Landlords: Ignore the Deregulation Act at your peril
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On the 1st October last year (2015), the Deregulation Act came into force.
The Act is designed to protect tenants against unfair eviction where they have raised a legitimate complaint about the condition of their home.
Landlords must provide all new tenants with information about their rights and responsibilities as tenants.
They provide that a landlord cannot serve a section 21 notice and evict a tenant unless they have complied with certain legal responsibilities.
This makes it more straightforward for landlords to evict a tenant where it is legitimate to do so.
In order to be compliant, Landlords must provide tenants with the following:
- A copy of the Department for Communities & Local Government’s ‘How to rent’ guide.
- A current Gas Safety certificate for the property.
- Deposit paperwork, including how the deposit will be protected in a government approved scheme.
- A valid EPC (Energy Performance Certificate).
Although not currently required by law, it is also recommended that a record of any electrical inspections be included in the information supplied to tenants.
A recent article by LandlordZONE suggests that 5 yearly electrical checks at private sector rented properties will become mandatory in the near future.
