The last few years have been a challenging time for many landlords and now with the prospects of eviction reforms and energy efficiency changes, we want to highlight the key things to watch out for this year.
1. Section 21 evictions
One of the most anticipated changes for 2022 will be the abolition of section 21 notices. This means you will no longer be able to evict a tenant at short notice without good reason. In times past, landlords have been able to evict tenants with as little as 8 weeks notice without good reason. The effect of the changes will mean that tenants will now be able to stay in their rented home for as long as they are able to.
2. Energy efficient rules
The latest government rules mean that you have until 2026 to make sure that newly let homes have an energy efficiency rating of a band c or higher for energy performance certifications. The good news is that you have more time to find a property that matches these specifications or do the work to make the property compliant. The bad news is that for older homes, it will be a costly exercise to bring the property up to standard. With the extra time, you can consider spreading the cost of this over a longer period to make things easier. It is also important to note that for previously let homes the deadline is even longer to 2028 which is great as it avoids disruption to tenants in situ.
3. Harder to ban pets
New rules will come into force that will make it difficult for a landlord to have a blanket ban on pets in rental properties. This is because the government’s new model tenancy agreement states that the refusal of well- behaved pets will only be allowed for valid reasons such as where there is a lack of space. You should note that the model tenancy agreement is a government recommendation and not a legal requirement so tenants will still need landlord permission to keep pets in the property. However, it is good to note that there is growing interest in the market for more pet friendly tenancies.
4. Enhanced carbon monoxide safety rules:
The government has announced new rules that require carbon monoxide alarms to be fitted in private rented properties that contain gas boilers and fires. Under the new rules, the carbon monoxide alarms must be fitted everytime new appliances are installed. There is also an obligation on landlords to replace the carbon monoxide alarms when they are told they are faulty.
5. Lifetime deposits for tenants
Whenever a tenant moves into a new property they are required to put down a deposit in order to secure the tenancy. For many people it is challenging to find deposit money whilst still paying rent and bills for their current home. The idea of a lifetime deposit is a solution to this problem so that the tenant only has to save for a deposit once and the deposit is transferred from one landlord to another with every move. At present this is only a speculative idea but if this does become something more common it will open landlords up to a greater pool of reliable tenants.
6. Increased local licensing schemes
Landlords may need to comply with more licensing schemes in 2022. Whilst it is already a requirement for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO), more local authorities are requiring landlords to have licenses for other types of property and this trend is looking to grow in 2022.
7. Anti-COVID-19 measures
The government has issued more guidance regarding COVID-19 to help limit the spread of the virus in rented homes. This means that if an agent or workman needs to visit the property, the tenant must make sure that the home is well ventilated during visits. Landlords will be responsible for ensuring that all vents and tops of windows are unblocked and can be easily opened. Access to the property to carry out repairs will need to be prohibited where a tenant has symptoms of COVID-19 except where the repairs are necessary for safety reasons.
8. A recovering rental market
The 2021 rental market ended on a high due to the rise in demand because of the lifted restrictions and the return to working in the office. It is likely that this momentum is set to continue in 2022 and Zoopla has anticipated that rents across the UK (excluding London) are set to rise by 4.5% in 2022.
