Fact sheet: Companies Act 2006, Section 44 – Court of Appeal decision
The Court of Appeal decided that where a corporate landlord or agent is completing certain statutory forms including a Section 8 Notice, such documents do not have to be ‘executed’ in accordance with the formalities set out in Section 44 of the Companies Act 2006.
Fact sheet: General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)
The General Data Protection Regulations (EU GDPR) were rolled out across the EU on 25 May 2018. The Regulations brought consistency in data handling to EU member states and granted individuals additional rights on when and how their personal data is used.
Fact sheet: Right to Rent Immigration Checks
Since 1 February 2016, all landlords or agents of private rental accommodation in England have been required to carry out Right to Rent checks for new tenancy agreements to determine whether occupiers aged 18 and over have the right to live in the UK legally.
Fact sheet: Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Act (Northern Ireland)
In May 2020, the Northern Ireland Assembly passed this Act to make emergency changes during the coronavirus outbreak in relation to notices to quit given by landlords in the private rented sector.
Fact sheet: Domestic abuse support for tenants
The PRS accounts for nearly 20 per cent of all households in England and houses more families than social housing. It's therefore good practice for letting agents have the confidence to respond appropriately and know what signs to look out for.
Fact sheet: Electrical safety standards
The Housing and Planning Act 2016 allowed Ministers to introduce electrical safety standards for tenancies in the private rented sector.
Fact sheet: Restriction of Financial Costs
At the Summer Budget 2015, the then Chancellor George Osborne announced that the amount of Income Tax relief landlords can get on residential property finance costs will be restricted to the basic rate of tax (currently 20 per cent).
Fact sheet: Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards
The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 introduce measures to improve the energy efficiency of private rented property.
Fact sheet: Homes (Fitness For Human Habitation) Act 2018
This Act replaces Section 8 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (LTA 1985) in England, with the purpose of improving living standards in the private and social rented sectors.
Fact sheet: Money Laundering Regulations 2019 and how they affect letting agents
On 20 December 2019, the UK Government introduced the Fifth Money Laundering Directive. The extent and application of the Regulations apply to all letting agents working in the UK.
Fact sheet: Safeguarding Tenancy Deposits
Part 4 of The Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 gave powers to the Scottish Government to make 'tenancy deposit regulations' to govern the operation of schemes safeguarding tenancy deposits paid in connection with the occupation of any living accommodation.
Fact sheet: The Tenancy Deposit Scheme (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2019
The new regulations came into force on 11 November 2019 and amend the Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Regulations 2011 made under the provisions of the Housing Act.
Fact sheet: Changes to Section 21 notices
The Deregulation Act 2015 introduces a number of important changes to when a landlord may serve a Section 21 Notice in order to regain possession of their property.
Fact sheet: Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019
The Act came into force on 1 September 2019 meaning letting agents and landlords can only charge fees relating to rent, security deposits, holding deposits, or when a tenant breaches a contract.
Fact sheet: Deposit-free renting schemes
Nigel Lewis of The Negotiator has written this freely available fact sheet to help letting agents and landlords get to grip with the 'deposit-free' or 'deposit-replacement' renting schemes.
Fact sheet: Private landlord registration
Mandatory registration for private landlords in Scotland was introduced in 2004. Local authorities are responsible for maintaining information on landlords in their area.