Letting Experts | Leicester Letting Agents | Keywest

Put Your Trust in the Keywest Letting Experts and find out about the new government regulations in the renting sector

If you are thinking of renting a property in Leicester through Keywest, or you are a landlord considering enlisting our help in marketing and managing your property, you can be assured that our experts are always on top of the laws and regulations involved in property lettings – even at a time when major changes have just taken place.

NEW CARBON-MONOXIDE AND SMOKE ALARM REGULATIONS

Several legal changes came into force at the start of October which will affect both landlords and tenants. These include regulations relating to the provision and checking of carbon-monoxide and smoke alarms and to Section 21 notices and the rights of landlords to evict tenants.

In line with the new laws, all tenants will be protected by carbon-monoxide alarms in all rooms where there are solid-fuel-burning appliances, including wood burners and open fires, and a smoke detector on each floor of a rental property.

Other changes that have recently come into effect include the new Section 21 notice rules, which were introduced through the Deregulation Act.

These notices are the most commonly used means employed by landlords to evict tenants, but the changes mean that landlords will now have to abide by a strict set of rules if they want to be able to use them when necessary.

This will give added confidence to tenants that they will not be evicted unfairly and should ensure that landlords are clear about their responsibilities and duties.

Landlords must now give tenants a government-written guide to renting property, along with a gas safety certificate and an energy performance certificate. Failing to do this can make the use of a S21 notice impossible. These new rules now apply to all new tenancies, and all tenancies will be covered from October 2018.

The changes have been widely welcomed by organisations and individuals committed to ensuring top performance within the private rental sector, but many landlords and tenants have also expressed confusion about the raft of alterations that have taken place.

If you are one of the many people who does not fully understand the changes and the implications, do not let it put you off searching for your dream rental property or make the move into buy-to-let investments or opportunities, however.

The lettings experts at Keywest are always on hand to offer advice and to ensure that your personal safety and security, and your finances, are always properly protected if you choose to rent or let out a property through us.