This article focuses on series of amendments that have been tabled to the Renters (Reform) Bill which could drastically change this proposed new law. In this post, we will summarise these amendments and look at what they could mean for the PRS.

Landlord charters are not entirely new and have been around in some areas for several years. In this post we will look more closely at landlord charters, at what is being described as a ground-breaking scheme in Greater Manchester, and at what landlords and agents need to know.

Housing standards, and the enforcement of them, are a key issue in the housing industry at the moment – and particularly when it comes to damp and mould. A recent report in the Observer claims that the compensation regime operated by the Housing Ombudsman is deficient. In this report we will look at this claim and at the realities behind it.

2024 is looking like it could be one of the most significant years for the lettings industry in recent history. In this report we will take a look at some of the most important developments that landlords, agents and others in the business need to know about.

A recent legal case has provided us with more insight on when banning orders can be imposed. Banning orders can be made after offences such as unlawful eviction, harassment, failing to comply with an improvement or prohibition order, fire and gas safety offences and HMO licensing and management offences. Banning orders are covered by the Housing & Planning Act 2016 and were introduced in April 2018.

December 2023 update. Following the publication of a white paper ‘A Fairer Private Rented Sector’ in 2022 the Renters (Reform) Bill was published this May. The government says that the Renters (Reform) Bill will support their manifesto commitment to deliver a better deal for renters and ensure tenants have access to a secure and decent home.

Following the publication of a white paper ‘A Fairer Private Rented Sector’ in 2022 the Renters (Reform) Bill was published this May. The government says that the Renters (Reform) Bill will support their manifesto commitment to deliver a better deal for renters and ensure tenants have access to a secure and decent home.

How to Rent is an official government guide. It calls itself the ‘checklist for renting in England’. How to Rent applies to assured shorthold tenancies (or ASTs) and only in England. The guide says it is for tenants and landlords in the private rented sector. It says it is designed to help them both understand their rights and responsibilities in law. It provides detailed information and checklists on key aspects of renting or letting a property and on tenancy law.

Recently the government has published Government Guidance: Understanding and Addressing the Health Risks of Damp and Mould in the Home. This has been accompanied by another guidance document on damp and mould specifically in the private rented sector. We will look at what this report finds here.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities has recently issued a policy paper outlining the outcomes of a review into the operation of the HHSRS. The review of the HHSRS is part of a wider government move to reform the rental sector. The findings of the review are known as review outputs and cover four separate areas.

The new guidance addresses concerns that health information on the risks of damp and mould is not easily accessible to the housing sector. It outlines how the government expects landlords to deal with the problem of damp and mould under the rules and regulations that already exist. It also outlines a commitment to tighten up the law on how damp and mould in housing should be tackled.

RAAC or reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete is in the news a lot at the moment, mostly in connection with its use in schools. However, it could also possibly have been used in some homes. Here’s what landlords need to know about RAAC, and dealing with any possible problems going forward.