Landlord Law Conference Explains Changes in the PRS
Yesterday, Landlord Law held a conference at Homerton College in Cambridge.
To over 100 attendees, the session focused on legal issues surrounding the private rental sector.
Landlord Law Conference Explains Changes in the PRS
Moderator of the event Graeme Gee greeted guests before his wife, Tessa Shepperson, reviewed the past year for the sector.
Anthony Gold Solicitors’ David Smith followed with a talk on the changes coming due to the Deregulation Act, which was one of the last pieces of legislation to receive Royal Assent before Parliament was dissolved ahead of the general election.
Smith explained how the Act will affect section 21 notices and said that moving forward, the situation is “immensely uncertain.”1
Sue Lukes, a specialist in immigration law, went on to explain the right to rent checks, consequences of the Immigration Act 2014. Read more about the checks here: /guide-for-checking-tenants-immigration-status/.
Lukes said that with the West Midlands trial ending in a few months, we should know soon when it will be rolled out nationwide.
Sharman Law’s Simon Parrott described the rules surrounding old-fashioned tenancies governed by Rent Acts. These are few and far between, but do still exist. For this type of tenancy, there are specific guidelines around possession and rent rises.
The Tenancy Deposit Scheme’s, official sponsor of the conference, Mike Morgan spoke about how adjudicators deal with disputes. He stated that only factual information will be looked at, and none of the involved parties are spoken to. Adjudicators will not visit the property either. Morgan stressed that landlords and agents should use a correct inventory and follow strict procedures.
David Smith returned to talk about Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and the issues that they can bring, as well as prosecutions.
Fire safety expert and solicitor Warren Spencer, of Firexact, followed onto the podium, where he spoke on the need to comply with fire safety laws, particularly in HMOs.
Sam Madge-Wyld from Arden Chambers spoke about the requirements for landlords when supplying utilities in their rental properties. Paul Shamplina, of Landlord Action, concluded with a speech on the eviction process.