Tenants will be able to sue landlords over substandard housing thanks to a new housing Bill that gained Royal Assent late in 2018. The new rules, which can be enforced as early as 20^th March 2019, will give tenants greater reassurances that any property they choose to rent will be fit for habitation, safe and live-able. It is hoped the threat of being sued will encourage landlords to keep their properties in a better condition, as well as prompt letting agents to only take on houses and flats that meet strict standards.

The Robinson Jackson Group’s lettings team is already monitoring the order of properties we manage, taking care to work with landlords who provide safe and welcoming places to live. Tenants are free to call us anytime if they are worried about the condition of their property, as we can provide advice, open a dialogue with the landlord and, in many cases, order repairs. 

The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation and Liability for Housing Standards) Bill provides an amendment to the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, which requires residential accommodation in the rental sector to be provided and maintained to satisfactory standards for human habitation. For more information about standards and compliance in lettings, contact our rental specialists today. 

If you'd like more information about the new ruling, please contact your local office.

The ban on fees charged to tenants has moved a step closer. The Tenant Fee Bill had its second reading in the House of Commons on Monday 21st May and this stage was passed unanimously. The Bill now goes to committee stage, then a reporting stage before it has a third reading in the House of Commons.

Once the Bill has passed through the House of Commons, it will go through the same stages of debate and discussion in the House of Lords, before being presented to the Queen for Royal Assent. This will make a ban on tenant fees law - a ruling every letting agent and landlord will have to abide by - but this is not expected to happen until 2019.
If and when the bill becomes law, it will be illegal to charge tenants for many administrative tasks, such as referencing, check in and inventories. There while also be strict caps on how much can be requested as holding deposits and tenancy deposits.

Agents and landlords will still be able to detect default fees during the tenancy, for things such as a lost key or late rental payment - although this will need to be detailed in the tenancy agreement and be fairly levied.

If you'd like to know how the Tenant Fee Bill will affect your tenancy or let with The Robinson Jackson Group, please contact your local lettings centre.

The Robinson Jackson Group is pleased to be issuing all new and renewing tenants with the updated 'How to Rent Guide'. A new version of this Government-produced document was announced in June 2018, with a further update in July 2018 - with the new tag line 'The checklist for renting in England'. The guide contains details of the forthcoming tenant fee ban and outlines changes to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing.

The guide is an informative tool for people looking to rent a house or flat, helping them to understand their rights and responsibilities. Inside are checklists and more detailed information on each stage of the rental process, including:

• what to look out for before renting
• living in a rented home
• what happens at the end of a tenancy
• what to do if things go wrong

As well as essential reading for tenants, the guide has importance for landlords too. If the most current version of the 'How to Rent' guide has not been given to new or renewing tenants, any future Section 21 notices will not be valid.

If you would like a copy of the updated'How to Rent' guide, advice on landlord matters or a list of available properties to rent in SE London and Kent, contact your local branch.

Trapped condensation leads to mould, which isn’t healthy in the home. Here’s our advice and top tips for controlling condensation in your rented property.

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Landlords with new-to-market rental properties and those renewing tenancies will need to ensure their buy-to-let meets new minimum energy standards as of 1st April 2018. As part of new MEES (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards), new and re-lets will need to have an EPC rating of E or higher - any property with a rating of F or lower will be illegal to let from this date.

In addition, landlords need to be aware that as of April 2020, all lets - including those that are mid tenancy - will need to meet the minimum rating of E. Although this is two years in the future, those currently with very low ratings, such as F and G, should plan for improvements now - especially if improvement works will cause disruption, such as a new boiler or double glazing - to ensure standards are met before 2020.

Robinson Jackson Lettings is also asking landlords to check the date their current EPC certificate was issued. An EPC has a shelf life of 10 years, and the first were issued back in 2007. If you were one of the first landlords to have an energy assessment, it's highly likely your EPC will be invalid, or is close to expiration. We remind landlords that it is illegal to advertise a let without a valid, in-date EPC.

Winter can bring sub zero temperatures and the possibility that water in your pipes might freeze. There are ways of preventing this from happening. Here’s our advice.

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