Has letting property become a legal minefield

Today is an important day for both landlords and tenants, new pieces of legislation come into force for the protection of both, getting the message out to them is a task in itself, especially if we are talking about private landlords who run their business part time or live abroad and have no management agency to advise them or deal with the changes.

We have already touched on the legislation in an earlier breaking news item, what is so important though is that unless rules, which are laid out in the Deregulation Bill 2015 are followed to the book, then any landlord action will be invalidated. In the rules there  is  a subsection that states ‘that failure to follow a prescribed repairs process can invalidate a ‘section 21 notice’ it also prevents notice for a six month period if the landlord is issued with an improvement notice by their local authority. Landlords will not be able to serve a section 21 form within the first four months of a tenancy.

Any landlord that does not comply with existing energy performance certificate (EPC) and gas safety certificate requirements will also find that any section 21 notice they issue will be invalid.

It is now more important than ever that Landlords keep to date with changes to  regulations in their industry, the consequences to not keeping up todate can be very costly. Landlords who cannot for one reason or another put the time needed to managing their property or properties should look to employing a letting agency or management company who will takeover such responsibilities, thus avoiding the minefield of legislation that confronts them.

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

Home and Living

Best Budget Smartphones Under $200

In the rapidly advancing digital era, it’s no longer a luxury but a necessity to have a smartphone. Not everyone however needs or is able to pay hundreds of dollars for an expensive device. The good news is that there are numerous budget smartphones under $200 that provide great performance, decent cameras, and a long…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Ten years on: More first-time buyers moving to cities while the coast stands still

New ten-year analysis of the property market shows that more first-time buyers are looking to move to cities, while the coast has seen no growth in new buyers First-time buyer demand to move to Great Britain’s 50 largest cities (excluding London) is up by 16% on average over the last ten years, with Dundee topping…
Read More
Breaking News

Homeowners in England and Wales overvalue their properties by an average of 16%

Homeowners in England and Wales are overestimating the value of their property by an average of 16%, according to new figures. Data from Quick Move Now compares homeowner estimates with formal estate agent valuations and is broken down by both region and property type. Overall, homeowners overvalue in every single category.   Regional breakdown Region…
Read More
Visual blemishes on Roads due to service upgrades
Estate Agent Talk

Emergency Sidewalk Repairs: When to Act and Who to Call

Sidewalks are the unsung heroes of city infrastructure—quietly assisting tens of millions of footsteps every day. But when they crack, disintegrate, or shift all of sudden, they might quickly turn out to be volatile liabilities. In a town like New York, in which pedestrian site visitors are constant and belongings proprietors are legally chargeable for…
Read More
Breaking News

Reapit report reveals agents’ long-term market confidence amid legislative challenges

Despite the significant challenges posed by a shifting economic landscape and the largest wave of housing legislation in decades, estate and letting agents remain steadfast in their confidence about their long-term future in the industry. According to the first Reapit Property Outlook Report 2025, covering the full breadth of sales and lettings agency opinion countrywide,…
Read More
Breaking News

Owner-Occupiers Drive Resilient Commercial Property Market

Buying Becomes 37% Cheaper Than Renting The latest Commercial Property Demand Index from specialist property finance expert, Rangewell, reveals that while investor appetite across the sector held steady in Q2, strong levels of owner-occupied commercial mortgage activity are helping drive market performance, as business owners increasingly move from renting to buying their long-term premises for…
Read More