The Government is proposing to implement Energy Performance Certificates for Bedsite type HMO’s

There is an Impact Assessment Document from Communities and Local Government which can be downloaded here

Tenant Liability Insurance

As a Tenant, you are responsible for any damage to the rented property, and therefore this would be recoverable from your deposit bond under the terms of your tenancy.

Michael G. Lewis & Son can offer our tenants an insurance policy through LETSURE to cover accidental damage of landlords fixtures, fittings and contents.

This gives upto £2,500 of cover and protects you against unexpected costs due to accidental damage

It also reduces the risk of losing your deposit bond and having little or no deposit to put to your next property

Helps avoid disputes at the end of the tenancy relating to damage

Is also fully transferable if you move property during the period of cover

Contact LETSURE on 0844 561 0800

and quote reference number 2948

Government Announces Regulation of PRS

DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Housing: Private rented sector
The Minister for Housing and Planning (Rt. Hon. John Healey): I am today publishing a policy statement, “The Private Rented Sector: Professionalism and Quality: consultation responses and next steps”. This sets out a summary of responses to our consultation document, “The Private Rented Sector: Professionalism and Quality – the Government response to the Rugg Review”, published on 13 May and reported to the House by my Rt. Hon. Friend for Derby South, the then Minister for Housing [Hansard column 50 WS].  The document that I am publishing today sets out Government’s plans following the responses to that consultation. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

The Government wants to see a private rented sector which offers high-quality accommodation, and in which tenants can make choices based on clear information about their options, their rights, and their responsibilities. We also want to ensure tenants know where to turn if things go wrong.  At the same time, Government wants to increase professionalism in the private rented sector – supporting good landlords and agents, whilst driving out the worst practices of the sector that fail tenants and damage its reputation.

Alongside our longer-term plans for legislation to improve standards , today’s document sets out our proposals to provide better help and support to tenants now. This includes a commitment to set up, by the Summer of this year, a dedicated helpline for private sector tenants working with voluntary sector agencies, and an online consumer feedback website working with Consumer Focus.

Our consultation document, published in May 2008, sets out a range of proposals to support a higher-quality, more professional sector, whilst minimising the regulatory burden on good landlords and agents. The proposals included a national register of landlords for England; full regulation for private sector letting and managing agents; and encouragement to local authorities to create ‘local lettings agencies’.

Consultation responses were strongly supportive of the proposals, although there were some concerns about specific details, and about implementation. Alongside the formal consultation, Government worked with a wide range of organisations on the development of detailed policy to underpin the proposals.

Our statement today reflects those consultation responses and the contribution of these work groups. It confirms the issues on which our intentions are now firm, as well as the detailed issues on which there is further work to do with interested stakeholders. In particular the statement includes commitments to:

• Establish a national register of landlords, to protect tenants and support local authority enforcement activity. We will carry out further detailed work with stakeholders to assess whether the register could also be used (either from the outset, or in the future) to apply registration conditions on persistently poor landlords.
• Introduce full regulation of letting and managing agents. We will carry out further detailed work with stakeholders on the exact form of regulation, and whether it is led by an independent regulator, or by industry bodies.
• Require all tenancies to take the form of a written agreement.
• Increase the limit for Assured Shorthold Tenancies from £25,000 a year to £100,000. This will reduce the number of tenants (up to 150,000 at present) who do not currently have the protection of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy, and associated protections – such as the requirement to protect a tenant’s deposit.

We remain committed to legislating at the earliest opportunity on these commitments to increase the protection and practical help available to tenants in the private rented sector.

These measures are complemented by the Government consultation, published by the Treasury – “Investing in the UK Private Rented Sector” – also published today, which considers whether there are any substantive barriers to investment in the sector by individuals and institutions. Taken together, steps to raise quality and identify any barriers to investment should reinforce each other and create a better private rented sector that can become the tenure of choice for a wider range of people.

Press release

Ian Potter, ARLA Operations Manager, responded: “This is a long overdue response.  14% of the population now live in private rented accommodation, and the sector looks set to grow significantly as it becomes more difficult to get a foot on the housing ladder.  There is even greater need for a register of landlords, full regulation of agents, and changes to the AST.

“Therefore we support the Government in its move towards full regulation of agents, and anticipate working with the Minister and his team on how this will be put into practice.  There is still concern that the CLG is still undecided as to who is going enforce this regulation – a detail that will not be overlooked by the industry.  Will it consist of independent regulation by industry boards? We are still waiting to learn more.

“The Government must now work to convincing the consumer that the PRS is a viable housing choice and one in which they can have confidence.  The increase in ASTs is a good step to take but we need further details from the treasury consultation on investment in the PRS and how it can grow to accommodate demand.

“The positive reaction of the public to ARLA’s licensing scheme for letting agents has proven the model for self-regulation in the industry.  We hope that the Government chooses to use this model in its own scheme for the regulation of letting agents and landlords.

“I can say with confidence that those living in rented accommodation are more concerned about the roof over their heads then political posturing, and it is of paramount importance that these measures are not lost in or around the election.”

New Planning Laws afoot from April

It appears that the Government are to introduce new planning laws for HMOS

click here

This would mean that ANY property being let to three or more persons who are unrelated would need change of use, also that after April a property would not necessarily need to be in an area for Additional Licencing

Local powers for councils to protect communities and improve standards in the private rented sector

Housing and Planning Minister John Healey has announced new local powers to control the spread of high concentrations of shared rented homes and to tackle pockets of unsafe and substandard accommodation run by bad landlords.

Mr Healey confirmed new powers for local councils to manage the unplanned spread of Houses in Multiple Occupation (or an HMO) in towns and cities. The cluster of too many shared houses can sometimes cause problems, especially if too many properties in one area are let to short term residents with little stake in the local community. Tenants can also suffer from poor conditions and management of the properties by landlords.

A Government consultation on how to tackle this long-standing issue closed last year. It attracted around 900 responses, published today, from local authorities, residents associations, universities, individuals, MPs, councillors, and campaign groups. The large majority of those who responded supported a change to the so-called Use Classes Order, which defines how a property can be legally used, and the introduction of a definition of what constitutes a HMO.

Mr Healey responded to the consultation by confirming changes to the planning rules, giving local authorities the powers to manage the development of HMOs in their area, in turn helping stem the growth of large pockets of shared homes – which can change the balance and nature of communities. The Minister said that he would legislate so the new rules would come into force by April this year. The changes mean that landlords will need to apply for planning permission in order to establish a new HMO with a change of use, for example when the use of a property is altered from a family home to a shared house, with three or more tenants who are not related.

The Minister also published plans for councils, giving them extra flexibility to license landlords, requiring safe and quality rented accommodation in neighbourhoods where large numbers of substandard properties can be a magnet for community problems.

In a consultation published today, John Healey proposes to give a general consent for councils to introduce licensing schemes, without seeking permission from central Government, in hotspot areas where landlords do not maintain or manage their properties properly. A general consent would ensure that decisions on the quality of rented homes are made by those who are aware of the local issues and needs of the community. In the future, tenants will see improved standards and councils will be better able to deal with the worst landlords that drag down the neighbourhood.

Mr Healey also confirmed that detailed work is now underway for a new National Landlords Register, to help raise standards of private rented accommodation further. For the first time it will give landlords and tenants easy access to clear advice and support. It will also be the way in which landlords and tenants can be kept informed of basic rights and responsibilities.

Michael G. Lewis & Son are embraced to tackle new technology with the use of QR codes in marketing, although we are not the first to do so, we recognise the need to be pro-active in marketingand communication though IT

By using a mobile equipped with a barcode reader (QR reader), you will be able to scan the image direct to your phone, and dependent on the code, you will directed to a particular web page, phone number, sms etc, thus being able to obtain information at the touch of a button.

Confirmation now through that Michael G. Lewis & Son, Swansea is now Licensed through ARLA – Association of Residential Letting Agents

look out for the logo

Happy New Year to all !

If only that were true – with so much controversy from one corner of the earth to another.  How are we going to fair in 2010 ?

Looking closer to home, times are hard for all, job cuts, pay freezes, ice, snow, crime what is there to look forward to he says?

The Spring!   Now is the time to reflect on last year and put it all behind us.

A New Year and Decade    -    So from MGLS – Michael G. Lewis & Son, now is the time to look to the future, and assist landlords with finding tenants and managing their properties, some landlords would have been affected by the demise of Easylets, so take heed, and use a professional bonded agent like us.

After all, we have been here now for nearly 44 years!!!!!!    – How long gad Easylets been here  18 months say.

Why not contact us today by telephoning 01792 456871 or filling in our online enquiry form

We are getting ready for the holiday break, and as such it is now time for landlords to think of putting properties up for let in the new year.

To keep you focused on which agent to choose in the Swansea area, we have some pointers that make may make you decide

• We are members of the national Association of Estate Agents (NAEA)and have applied for membership of the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA).

• Members of the Property Ombusman

• Members of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme

• We have Client’s Money Protection – something to think of as another “New Agent” runs off with clients money
• We have been letting property in Swansea for 43 years
• We work closely with the Local Authority for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO’s), Empty Dewelling management Orders (EDMO’s)
• A Partner who is an Honoured Fellow of the NAEA – Only one in Swansea
• Vast knowledge of Housing law relating to Residential Lettings
• YOUR interests at heart

Why not contact us regarding your property lettings  – complete of landlord enquiy form link on sidebar

Hope that you will joint one of Swansea’ s longest and more honest letting agents

Why oh Why do people trust in agents who are not members of a professional body. Easylets Swansea have done it again. – run off with Clients money leaving landlords and tenants in turmoil.

This is the reason that Michael G. Lewis & Son have fully supported Licensing of letting agnets in the UK to fully protect members of the public.

Michael G. Lewis & Son have been letting property in Swansea for over 43 years and have seen many agents come and go.  As people think Easy let – NO NO NO

Letting is NOT EASY

There are many complex legal issues that agents MUST know in order to be able to practice in letting property from Matrimonial Homes Act to Landlord and Tenant to Consumer Protection and so on

We have Client Money Protection, Members of the Property Ombusdman, Members of the National Association of Estate Agents and application pending for ARLA (Association of Residential Letting Agents. Robert Lewis is an Honoured Fellow of the National Association of Estate Agents (only one in Swansea) and have over 27 year experience in the letting field.

Therefore, why do people continue to put their money with an unregulated agent?

The main answers are cost, these people try and undercut professional agents to gain instructions, touting from agents, cutting corners. IT is now time that Government or Welsh Asembly takes notice one again of these risks and bring in Licensing for Letting Agents within the next 12 months

We have now launched our web based repair reporting option.

This allows tenants to contact us 24/7 to inform us of a repair or fault.