MoD Civil Servant
  • MoD Fire Service
  • MoD Police
  • Highways Agency
  • Border Force
  • Immigration Enforcement
  • UK Visas and Immigration
  • HM Coastguard
  • RNLI
  • Search and Rescue
  • 4x4 Response
  • Blood Bikes
  • First Responders
  • St Andrews Ambulance
  • St John Ambulance
  • Social Care
For more information on the cards please visit:

Pets and Renting

Just 7% of private landlords advertise their properties as pet-friendly.

If you are renting your property, it is always important to read about changes in legislation, such as the 'Dogs and Domestic Animals (Accommodation and Protection) Bill 'Jasmines law'. The Act states that a Landlord is legally bound to accept pets in a property.  The Act, although not yet in force, will soon make it discriminatory for a Landlord to advertise their properties as not accepting any pets. However, if a Tenant writes to a Landlord asking why they are not permitted to bring their pet into the property, a Landlord has 28 days to provide his/her reasons.   In order for the Landlord not to be found discriminatory, he/she must prove that they have reasonable grounds for not permitting the pet. This obviously is a two edged sword, firstly 40% of the public have a pet (so the Landlord is missing out on a large population of the rental market) and some Pets are not well cared for, and therefore could cause damage. In January 2021, the Ministry of Housing announced changes to the model tenancy agreement, thereby making it easier for tenants to have pets. Our thoughts are: with 40% of the British public owning a pet, if it is well behaved, then we are on board with the changes in legislation.  It is however very important that the Landlord ensures that all relevant checks are made prior to a tenant occupying the property, that if they are using an Agent, it is an Agent they can trust to make regular inspections, and, they consider having a guarantor, but ensure the agreement is water tight. If you need a tenancy agreement, a guarantor agreement, or have any property issues, then our friendly team are waiting for your call. Please call us on 0330 123 1131 or visit our Landlord Services page for further information. Catherine Hartland-Watkins - Partner

Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016

Significant change is almost upon us here in Wales with the hope that the provisions of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 will be coming into force before April 2021.  The main provisions of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 include:
  • Tenancies and licences will be replaced with two types of "occupation contract" and standard terms will be introduced;
  • Landlords will be grouped into two groups - Community Landlords and Private Landlords;
  • Tenants will be known as "Contract holders" and new provisions will exist for Joint Contract Holders;
  • Rented properties must be fit for human habitation. Landlords must keep the structure and exterior of the property in repair and keep installations for the supply of water, gas or electricity, for sanitation, for space heating, and hot water in repair and proper working order;
  • Landlords will not be able to evict a contract holder just because they have complained about the condition of the property (retaliatory evictions)
  • A new procedure for Landlords to obtain possession of a property that has been abandoned.
It is important to note that when the provisions of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 come into force, it will apply to all existing tenancy agreements as well as future "Occupation Contracts". Private landlords need to take heed of a wealth of changes to tenancy laws and take all relevant necessary action.   Despite the provisions of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 Act not yet having come into force, the Welsh Parliament is already considering amendment in the form of the Renting Homes (Amendment)(Wales) Bill and addressing Section 21 eviction proceedings (commonly referred to as the "no fault" possession claim). The Covid-19 pandemic has led to emergency legislation in this area, leading to the Welsh Parliament having to shift focus and identify emerging evidence and changing trends in the housing sector since the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 Act received Royal Assent.   The Housing Minister has reported that eviction proceedings should only be used as an "absolute last resort" and landlord should be proactive and seek to work with the tenant to address issues rather than evict at the outset. Rent Smart Wales is a useful resource for landlords and tenants and can be contacted despite the limitations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.   The Renting Homes (Wales) 2016 Act and Renting Homes (Amendment)(Wales) Bill are significant as they represent the country's first primary legislation in housing law. Housing law practitioners must take extra care to ensure that the correct legislation is being applied to a particular case, depending on the location of the Property.   We look forward to working with Landlords dealing with the new legislation and the inevitable challenges that they will face. We offer FREE no-obligation initial expert landlord advice where we can discuss your situation. Please contact us today on 0330 123 1131 or contact us via our Landlord page www.newboldsolicitors.com/services/landlord-services/landlord-solicitors/   Joanna McBride - Solicitor
CORONA VIRUS AND TENANTS     Many of us are seeing images of a perfect lock down scenario; celebrities playing with their children in perfect gardens, or baking in their contemporary expensive kitchens, but this is sadly not the norm. Most tenants are living in cramp, overcrowded and unsuitable accommodation; they do not have gardens, they do not have the space to enjoy cooking.  3.6 million tenants are living in overcrowding situations and 1.4 million in disrepair.  a quarter of houses in the West Midlands were found unfit for human habitation, yet the Midlands and the North are in the new UK Corona Virus epicentre. Many Local Authorities are continuing to ignore their responsibilities as Landlords and allowing this to continue.  It does not stop due to a lock down. If you are a tenant, you must continue to pay rent, but there is financial and legal help and support available to you; Landlords should offer you solutions during this pandemic.  They should be working with you to resolve your rental problems.  They cannot apply for an eviction order until this pandemic is over, or at least, under control. If you live in cramped, unsuitable, Local Authority Properties, then you do not have to continue to put up with it, you deserve a safe and healthy place to live. If you do not have a housing lawyer who can help tenants with advice and support, then please email housing@newboldsolicitors.com and we may be able to take on your matter under a NO WIN NO FEE policy, offering free telephone advice to give you some guidance and support during this most challenging time. Take the decision to stop living like this and take action.  

Image result for Coronavirus  

We are in challenging and unprecedented times, it is a very fluid situation, so we at NewBold Solicitors are constantly updating our teams, and our Clients, on the Government and Law Society guidelines for buying and selling your properties. The most recent guidelines is to delay transactions if at all possible, so to avoid the spread of the Covid-19 transmission.  If our Clients cannot delay their completion, then social distancing is imperative to keep all our Clients and service providers safe. Q: The property is unoccupied A: Then providing you follow social distancing rules, you will be able to continue with the transaction, however, check the position with your insurance provider if your property is going to remain unoccupied for more than 30 days. Q: I am part of a chain and I have not yet exchanged contract: A: The Government guidelines are that whenever possible you should delay completing; however, the Government does not want chains to fall.  So the teams here at Newbold will be doing our very best to stop that from happening, but at the same time, following guidelines.  A difficult task, so please bear with us. Q: The chain transaction has exchanged: A: If your transaction  has exchanged, then the Government and Law Society guidelines are that (whenever possible), the parties should agree an alternative date to complete, taking into account the pandemic. The contracts between the parties will have to be varied, to take into account this awful pandemic, and the Law Society has provided us with guidance, on what should be put in the contract to avoid any future issues for our Clients. If you have any other queries, then please speak to your team here at Newbold, some are working remotely, so please bear with us; we are mindful that moving home is very stressful under normal circumstances, and these are not normal circumstances, but we are on your side, and we will always work in your best interest.