Landlords, Are You Ready for the Housing and Planning Act 2016?

Landlords, are you ready for the changes and regulations set to be introduced by the Housing and Planning Act 2016?

On 12^th May this year, the Housing and Planning Act 2016 was awarded royal assent. Various parts of the act will come into force in stages through commencement orders. Landlords must keep up to date with the parts of the law that regard the private rental sector.

Francesca Tremeer, of QualitySolicitors Burroughs Day, has the latest information for landlords on how the Housing and Planning Act 2016 will affect them.

In particular, the Housing and Planning Act directly affects all of the below:

• The process of recovering abandoned property: The Housing and Planning Act will make it possible for landlords to recover possession of their abandoned property without a court order. However, Francesca explains why this could create immediate problems for landlords.
• Fitness tests for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licenses: New criteria for HMO license applications will be added for landlords, including your duties under the Right to Rent scheme.
• Banning orders for rogue landlords and letting agents: Rogue landlords and letting agents who consistently flout the law will now be banned from operating in the lettings sector and put on a new database, which will be maintained by local housing authorities.

For more details of these updates and how they will affect you as a landlord, read the full article here.

Landlords, remember that you can keep up to date with your responsibilities as a landlord, along with any changes to the law, at Landlord News.

We will keep you posted on forthcoming regulation changes in the lettings sector, such as the rules detailed above. Don’t get caught out – stay on top of your legal duties!

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