Increased use of Accelerated Possession orders by landlords

As the nation battles the ever-increasing cost of living, the Independent reports a rise in ultra-quick evictions for tenants in rent arrears.

According to findings by legal information provider Sweet & Maxwell, landlords are not hanging around when it comes to evicting struggling tenants. Instead they are implementing accelerated possession orders. These can be facilitated online and enable landlords to evict tenants once their tenancies have expired.

The use of such orders through the courts (England and Wales) has increased by 42% in the last year from 7,196 to 10,244.

Tenants are up against increased rents, the newly enforced Bedroom Tax, the rising costs of food and heating, as well as high unemployment.

The Gov.uk website has useful advice for tenants facing the possibility of eviction and the threat of an accelerated possession order. Here are some of the valid points they raise about the latter.

Your landlord can only evict you using an accelerated possession order if:

• you have an assured shorthold tenancy or a statutory periodic tenancy
• you have a written tenancy agreement
• they’ve given you the required written notice (a minimum of 2 months) in the right form
• they haven’t asked you to leave before the end of a fixed-term tenancy

How private rental is impacting on childhood

According to the charity Shelter, the constant upheaval of moving from rented property caused by 6 or 12 month tenancies, is having a negative effect on childhood.

The charity recently identified the following concerns in a report called Growing up renting:

• 1 in 10 renting families have had to change their children’s school in the past five years
• 44% of renting parents say that their child would have a better childhood if they had more stability in their home
• 13% said that the move was stressful or upsetting for their children
• 1 in 8 renting families (13%) reported having to sofa surf with family and friends while between homes

Shelter has advocated the need for a change in the length of tenancy contracts since September last year. Their proposal for a Stable Rental Contract could give families with children more stability by providing them with more realistic five year tenancies.

This in turn could provide private landlords with long term tenants and lessen the rigmarole of securing new tenants or extending tenancies every 6 to 12 months.

What do you think of Shelter’s suggested Stable Rental Contract? Does it appeal to you as either a landlord or a tenant? Let us know your views.

The Green Deal

With Green Deal Providers starting to emerge, landlords are taking advantage of the new government initiative launched at the end of January 2013.  The Green Deal offers an easy way for home owners, including landlords, to finance energy-saving home improvements.

How can landlords benefit?

The new scheme makes it more affordable for landlords to improve the energy efficiency of their property. This includes replacing boilers and heating systems, cavity wall and loft insulation and installing double glazing and solar panels. Take a look at the DECC’s guide – Deciding on the best energy-saving home improvements for you.

How does this affect tenants?

Tenants living in or moving into a Green Deal property will benefit from more energy efficient homes, ideally reducing their energy bills. However, as the Green Deal is associated with the property and not the landlord or owner, tenants will effectively be making repayments for the improvements through their electricity bills. If the tenants vacate the property, the repayments/electricity bill will be the responsibility of the new tenants.

Good to know

If a property has a Green Deal it will be indicated on its Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). Landlords and letting agents are required to share this information with tenants. The EPC should also contain details of the energy-saving improvements and repayments, along with the repayment period.

Pest control: who is responsible?

Nobody likes sharing their home with unwanted visitors, especially when they make you itch! But with the summer fast approaching (maybe), certain little critters come out to play.

Uninvited guests

Obviously when your friends and family outstay their welcome you can politely ask them to leave, however pests are not so easy to reason with. Of course we’re talking the creepy crawly kind. Such as wasps setting up home in your loft, ants marching across your worktops, bedbugs sharing your mattress, fleas jumping around in your carpets and mice and rats hoovering up crumbs in your kitchen.

Help infestation!

Fortunately there are companies in existence that specialise in eradicating such unwanted guests, but who’s responsible for the costs?

When it’s your landlord’s responsibility

If pesky rats have gained access to your home through defective areas of the property, such as broken sewer pipes or outlet holes, then your landlord must take responsibility. They must also address the defect and cover the costs of both the repair and pest control.

When it’s your responsibility

Unfortunately you are responsible for covering the costs of pest control when its wasps, fleas, mice and other pests associated with everyday occupation of the property.

Sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite!