Rogue Landlords Beware!

It has recently been announced that Newham Council is to become the first local authority in the country to introduce a compulsory registration system for residential landlords, with criminal sanctions available to punish non-compliance.

The scheme fundamentally seeks to ensure that properties in the private rental sector meet requisite health and safety standards and whilst it will only affect Newham, it serves to remind us of the various legislation that exists, which all residential landlords must comply with. This covers issues including repairs to structural parts of the property, sanitary installations, heating and hot water installations, safety of gas and electrical appliances and fire safety of furniture and furnishings. Both landlords and tenants should be aware of these responsibilities.

At this stage, no other Council has followed suit but it will be interesting to see how the system works in Newham and whether other local authorities follow in the future.

If you are a landlord, or are considering renting out a property, we can assist you by preparing suitable tenancy agreements at the outset of the tenancy, dealing with tenancy termination or renewal or helping to resolve disputes during the term of the tenancy.