Welcome to another Newsround. Let’s see what has been trending in the housing news this week.
Right to Rent checks guide updated
The government has updated its Landlord’s guide to right to rent checks as of the 12th February 2025.
The most significant updates are:-
- the decommissioning of biometric cards, including Biometric Residence Permits/Card (BRP/BRC) confirming that individuals who currently use a physical immigration document, such as a BRP/BRC, or legacy paper document, should take action to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa to prove their right to rent in the UK.
- Annex A: List of acceptable documents for a manual right to rent check to confirm that a clipped British or Irish passport is a cancelled document and therefore not acceptable proof of right to rent. Also, clarification that a short or long birth certificate is considered acceptable when presented with official evidence of name and national insurance number.
- Updated information on Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETAs) and how non visa nationals can prove their right to rent.
You can find the latest edition on the government website here.
EPC consultation launched
The government has launched a consultation on the way EPC’s are measured, which can be read here, in the hope that it will result in a ‘more efficient and effective EPC system that works for landlords’.
The government is proposing six new metrics categories for the new EPC as opposed to just one at the moment which is based on how much energy a property uses per square metre against how it loses. The new proposed categories are:-
- Energy cost
- Carbon emissions
- Energy use
- Fabric performance
- Heating system
- Smart readiness
They state that this will enable people to better assess where a home performs better or worse.
The consultation is also looking to reduce the expiration limits on an EPC for both the private and social rental sectors. EPC’s currently run for 10 years. Furthermore, for HMO’s an EPC will be required for the whole property, even if it is just one single room. Currently this is not required.
We would encourage all landlords to complete the proposed consultation, which can be found here.
EPC push for landlords could backfire – claims landlord
Not all landlords are for the new EPC changes, a high profile landlord in Nottingham this week has warned Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary that forcing landlords to obtain and EPC rating of ‘C’ by 2030 could backfire.
Mick Roberts says many of his tenants are paying £200 pm below market rent, but if he is made to spend high amounts on energy improvements it will mean high rent increases for his tenants. He adds that many of his properties have new boilers, new windows, new doors and insulation and are not cold, but sit at an EPC rating of ‘D’ as he claims you ‘can’t retrospectively fit an old house to an EPC ‘C’ without some side effects’.
He believes that the government is only focusing on cold and damp homes and bad landlords, he urges the Energy Secretary to go after those landlords and not the ones with good quality homes with happy tenants.
He adds in a plea to Ed Miliband that if he cannot do any more to raise his EPC ratings to get a ‘D’ will he have to make his otherwise happy tenants homeless?
I suspect that there are many more landlords out there in a similar position.
Council to bring in massive overhaul for HMOs
Norwich Council has announced it is bringing in higher standards for all of its HMO properties along with tougher enforcement. Its key changes are:-
- Annual gas safety certificates
- Five yearly electrical inspections
- Regular checks on emergency lighting
- Over crowding prevention
- Stricter waste management rules
Landlords will also face more regular inspections with stronger enforcement for non-compliant landlords. Anti-social behaviour will also dealt with in a more efficient way.
Its’ licensing system will be made simpler, with one five year licence making licence breaches quicker to deal with and revoking licences using statutory powers. Currently, the city does not have any additional licensing schemes, but they have stated that this could change at ‘any point in the future’.
Landlord tenant relationship is evolving
Some encouraging news this week where landlords are seen to be responding to the needs of their tenants more and changing their behaviours. According to a new report out by OSB Group, 73% of landlords now are welcoming tenants to personalise their homes. When landlords are more accommodating to a tenant’s requests the tenant is more likely to remain in that property for longer.
Whilst landlords are becoming more open to their tenant’s requests for personalisation, 48% of landlords ask their tenants to cover the cost of decoration along with any resulting damage. 34% of landlords will work with their tenant to agree on decoration ideas, with 20% of landlords approving the tradesmen that the tenant may use.
This change in co-operation leads to stronger links to that property for the tenant and consequently results in longer tenancies.
Jon Hall, MD of group MD mortgages said
The trend towards allowing tenants more freedom in decorating their homes represents a positive development for the private rented sector. It demonstrates landlords’ adaptability to evolving tenant expectations and promotes longer-term, more stable tenancies.
He goes on to say that as the market continues to evolve, promoting positive landlord to tenant relationships is a ‘key strategy for maintaining successful and harmonious tenancies’.
Snippets
Landlords face a changing landscape with rising dog ownership
Housing Law expert to host ‘deep dive’ into Labour’s reforms
Miliband meets Generation Rent to bolster landlord clampdown
Rogue landlords in England to face curbs on housing benefit income, says labour
EPC upgrade policy is ‘unworkable and unrealistic’ NRLA tells Labour
Rogue landlords in England to face curbs on housing benefit income, says Labour
See also our Quick News Updates on Landlord Law
Newsround will be back again next week