The PRS & the Intentions of a Labour Government
Since 2019, many landlords have been concerned that Section 21 would be abolished, but the call for a General Election six weeks ago, put an end to the Renters Reform Bill, one of the fallen bills, progressing through the House of Lords and reaching a point where it would receive Royal Assent.
Now that a Labour Government is in place and Angela Rayner has been appointed Secretary of State for Levelling up, Housing and Communities, Labour will need to start the process again, and take a new Bill through the House of Commons and the House of Lords which will take time.
Post - Election Protocol
After a general election a new Parliament meets and a new parliamentary session begins. Members of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords are required to take an oath of allegiance to the Crown before they take their seats in Parliament.
The State Opening will take place on Wednesday 17th July following the election of the Speaker of the Commons and the swearing-in of Members of both Houses.
Tenants’ Belongings & Torts (Interference with Goods)
Landlords occasionally face situations where tenants leave behind personal belongings as a result of tenants abandoning the property or merely leaving behind their possessions once they have left the property. It is a common misconception that landlords can simply sell or dispose of these items without first taking the correct steps. The tenancy agreement may contain a clause which states the time-frame within which any belongings left at the property may be sold or disposed of.
However, some contracts are silent on this point, therefore the landlord will be required to default to The Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977[1] that governs the proper handling of such goods. Landlords must adhere to the provisions outlined in this Act when managing any abandoned tenant belongings. This legislation provides statutory guidance, and failure to comply can result in landlords being held liable for damages.
Key Documents - The Notices
Formal notices form a fundamental part of the lettings process, and ensuring that the prescribed documents and relevant legislation are properly complied with, is of paramount importance.
Before serving notices, ensuring the notice is properly served is key. Under PART 6 of the Civil Procedure Rules (CPRs) the process of serving documents must be carefully adhered to and so it is important to check the methods of service cited in the tenancy agreement as well as complying with the relevant time frames. For example, does the tenancy agreement allow for notice to be served by email and if so, when would that notice be deemed served?
There are key notices which play an integral part in the lettings process.