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Changes to grounds for possession


With the abolishment of the use of a Section 21 Notice if a tenant refuses to leave voluntarily only a court appointed Baliff can remove them - You can ONLY apply for a Bailiff after you have obtained a court order at a Court  Hearing and you cant apply for a hearing unless you issue a Notice that cites ground.

So the new Bill proposes changing  the Grounds a Landlord can use

  • In theory Ground 7 (Anti Social Behaviour) and Ground 14 (Criminality) Possession shall be speedied up to 14 days - Realistically unless the courts have the infrastructure these cases shall continue to take months. The landlords evidence must be robust

Section 8 Notice for rent arrears two months or more rent lawful due now increased to 4 weeks from two weeks -
  • meaning the tenant shall be three months in rent arrears before you can even make an application to the court for a hearing
  • If the Tenant is in arrears due to a delay in payment of the Universal Credit/benefits being paid then these monies cannot be classed as arrears.
When calculating how much rent is unpaid for the purpose
  •  if the tenant is entitled to receive an amount for housing as part of an award of universal credit under Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012, any amount that was unpaid only because the tenant had not yet received the payment of that award is to be ignored.”
  • Fail to comply with Deposit Law and no Section 8 can be relied on [unless ground 7 14) unless monies returned. Sadly if rent arrears Ground 8 this shall have exponential implications re counter claims   (This is Section 19 within the new law)

New Ground Landlord wishes to sell or use property for a family member - 2 Months [Note this ground cannot be issued to expire before month 6 commencement of tenure and also like others MUST be included in the tenancy agreement at commence of tenure](ref Section 16 e 2 e applies)
  • So what this really means if you get a tenant who refuses to pay then you cannot decide to sell and issue notice to expire using this clause before month 6 commencement of tenure and NOR can you instruct somebody to sell it 
    • THE LAW SAYS [must not authorise a letting agent to market the dwelling house, before the end of the period of three months beginning with the date specified in the notice under section 8(3)(b), to let on a tenancy. ]
    • NOTE NEW GROUND 1A Appears a contradiction in  for sale and not being able to offer for sale However the law says  (a) the landlord who is seeking possession intends to sell the dwelling-house; So could the Landlord say I intend to sell get the tenant out then change their mind. If the situation did do this Section 11 (4) and the council find out -  The amount of a financial penalty imposed under this section is to be determined by the authority imposing it, but must not be more than £5,000. (RM Note if this clause were abused I suspect a case of unlawful eviction could follow for left as a result of miss representation and the law does impose restrictions on readvertising the property) 






These are the new Grounds and must be adhered to the enth for the penalties for non compliance are harsh

SCHEDULE 1                                          Section 3

CHANGES TO GROUNDS FOR POSSESSION

Introductory

1            Schedule 2 to the 1988 Act (grounds for possession of dwelling-houses let on assured tenancies) is amended as follows.

Amendments of Ground 1: occupation by landlord or family

5

2

For Ground 1 (excluding the italic heading) substitute—

 

“At the date specified in the notice under section 8, the current tenancy has existed for at least 6 months and the landlord who is seeking possession requires the dwelling-house as the only or principal home of any of the following—

                     (a)     the landlord;

10

 

(b)        the landlord’s spouse or civil partner or a person with whom the landlord lives as if they were married or in a civil partnership;

(c)         the landlord’s—

(i)          parent;

(ii)        grandparent;

15

 

(iii)        sibling;

(iv)        child;

(v)          grandchild;

                     (d)      a child or grandchild of a person mentioned in paragraph

(b).

20

 

A relationship of the half-blood is to be treated as a relationship of the whole blood.

In the case of joint landlords seeking possession, references to “the landlord” in this ground are to be read as references to at least one of those joint landlords.”

25

New grounds for sale of dwelling-house

3               After Ground 1 insert—

“Ground 1A

The following conditions are met—

30

(a)    the landlord who is seeking possession intends to sell the dwelling-house;

35

 

 

(b)

the assured tenancy on which the dwelling-house is let did not come into being by virtue of any provision of Schedule 1 to the Rent Act 1977 or section 4 of the Rent (Agriculture) Act 1976;

 

 

(c)

at the date specified in the notice under section 8, either—

(i)          the current tenancy has existed for at least 6 months, or

(ii)        a compulsory purchase order which authorises

5

 

 

purchase of the dwelling-house has become operative and the landlord intends to sell the dwelling-house to the person authorised by the compulsory purchase order to purchase it;

10

 

(d)

the landlord seeking possession is not—

      (i)     a non-profit registered provider of social housing,

 

 

 

(ii)          a registered social landlord within the meaning of the Housing Act 1985 (see section 5(4) and (5) of that Act),

(iii)        a housing trust, within the meaning of the Housing Associations Act 1985, which is a charity, or

15

 

 

(iv) where the dwelling-house is social housing within the meaning of Part 2 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008, a profit-making registered provider of social housing.

20

In paragraph (c)(ii), “sell” includes transfer.”

4

After Ground 1A (inserted by paragraph 3 of this Schedule) insert—

“Ground 1B

The following conditions are met—

(a)    the landlord who is seeking possession intends to sell the dwelling-house;

25

 

(b) the assured tenancy on which the dwelling-house is let did not come into being by virtue of any provision of Schedule 1 to the Rent Act 1977 or section 4 of the Rent (Agriculture) Act 1976;

30

 

(d)        the landlord who is seeking possession is a private registered provider of social housing;

(e)         the assured tenancy was entered into pursuant to a rent-to-buy agreement;

(f)          the period stated in that agreement has expired;

(g)        the landlord who is seeking possession has complied with—

35

 

(i)          any provision of the rent-to-buy agreement requiring the landlord to offer the dwelling-house for sale to the tenant, and

(ii)        any requirements in the agreement about such an offer.

40

 

In this ground—

“market rent” includes any amount payable by way of a service charge;

“rent-to-buy agreement” means an agreement in writing which—

 

(a)        provides for the tenant to pay rent that is no higher than 80% of market rent, and

(b)        gives notice that the landlord intends after a period stated in the agreement which is not less than 5 years or, for dwelling-houses in Greater London, 10 years from the

5

beginning of the tenancy to offer the dwelling-house for sale to the tenant.”

Amendments of Ground 2: sale by mortgagee

5               In Ground 2—

(a) in the words before paragraph (a) omit “granted before the beginning of the tenancy”;

10

                          (b)     omit paragraph (c) (and the “and” before it).

New ground for possession when superior lease ends

15

6

After Ground 2 insert—

“Ground 2ZA

The landlord who is seeking possession—

 

(a)

holds the interest in the dwelling-house under a superior tenancy where—

(i) the superior landlord has given a valid notice to terminate that tenancy, or

20

 

 

(ii) the superior tenancy is for a fixed term which will end within the period of 12 months beginning with the date of the service of the notice under section 8, and

25

 

(b)

is, or, in the case of joint landlords seeking possession, at least one of them is—

 

 

 

(i)          a private registered provider of social housing,

(ii)        a tenant of the superior landlord under an agricultural tenancy within the meaning of the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 or a farm business

30

 

 

tenancy within the meaning of the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995,

(iii) a person who held the dwelling-house for the purpose of making it available for occupation as supported accommodation, or

35

 

 

(iv) a company of which a local authority owns at least 50% of the issued share capital.”

40

New ground for possession by superior landlord

7                After Ground 2ZA (inserted by paragraph 6 of this Schedule) insert—

“Ground 2ZB

The landlord who is seeking possession became the landlord by virtue of section 18 no more than 6 months before the date on which the possession proceedings were commenced, and the previous landlord under the assured tenancy was, or, in the case of previous joint landlords, at least one of them was—

                                          (a)     a private registered provider of social housing,

5

(b) a tenant of the superior landlord under an agricultural tenancy within the meaning of the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 or a farm business tenancy within the meaning of the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995,

10

(c)         a person who held the dwelling-house for the purpose of making it available for occupation as supported accommodation, or

(d)        a company of which a local authority owns at least 50% of the issued share capital.”

Repeal of Ground 3: holiday accommodation

15

8                         Omit Ground 3.

Amendments of Ground 4: student accommodation

9                         In Ground 4—

(a)        omit the opening words;

(b)        omit paragraph (a) (together with the final “and”);

20

                           (c)     paragraph (b) becomes an unnumbered paragraph.

Amendment of Ground 5: ministers of religion

10                     In Ground 5 omit paragraph (a) (together with the final “and”).

New ground for possession for occupation by agricultural worker

11                     After Ground 5 insert—

25

“Ground 5A

The landlord seeking possession requires the dwelling-house for the purpose of housing a person who will be employed by the landlord, or in the case of joint landlords seeking possession, by at

30

least one of those landlords, in agriculture as a seasonal or permanent employee.

For the purposes of this ground, “agriculture” has the same meaning as in the Rent (Agriculture) Act 1976 (see section 1 of that Act).”

35

New ground for possession for occupation by person who meets employment requirements

12          After Ground 5A (inserted by paragraph 11 of this Schedule) insert— “Ground 5B

The landlord seeking possession—

 

(a)        is a private registered provider of social housing,

(b)        holds the dwelling-house for the purpose of accommodating persons who meet requirements connected with their employment, and

5

(c) requires the dwelling-house to let it under a new tenancy to a person who meets those requirements, and the tenant in possession does not fulfil those requirements.”

Ground 16 to be renumbered as Ground 5C and to be a mandatory ground for possession

10

13 (1) Ground 16 in Part 2 of Schedule 2, together with the italic heading before it, moves to after Ground 5B (inserted by paragraph 12 of this Schedule) and becomes Ground 5C in Part 1 of that Schedule.

(2) For the first paragraph of the new Ground 5C substitute—

“The dwelling-house was let to the tenant in consequence of the tenant’s employment—

                                          (a)     by the landlord seeking possession,

15

(b)         in the case of joint landlords seeking possession, by at least one of them,

(c)          by a previous landlord under the tenancy, or

(d)        pursuant to an agreement between any of those landlords and the employer,

20

and either—

(a)        the tenant has ceased to be in that employment, or

(b)        the tenancy was granted for the purpose of providing the tenant with accommodation during the early period of their

25

employment, that purpose has been fulfilled and the landlord seeking possession intends to let the dwelling-house to another current or future employee of the employer.

In this ground, “the employer” means the tenant’s employer at the time the tenant entered the tenancy.”

(3) In the italic heading, for “16” substitute “5C”.

30

New ground for possession for end of employment requirements

35

14                     After Ground 5C (as renumbered by paragraph 13 of this Schedule) insert— “Ground 5D

The landlord seeking possession is a private registered provider of social housing, the tenancy agreement includes a requirement connected with the tenant’s employment and the tenant no longer fulfils that requirement.”

New ground for possession for occupation as supported accommodation

15                     After Ground 5D (inserted by paragraph 14 of this Schedule) insert—

“Ground 5E

The landlord seeking possession requires possession of the dwelling-house to let it as supported accommodation where— (a) the landlord holds the dwelling-house for the purpose of

5

making it available for occupation as supported accommodation, and

(b) the tenant did not enter the assured tenancy for the purpose of receiving care, support or supervision at the dwelling-house.”

New grounds for possession of dwelling-house occupied as supported accommodation

10

16 (1) After Ground 5E (inserted by paragraph 15 of this Schedule) insert—

“Ground 5F

The dwelling-house was supported accommodation when the tenancy was granted and any of the following applies—

15

(a)

the tenancy was granted for the purpose of providing the tenant with support services for a limited time in order to enable the tenant to be able to live in other accommodation in the future and the period for which those support services were to be provided has ended;

20

(b)

a person other than the landlord provides or provided support services to the tenant, but—

(i) the support services have come to an end or the person is not fulfilling their obligations under the arrangements for the provision of those services, and

25

 

(ii) where the dwelling-house is not managed accommodation, the landlord has used reasonable endeavours to find another person to provide support services to the tenant but has not been able to do so;

30

(c)

where the accommodation or support services were funded

 

 

wholly or partly by someone other than the landlord or the tenant—

(i)          that funding is no longer being provided,

(ii)        where the dwelling-house is not managed accommodation, the landlord has used reasonable

35

 

endeavours to identify alternative funding but has not been able to do so, and

(iii) it would not be reasonable for the landlord to continue to provide accommodation or for the person

40

 

who provided support services to continue that provision without that funding;

(d) the tenant does not need the level of support services that are provided at the dwelling-house;

 

(e)         the tenant does not need any support services;

(f)          the support services that are provided at the dwelling-house do not meet the tenant’s needs;

(g)        the dwelling-house has physical features intended to enable

5

persons with needs for particular support services to live more independently than they could do so without those features and those physical features are not needed by the tenant;

(h) the dwelling-house is physically unsuitable for a person with the tenant’s needs for support services to live in.

10

In this ground, references to the “landlord” are to the landlord who is seeking possession.”

(2) After Ground 17 insert—

“Ground 18

15

The tenancy is of supported accommodation and the tenant has unreasonably refused to co-operate with the person providing support services with regard to those services.”

New ground for possession for tenancy granted for homelessness duty

17              After Ground 5F (inserted by paragraph 16 of this Schedule) insert—

“Ground 5G

20

The grant of the tenancy was in pursuance of a local housing authority’s duty to the tenant under section 193 of the Housing Act 1996 and—

                                          (a)    the local housing authority has notified the landlord that the

25

tenancy is no longer required for the purposes of that duty, and

(b) the date specified in the notice under section 8 is no more than 12 months after the date on which the local housing authority notified the landlord as mentioned in paragraph

(a).

30

In this ground “local housing authority” has the meaning given by section 1 of the Housing Act 1985.”

Amendments of Ground 6: redevelopment

18 (1) Ground 6 is amended as follows.

35

(2) In the first unnumbered paragraph, for the words from the beginning to “superior landlord” substitute “A relevant landlord”.

40

(3) After paragraph (a) insert—

                                     “(aa)    either—

(i) the assured tenancy began at least 6 months before the date specified in the notice under section 8, or

 

(ii) a compulsory purchase order was made authorising the landlord who is seeking possession to purchase the dwelling-house and the dwelling-house was transferred to that landlord within the period of one

5

year ending with the date specified in the notice under section 8, and”

(4)       Omit paragraph (b) (together with the final “and”).

(5)       Omit the unnumbered paragraph after paragraph (c).

(6)       For the final unnumbered paragraph substitute—

“For the purposes of this ground, a “relevant landlord” is—

10

(a)

if the landlord who is seeking possession is—

(i)          a non-profit registered provider of social housing,

(ii)        a registered social landlord within the meaning of the Housing Act 1985 (see section 5(4) and (5) of that Act),

15

 

(iii)        a housing trust, within the meaning of the Housing Associations Act 1985, which is a charity, or

(iv)        where the dwelling-house is social housing within the meaning of Part 2 of the Housing and

20

 

Regeneration Act 2008, a profit-making registered provider of social housing, a superior landlord;

25

(b)

otherwise—

      (i)     the landlord who is seeking possession, or

 

 

(ii) if the landlord who is seeking possession is the unit-holder of a commonhold unit comprising or containing the dwelling-house and in relation to which the commonhold association exercises functions, a commonhold association.

30

In this ground “commonhold association”, “commonhold unit” and “unit-holder” have the meanings given by Part 1 of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 (see sections 11 to 13 and 34 of that Act).”

New ground for possession to allow compliance with enforcement action

35

19 (1) After Ground 6 insert—

“Ground 6A

40

Any of the following situations has occurred—

(a)         letting the dwelling-house causes the landlord to breach a banning order under section 16 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016, or would do so if the landlord were to continue to let the dwelling-house;

(b)         an improvement notice under section 11 or 12 of the Housing    5

Act 2004—

(i)            specifies the dwelling-house or premises in which the dwelling-house is contained as requiring remedial action, and

(ii)          specifies overcrowding as the deficiency giving rise 10 to the hazard in respect of which that remedial action is to be taken;

(c)          a prohibition order under section 20 or 21 of the Housing

Act 2004 prohibits use of—

(i)            the dwelling-house,           15

(ii)          the common parts, or

(iii)        any part of the dwelling-house or of the common

parts,

either for all purposes or for any purpose that is incompatible

                                                       with continued occupation by the tenant;                                        20

(d)        the dwelling-house is or is in an HMO which is required to be licensed under section 61 of the Housing Act 2004, and— (i) the landlord applied for a licence under section 63 of the Housing Act 2004 and the local housing authority refused to grant a licence, or 25

(ii)    the landlord held a licence but the licence has been revoked;

(e)         the dwelling-house is or is in a house which is required to be licensed under section 85 of the Housing Act 2004, and—

(i)            the landlord applied for a licence under section 87 30 of the Housing Act 2004 and the local housing authority refused to grant a licence, or

(ii)          the landlord held a licence but the licence has been revoked;

(f)          the dwelling-house is or is in an HMO which is licensed 35 under Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004 or a house which is licensed under Part 3 of that Act and that HMO or house is occupied by more than the maximum number of households or persons specified in the licence.

                                      In this ground—                                                                                            40

“common parts” has the same meaning as in Ground 13;

“house” has the same meaning as in Part 3 of the Housing Act 2004

(see section 99 of that Act); references to the “landlord” are to the landlord who is seeking

possession or, in the case of joint landlords seeking possession, to 45 at least one of them;

“local housing authority” has the meaning given in section 261 of the Housing Act 2004.”

Amendments of Ground 7: death of tenant

20             In Ground 7—

 

(a)        in the first unnumbered paragraph—

(i)            omit the words from “is a periodic” to “England, which”; (ii)          for “twelve” substitute “24”;

(b)        omit the third unnumbered paragraph.

Amendments of Ground 8: rent arrears

5

21             In Ground 8—

(a)        omit paragraphs (c) and (d);

(b)        at the end insert—

“When calculating how much rent is unpaid for the purpose

10

of this ground, if the tenant is entitled to receive an amount for housing as part of an award of universal credit under Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012, any amount that was unpaid only because the tenant had not yet received the payment of that award is to be ignored.”

New ground for possession for repeated rent arrears

15

22

After Ground 8 insert—

“Ground 8A

Within a three year period ending with the date of service of the notice under section 8—

20

 

(a)        if rent is payable monthly, at least two months’ rent was unpaid for at least a day on at least three separate occasions, or

(b)        if rent is payable for a period shorter than a month, at least eight weeks’ rent was unpaid for at least a day on at least three separate occasions.

25

 

For the purposes of this ground, occasions are “separate” if in between those occasions the amount of the unpaid rent reduced to less than the amount mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) or sub-paragraph (b) (whichever is applicable) for at least one day.

30

 

When calculating how much rent is unpaid for the purpose of this ground, if the tenant is entitled to receive an amount for housing as part of an award of universal credit under Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012, any amount that was unpaid only because the tenant had not yet received the payment of that award is to be ignored.

35

For the purposes of this ground, “rent” means rent lawfully due from the tenant.”

Amendments of Ground 14: anti-social behaviour

23 In Ground 14, in each of paragraphs (a) and (aa), for “likely to cause” substitute “capable of causing”.

Power to amend Schedule 2 and new interpretation provisions

5

24

After Part 4 of Schedule 2 to the 1988 Act insert—

 

“PART 5

INTERPRETATION

 

12

In this Schedule—

“compulsory purchase order” has the same meaning as in the Acquisition of Land Act 1981 (see section 2 of that Act);

10

 

 

“HMO” has the same meaning as in Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004 (see section 77 of that Act);

“housing association” has the meaning given by section 1 of the Housing Associations Act 1985;

“managed           accommodation”        means supported accommodation—

15

 

 

(a)        into which a tenant has been admitted in order to meet a need for care, support or supervision, and

(b)        where the care, support or supervision is provided otherwise than by the landlord or a person acting on behalf of the landlord;

20

 

 

“support services” in relation to a tenant in supported accommodation, means care, support or supervision;

“supported accommodation” means a dwelling-house—

                     (a)     let by—

                                      (i)    a housing association,

25

 

 

(ii)           a private registered provider of social housing,

(iii)        a registered charity, or

(iv)         a voluntary organisation, and

30

 

 

(b) where a tenant receives care, support or supervision provided either—

(i)          by the landlord or a person acting on behalf of the landlord, or

(ii)        by someone else, if the tenant has been admitted into the accommodation in order

35


Schedule 2—Consequential amendments relating to Chapter 1 of Part 1

to meet a need for care, support or supervision.

PART 6

POWERS TO AMEND GROUNDS 2ZA, 2ZB, 5C AND 6A AND DEFINITION

13 (1) The Secretary of State may by regulations amend this Schedule 5 so as to—

(a)         amend Ground 2ZA to change the descriptions of the landlord who may use the ground;

(b)         amend Ground 2ZB to change the descriptions of previous

                                                           landlord mentioned in it;                                                              10

(c)          provide for Ground 5C to apply only where the landlord seeking possession or the employer is of a particular description;

(d)        add other situations to the list in the first paragraph of Ground 6A in which that ground may be relied on or 15

remove    any      situations        added by        virtue of         this sub-paragraph;

(e)         amend the definition of “supported accommodation” or “managed accommodation” in paragraph 12.

(2)       Regulations under this paragraph may—         20

(a)        make consequential, supplementary, incidental, transitional or saving provision;

(b)        make different provision for different purposes.

(3)       Regulations under this paragraph are to be made by statutory

                                           instrument.                                                                                                25

(4)       A statutory instrument containing regulations under this paragraph may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of

Parliament.”

                                                                             SCHEDULE 2                                              Section 20            30

CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS RELATING TO CHAPTER 1 OF PART 1 Housing Act 1988

1                         The 1988 Act is amended as follows.

2                         In section 1A (application of Chapters 1, 2 and 3 of Part 1 to dwelling in Wales), in subsection (3), after “tenancy” insert “, without the amendments 35 made by the Renters (Reform) Act 2023”.

3                         In section 5 (security of tenure)—

Schedule 2—Consequential amendments relating to Chapter 1 of Part 1

(a)                        in subsection (1)—

(i)            in paragraph (a)(i) omit “or 21”;

(ii)          omit paragraphs (b) and (c) (but not the “or” after them);

(iii)        in the words after paragraph (d), for “a periodic” substitute

                                                     “an”;                                                                                                    5

(b)                        omit subsections (2) to (7).

4                         Omit section 6.

5                         In section 9 (extended discretion of court in possession claims), in subsection

(6), omit paragraph (b) and the “or” before it.

6                         In section 10A (power to order transfer of tenancy in certain cases) omit 10 subsection (8).

7                         In section 24 (assured agricultural occupancies), in subsection (2)(a) omit “which is not an assured shorthold tenancy”.

Housing Act 1996

8                         The Housing Act 1996 is amended as follows.      15

9                         In section 175 (homelessness and threatened homelessness) omit subsection

(5).

10                     In section 188 (referral of case to another local housing authority) omit subsection (1A).

11                     In section 193A(4) (consequences of refusal of final accommodation offer 20 or final Part 6 offer at the initial relief stage)—

(a)                        in paragraph (a) omit “shorthold”; (b)          at the end of paragraph (a) insert “and”; (c)      omit paragraph (c) and the “and” before it.

12                     In section 195 (duties in cases of threatened homelessness) omit subsection        25

(6).

13                     In section 209 (discharge of interim duties: arrangements with private landlord), in subsection (2), in the words after paragraph (b), for the words from “assured shorthold tenancy” (in the first place it occurs) to the end

                      substitute “assured tenancy”.                                                                                   30

14                     In section 218 (index of defined expressions: Part 7), in the entry for assured tenancy and assured shorthold tenancy, omit “and assured shorthold tenancy”.

Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 (anaw 1)

15                     In Schedule 12 to the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016—            35

(a)                        in the Welsh text, after paragraph 29 insert—

                                      “29A        At ddibenion paragraffau 28 a 29, mae Deddf Tai 1988 yn

gymwys heb y diwygiadau a wnaed gan Ddeddf Cartrefi Rhent 2023 (p. ).”;

Schedule 3—Financial penalties

(b)                        in the English text, after paragraph 29 insert—

“29A     For the purposes of paragraphs 28 and 29, the Housing Act 1988 applies without the amendments made by the

Renters (Reform) Act 2023 (c. ).”

                                                                             SCHEDULE 3                                              Section 52              5

FINANCIAL PENALTIES

Notice of intent

1                         Before imposing a financial penalty on a person under section 26 or 47, a local housing authority must give the person notice of its proposal to do

                      so (a “notice of intent”).                                                                                            10

2                         (1) The notice of intent must be given before the end of the period of 6 months beginning with the first day on which the authority has sufficient evidence of the conduct to which the financial penalty relates.

(2)       But if the person is continuing to engage in the conduct on that day, and the conduct continues beyond the end of that day, the notice of intent may 15 be given—

(a)        at any time when the conduct is continuing, or

(b)        within the period of 6 months beginning with the last day on which the conduct occurs.

3                         The notice of intent must set out—            20

(a)         the date on which the notice of intent is given,

(b)        the amount of the proposed financial penalty,

(c)         the reasons for proposing to impose the penalty, and

(d)        information about the right to make representations under paragraph

                                     4.                                                                                                                    25

Right to make representations

4                         (1) A person who is given a notice of intent may make written representations to the authority about the proposal to impose a financial penalty.

(2)       Any representations must be made within the period of 28 days beginning with the day after the day on which the notice of intent was given to the 30 person (“the period for representations”).

Final notice

5                         After the end of the period for representations the enforcement authority must—

(a)            decide whether to impose a financial penalty on the person, and    35 (b)    if it decides to do so, decide the amount of the penalty.


Schedule 3—Financial penalties

6                         If the local housing authority decides to impose a financial penalty on the person, it must give a notice to the person (a “final notice”) imposing that penalty.

7                         The final notice must require the penalty to be paid within the period of

                        28 days beginning with the day after that on which the notice was given.             5

8                         The final notice must set out—

(a)         the date on which the final notice is given,

(b)         the amount of the financial penalty,

(c)          the reasons for imposing the penalty,

(d)        information about how to pay the penalty,          10

(e)         the period for payment of the penalty,

(f)          information about rights of appeal, and

(g)         the consequences of failure to comply with the notice.

Withdrawal or amendment of notice

9                         (1) A local housing authority may at any time—   15

(a)        withdraw a notice of intent or final notice, or

(b)        reduce an amount specified in a notice of intent or final notice.

(2)       The power in sub-paragraph (1) is to be exercised by giving notice in writing to the person to whom the notice was given.

Appeals                                                                                                                                        20

10                     (1) A person to whom a final notice is given may appeal to the First-tier

Tribunal against—

(a)            the decision to impose the penalty, or (b)      the amount of the penalty.

(2)       An appeal under this paragraph must be brought within the period of 28 25 days beginning with the day after that on which the final notice is given to the person.

(3)       If a person appeals under this paragraph, the final notice is suspended until the appeal is finally determined, withdrawn or abandoned.

(4)       An appeal under this paragraph—            30

(a)        is to be a re-hearing of the authority’s decision, but

(b)        may be determined having regard to matters of which the authority was unaware.

(5)       On an appeal under this paragraph the First-tier Tribunal may quash,

                      confirm or vary the final notice.                                                                               35

(6)       The final notice may not be varied under sub-paragraph (5) so as to impose a financial penalty of more than the local housing authority could have imposed.

Schedule 3—Financial penalties

Recovery of financial penalty

11                     (1) This paragraph applies if a person fails to pay the whole or any part of a financial penalty which, in accordance with this Schedule, the person is liable to pay.

(2)       The local housing authority which imposed the financial penalty may 5 recover the penalty or part on the order of the county court as if it were payable under an order of that court.

(3)       In proceedings before the county court for the recovery of a financial penalty or part of a financial penalty, a certificate which is—

(a)        signed by the chief finance officer of the authority which imposed 10 the penalty, and

(b)        states that the amount due has not been received by a date specified in the certificate,

is conclusive evidence of that fact.

(4)       A certificate to that effect and purporting to be so signed is to be treated 15 as being so signed unless the contrary is proved.

(5)       In this paragraph “chief finance officer” has the same meaning as in section 5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

Proceeds of financial penalties

12                     Where a local housing authority imposes a financial penalty under section        20

26 or 47, it may apply the proceeds towards meeting the costs and expenses (whether administrative or legal) incurred in, or associated with, carrying out any of its enforcement functions under this Act or otherwise in relation to the private rented sector.

13                     Any proceeds of a financial penalty imposed under section 26 or 47 which are not 25 applied in accordance with paragraph 12 must be paid to the Secretary of State.

14                     (1) In paragraph 13, “enforcement functions in relation to the private rented sector” means enforcement functions relating to—

(a)         residential premises in England that are let, or intended to be let,

                                      under a tenancy,                                                                                            30

(b)         the common parts of such premises,

(c)          the activities of a landlord under a tenancy of residential premises in England,

(d)        the activities of a person carrying on English letting agency work within the meaning of section 54 of the Housing and Planning Act 35 2016 in relation to such premises, or

(e)         the activities of a person carrying on English property management work within the meaning of section 55 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 in relation to such premises.

(2)       For the purposes of this paragraph “residential premises” has the meaning 40 given by section 1 of the Housing Act 2004 except that it does not include

Schedule 4—Application of Chapter 1 of Part 1 to existing tenancies: transitional provision


NOTES FOR AGENCY CONTRACTS

NEW ENGAGEMENT - Ensure landlord has not previously issued a Notice citing required back for former dwelling or to sell within the past 3 months. However longer term the Landlord may have to update their property registration with their 10 digit unique code



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Fit for Habitation|March 2019 The ACT is intended to define minimum standards a rental property MUST be and makes a clearer pathway way for Tenants to be compensated|https://www.pims.co.uk/fit_for_habitation_act_march_2019/ Guarantor|The person who provides a guarantee and promises to make payment good should the person responsible for the agreement fail|http://www.pims.co.uk/guarantors/ MEES|The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) Landlords are charged with the requirement to bring their rental property to a minimum EPC rating of E. Property with F and G rating will effectively be banned from the rental market April 2018 |http://www.pims.co.uk/epc/ Section 11|Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 places an obligation on the landlord to maintain the structure and exterior of the property, including installations for the supply of water, gas and electricity, heating systems, drainage and sanitary appliances|http://www.pims.co.uk/landlord-section-11-repairs/ serving date|This date is the date deemed received at the property - as an example if posted allow for posting days|/serving-notice-on-a-tenant-delivery-days/ Tenancy Application|The objective of vetting is to empower yourself so you can make an informed decision as to the calibre of the prospective person. Making your decision on facts and figures is invaluable and this is why you should always take references. The application form also provides you with permission to perform credits. This form details all the information you should ever require deal with most eventualities including absconding tenants|http://www.pims.co.uk/doc/57/ Tenant Fees|From June 2019 where renting properties in England gone are the days of charging for admin, letting fees, vetting, references, inventory, check in, check out, cleaning, pet insurance or ANY other fee that is not explicitly permitted within the legislation. |https://www.pims.co.uk/ban_letting_fees_act_2019/