Auctions to help solve problem of vacant commercial properties
Regulations come into force on 2 December 2024 which will allow local authorities in England to auction off the leases of persistently empty high street shops. The UK Government states that the scheme will breathe life back into town centres and drive local growth and opportunities. Propertymark welcomes the move, but we would like to see more detail on which areas will benefit the most, how the powers will be funded, and how they will be used in practice by councils.
Propertymark supports members as leasehold regulations come into force
From 31 October 2024, Part 5 of the Building Safety Act 2022 will be updated to clarify landlords’ responsibilities for remediation, to make remediation orders more effective, and to provide more detail about who can be required to contribute to the cost of remediation works. The UK Government is committed to enacting the legislation and has indicated that work to formulate further regulations is in progress.
Fact sheet: Renters’ Rights Bill
The Bill was published on 11 September 2024 with the aim of changing the law about rented homes in England. The legislation will abolish fixed term assured tenancies and assured short hold tenancies, whilst delivering on the Labour Party’s manifesto commitment to transform the experience of private renting—including by ending Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions.
FAQs: Renters’ Rights Bill
The Bill aims to reform rental laws in England. It includes protections for tenants against unfair rent increases, clearer grounds for eviction, and the introduction of a landlords’ ombudsman service. The Bill also addresses rental discrimination, the right to keep pets, and enforces the Decent Homes Standard.
Fact sheet: Smoke, heat and Carbon Monoxide alarms (Northern Ireland)
The Regulations introduce requirements for all private tenancies in Northern Ireland to have sufficient smoke, heat and carbon monoxide alarms in the property. It is the first piece of legislation covering sections seven to twelve of the Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022—specifically section eight: Fire, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, etc.
Private Tenancies Act Section 8 coming into force on 1 September
The Smoke, Heat and Carbon Monoxide Alarms Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 set the standards for the number and type of alarms that must be installed in privately rented properties. Once they come into force, letting agents and landlords will be responsible for installing and keeping alarms sufficient in any property they rent out.
Fact sheet: Lead in drinking water
In Scotland, the Tolerable Standard states that properties should have an adequate piped supply of wholesome drinking water. Statutory guidance on the Repairing Standard, which came into effect on 1 March 2024, now specifies that the property should be free of lead pipes from the boundary stopcock to the kitchen tap.
FAQs: Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023
After the invasion of Ukraine, the UK Government took steps to address growing concerns of money laundering and other economic crime from Russian and foreign entities operating in the UK or with UK companies. This led to the introduction of the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act in March 2022.
Expiry of emergency measures will not end complexity
Proposals have been laid in the Scottish Parliament for the transition away from the rent cap and eviction moratorium under the Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act 2022, which ends on 31 March 2024. We acknowledge that provisions to prevent rents rising to a level that will cause hardship to some tenants are justified, however, the Scottish Government must provide more detail about how the transition measures will be applied.
Cost of Living transition plans will continue to supress rents
Patrick Harvie, MSP, Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights, has contacted Propertymark with details of the Scottish Government's plans to introduce temporary changes to rent adjudication as part of the transition away from the Cost of Living Act. These measures will continue to limit rent increases to protect tenants.
Building Safety Act guidance on managing high-rise safety
To help sales and letting agents navigate the complexities of new regulations released under the Building Safety Act 2022, Propertymark has created a series of fact sheets to understand the rules and how they impact home buyers and sellers, and landlords and tenants.
Wales to align building safety measures with England
The Welsh Government has adopted many of the proposals from the Building Safety Act 2022 into their own building reforms and will introduce new fire safety duties for Responsible Persons that will commence on 1 October 2023, which is the same time it is enacted in England.
Propertymark Members can expand services with the sale of charity land
New powers in the Charities Act legislation simplify legal requirements for charities who want to sell, transfer or lease land in England and Wales, plus the UK Government has recognised the high professional standards achieved by Propertymark Fellow Members which means they can provide valuation reports and help sell land for charities.
FAQs: Charities Act 2022
The Charities (Dispositions of Land: Designated Advisers and Reports) Regulations 2023 remove restrictions on who can sell land for charitable organisations. Our FAQ includes minor additional changes introduced by The Charities Act 2022 (Commencement No. 3, Consequential, Saving and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2024.
Permitted Development Rights relaxed to help improve energy efficiency
Ground or water source heat pumps and the installation, alteration or replacement of an air source heat pump are now included under the General Permitted Development Order in Northern Ireland.
Renters (Reform) Bill published
Introduced to the House of Commons on Wednesday 17 May 2023, the Bill sets out the UK Government’s plan to deliver on the Conservative Party’s policies to reform the private rented sector in England.