State Opening of Parliament Dec 2019

As the world wakes up to the news that only the third ever US president has been impeached the Queen Takes her seat for the State opening of Parliament

This speech has the most legislative changes of any previous speech, with 20 Bills being introduced.

As we expected there will be new legislation with regards to security for tenancies and also an improvement for home ownership.

There will be changes in business taxes which they hope will change the infrastructure of the UK.

As normal there is the increase of the national insurance threshold and the living wage, but no mention of removing of zero hours contracts. 

But what does this mean for property investors and landlords?

We know one of the major pieces of legislation will be the removal of Assured shorthold tenancies being replaced by Assured tenancies. I expect the Rented Homes Bill to be reinstated and commence its journey through Parliament, this Bill holds the key to how the process of removing ASTs will happen, it is expected that this law will come in April 2020 but with a much longer transition period of 3years rather than the normal 12 months.

New grounds for eviction will also be introduced to support landlords who need to regain possession through no fault of the tenant.

It is also expected that combined with the new Assured tenancies will come longer minimum tenancies to bring the UK in line with other European Countries where a standard minimum fixed term is 3years a pose the 6months which we currently have in the UK.

The previous rumbles of rent controls for the UK have not been mentioned for some time but it will be interesting to see if these are brought in as pilot schemes in the highest rental areas of the UKs Cities, again akin to most of Europe. 

Improvements in Home ownership was also mentioned, there hasn’t been any change in this area for sometime, with the Help to Buy scheme proving to be a damp squib with minimal take up and statistics showing that it helped less first time buyers enter the housing ladder than those applying for mortgages in the usual way. 

In addition the Help to Buy ISA which was launched in late 2015 was not published well and when it ended on 30th November 2019 only 256,000 homes had been purchased directly using the ISA, however those who did open the ISA and have not yet used it, can continue to save into it and benefit from the cash bonus until November 2029.

The increase in NI threshold as well as the previously announced thaw of the benefit freeze, tenants will have more disposable income. 

Will this see a rise in rents or will the way tenants are verified need to be brought up to date to avoid landlords having lengthy void periods, at present many tenants on zero hours contracts can’t rent because they fail at the credit referencing stage because they cannot prove continued set income, but if previous rental payment history was set a first priority for affordability would this help improve the market for landlords.

We will now wait to see what Bills are produced by the Government to support their proposals of today. 

Tenants are your customer too

If letting agents want more satisfied clients and fewer disputes they should provide better information to tenants.


That’s the view of PropTech entrepreneur Neil Cobbold, chief operating officer of lettings payment automation provider PayProp
.

He cites research by the National Landlords Association which shows that 79 per cent of tenants need better information on the roles and responsibilities of landlords and letting agents.

"Proactively educating tenants on the rental process from the outset can save agents time from having to mediate unnecessary disputes between landlords and tenants” says Cobbold.

"Some key areas where tenants may lack understanding relate to financial obligations and property upkeep. It’s very important to make sure tenants are kept informed throughout the tenancy. Often tenants are set wondering: ‘Has my rent been received?’, ‘How much do I owe?’, ‘Is my deposit safe?’, ‘Is it my responsibility?’ and ‘Who pays for repair work?’


"If tenants are clear on what to expect, they are more likely to be satisfied and stay in the property for longer – at least as long as those expectations are then met. This can help reduce arrears and void periods for letting agents and landlords” Cobbold adds.


According to the NLA's research, 67 per cent of almost 900 tenants surveyed said that they were not aware of the government's How to Rent guide which is designed to help them understand their rights and responsibilities.



Cobbold says: “Agents could do more to promote the How to Rent guide to consumers. By making sure tenants not only read but understand this guide, letting agencies can manage expectations from the outset of a tenancy and save time and money on creating their own educational materials."

Additionally he says agents should encourage landlords to prioritise good communication and set out roles and responsibilities on both sides of the relationship.


Cobbold adds that key lease terms such as payment dates, tenancy lengths and notice periods should all be set out in a clear and accessible manner so tenants know what is expected of them and when.

"A concerted effort from agencies and landlords to provide renters with more clarity could make for a more harmonious and efficient private rented sector” he concludes.

AirBnB Not your average estate agent... say the French

EU Supreme Court rules AirBnB are NOT an Estate agent and will not require a license to operate in France.

The French Tourist association had filed a complaint that AirBnB did not comply with French property law.

Had this ruling gone against AirBnB then this would have set a President for the operator in all European Countries.

This comes on top of a €14m fine imposed on the company for publishing 1,000 illegal rental adverts in Paris. 

These charges at Airbnb came into existence because they violated French Law. Under French law, “Homeowners can rent their places for a short term of 120 days per year and advertisements for rent should have a registration number to ensure properties are not rented for a longer time.”

France passed a law in 2018 which puts fines of 12,500 Euros per illegal posting on rental companies like Airbnb for violating it.

Abolition of Section 21…..Private rented Armageddon?

The Government are currently seeking consultation on their  decision to remove section 21 notices from the eviction  process and this has created waves of panic across the industry, with the media having us believe landlords are evicting tenants on mass for fear they will never be able to get their property back once the law comes into force.
But what does it really mean for landlords, will your property be lost to your tenant forever?

Until the Bill is produce after the consultation period we will not know for sure what the new regulations will be, but what we do know is no fault eviction notices will be no more, this will mean Assured shorthold tenancies (AST) will be no more and as a knock on effect deposit protection regulations, technically, will be no more as landlords only need to protect a deposit for an AST

To give us the best indication of how this shake up will effect the private rented sector as we know it, we don’t have to look far. In 2017 Scotland went through a similar change, removing no fault notices and streamlining their private rental industry with the introduction of the  Private Residential Tenancy (Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016

Any tenancy that started on or after 1 December 2017 will be a private residential tenancy. This new tenancy replaces  the assured and short assured tenancy and provided the filling changes:

No fixed terms - private residential tenancies are open ended, meaning a  landlord can't ask a tenant to leave just because they have  been in the property for 6 months as they can with a short assured tenancy.
Rent increases – Rent can only be increased once every 12 months and if the tenant thinks the proposed increase is unfair they  can refer it to a rent officer. – It is the same in England, if a tenant believes a rent increase is too high they can appeal to the rent tribunal
Longer notice period - if your tenant has  lived in the  property for longer than 6 months you will have to give you at least 84 days notice to leave (unless they have broken a term in the tenancy).
Simpler notices - the notice to quit process was scrapped and replaced by a simpler notice to leave process.
Model tenancy agreement - the Scottish Government published a model private residential tenancy that can be used by landlords to set up a tenancy.
If a  tenancy started before 1 December 2017 it will continue as normal until tenant or  landlord bring it to an end following the correct procedure.
If renewed then a new tenancy this will be a private residential tenancy.

Deposits
Scotland operate a deposit protection scheme similar to England, the difference is all deposits must be protected in one of the 3 government approved schemes and if the deposit is not registered a tenant can complain to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland, and the tribunal can order the landlord to pay you up to three times the amount of the deposit paid. Tenants  can only  do this up to three months after the tenancy has ended.

Giving notice
If a tenant wishes to vacate and they have a private residential tenancy tenant, then this is normally 28 days’ notice.

Evictions
A landlord will need to give a tenant  either 28 or 84 day’s notice that they intend to apply for an eviction notice. The period of notice will depend on how long the tenant has been in the property and which ground their are applying for eviction. The form a landlord needs to use is called a ‘notice to leave’.

If the tenant is still in the property after the notice period is over, then the landlord will have to apply to the Housing and Property Chamber of the First Tier Tribunal for an eviction order.
The notice to leave is valid for 6 months, if no application for an eviction order is made, then another notice to leave would need to be issued.
If a tenant does not leave on the expiry of the Notice to leave, then the landlord must apply to First Tier Tribunal for an eviction
The landlord must also serve the local authority with a notice advising of the potential eviction.

What are the grounds?

There are 18 grounds for possession that a landlord can use to apply for an eviction order.
The grounds are divided into 4 areas:

• the property is required for another purpose,
• the status of the tenant,
• conduct of the tenant,
• there is a legal reason why the tenancy can't continue.

There are 10 mandatory grounds, where the tribunal has no discretion to refuse the eviction if the ground is proved, and 8 discretionary grounds, where the tribunal should consider whether it is reasonable to grant an eviction order.

The property is required for another purpose
• Ground 1: Landlord intends to sell
• Ground 2: Property to be sold by lender
• Ground 3: Landlord intends to refurbish
• Ground 4: Landlord intends to live in the property
• Ground 5: Family member intends to live in the property
• Ground 6: Landlord intends to use for non-residential purposes
• Ground 7: Property required for religious purposes
Tenant's status
• Ground 8: not an employee – tied accommodation
• Ground 9: No longer in need of supported accommodation
Conduct grounds
• Ground 10: Not occupying let property
• Ground 11: Breach of tenancy agreement
• Ground 12: Rent arrears
• Ground 13: Criminal behaviour
• Ground 14: Anti-social behaviour
• Ground 15: Association with person who has relevant conviction or engaged in relevant anti-social behaviour
Legal impediment to the let continuing
• Ground 16: Landlord has ceased to be registered
• Ground 17: HMO license has been revoked
• Ground 18: Overcrowding statutory notice

From 1 December 2017, most types of legal applications about private sector tenancies are dealt with by the Housing and Property Chamber, rather than the Sheriff Court, this removed a lot of pressure from the courts and not only streamlined the eviction process but also sped up the time it takes to evict a tenant from a property.

So while we wait to see how the new legislation will be presented, it is worth taking a calming deep breath to know that the lack of a S21 will not bring private rental Armageddon and landlords will still be able to gain possession of their properties.
Because let’s face it, a Landlord has never served a S21 for no reason, all the new rules will mean is that you will now have to state your reason and match the ground to it.

Benefit tenants to come out of the cold

The Government has confirmed the freeze on benefit payments which came into force in April 2016 will end next year.

The freeze on increasing benefit payments inline with inflation has been controversial from the beginning, this combined with the introduction of Universal Credit has been blamed with the increase of both  rent arrears and homelessness for many people on low incomes.

So will the freeze open the housing market up to people who have been trapped in poor quality accommodation because they have been unable to afford to move to improve their circumstances.

The change in benefit payments is set to increase the money claimants receive by 1.7% meaning the average single person with no dependants will be entitled to £322pm rather than the £317pm they currently revive as either Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) our Standard Element of Universal Credit (UC).

Housing benefit or Housing element rates are expected to rise by the rate of inflation which is predicted to be 2% and will see local housing allowance rates for a 1 bed property in Central London rise from £276.51p/w to £282.04p/w but with average monthly rental price for a 1 bed property currently at £1555pm even this increase will leave many people struggling to pay rent.

Overall since the benefit freeze was introduced the average family has lost £560pa year on year, driving many people into poverty and the increase in the use of food banks has risen steadily making this temporary assistance a normal part of life for many including those in employment.

Les Miserables…… the delegates are revolting

For the last decade there has been an increase in self titled Property Gurus selling their get rich quick training course to millions of naïve and money hungry property virgins.
The attraction of becoming a millionaire in just a few months without evening using your own money sounds just to good of an opportunity to pass up, so these wannabes happily part with £1000s of their hard earned money to be taught to the secrets ( even Coronal Sanders would be proud of)  of property investment

But the reality is starkly different, after attending the course many delegates find they have not found the key to instant wealth instead being told the secretes are behind another door which can only be unlocked by handing over more of their money to enter the VIP area.

But as the industry changes and the next big thing comes along, so these property gurus morph into experts of this new area of wealth, renaming and regurgitating already used material which allows them to continue to ply their trade again.
It would seem the only people becoming property millionaires are the classroom Gurus… but does this then bring forth the old adage Those who can’t…. teach

As with all aspects of society, there are good and bad in everything and we must not forget the hundreds of very good educators out their painstakingly assessing potential candidates to ensure their course is right for them, openly discussing the high risks and how to manage debt as well as preaching not to put all your eggs in one basket.

Of late there seems to be an awakening on the realism of these courses with social media providing the platform for more and more negative realisations that the £25k+  spent on courses to seek the precious elixir could have been the starting block of a lucrative property journey with sustained longevity.

An increased number of attendees are becoming disillusioned by the validity of these property magicians and their ability to really pass on the secret of making millions.

The mounting debt that some attendees accrue is staggering and can have a detrimental know in effect to family, friends, social life and mental health, sadly only this week someone took their own life over issues relating to property courses and mounting debt.

What is the answer? Should the property education industry be regulated, but where to start and who will police that.
Should educators take more responsibility for their attendees and that they are teaching.

Once the buzz of the course is over

Once the first HMO has been purchased and battled concluded with local councils and planning department, there is still no time for the property novice to rest on their Laurels as this is where the real property journey starts and the mine field that is the Private rented sector brings with it a tempestuous ever changing storm of legislation which can see even the most seasoned landlord fall foul if they do not keep themselves constantly up to date.

The rally cry from the deflated and exhausted investors is to now rush to social media to grasp at any scraps of help and advice when deposits have not been protected,  tenants fail to pay rent, refuse access and landlord now want to evict.
Sadly social media, although a free option which can provide expert advice if you catch the right person on the right day, is mainly swimming with other rookie landlords in the same boat throwing out lifebuoys of incorrect or outdated advice.

So is the next property revolution to see these Millionaire gurus turn their hand to training courses headed “How to be a good landlord”
Do these public speakers have the knowledge and expertise to successfully deliver in a 2 day course that housing experts have spent years continuously learning.

An uneducated landlord is a bankruptcy waiting to happen and with more legislation due to come into force in 2020 can the get rich quick generation afford to become the complacent.

Pet Hens Lapin it up

Landlords have long been fighting the want of tenants to have their pets live with them.

For the landlord it is an uncalculated risk of potential damage, for the tenant this represents a member of their family and the thought of renting a property and having to give up Rover or Tigre is unthinkable, to counter this landlords have consistently taken addition deposits to cover any pet damage and will usually have a full pet clean obligation written into the tenancy agreement.

Since the introduction of the Tenant Fee Ban Act Landlords can no longer take an additional damage deposit for tenants with pets, nor can they impose a set cost for a full pet clean at the end of the tenancy.

However landlords are never ones to sit on their laurels and if  the many industry reports are to be believed a number of landlords are countering this by increasing rent for tenants who have pets, in some cases by as much as £50 per pet per month, not great for the crazy cat ladies amongst us.

However, there could be some solace hidden in the depths of the Allotments Act 1950.

Section 12 of the Act abolishes the contractural restrictions on Hens and Rabbits, going on to state that any contriving clauses in the lease or tenancy will not be withstanding, making it lawful, without landlords permission to keep Hens and Rabbits in any part of the land or property, the Act doesn’t kindly consider the Hens and Rabbits welfare and states that the keeping god such animals such animals must not be in detriment to their health or cause a nuisance to others.

So… if your prospective tenant have a pet Rabbit or wishes to keep Hens, there is nothing that can be done.

Private rented sector facts…… The press don’t want you to know

The English Housing Survey was released this month and provides some very interesting and contradictory facts, if you are to believe recent press reports.

The National Housing survey is a detailed insight into the UKs housing circumstances and includes property condition as well as energy efficiency.

1 in 5 households in the UK live in Private rented accommodation, compared to 64% owner occupier and only 17% living in social rented accommodation.

Profile of a private renter

The average age of a private renting tenant is 40yrs old and 60% are male, single households make up 25% while couples with children occupy 22% of the sector. Surprisingly on 11% live in shared accommodation or HMOs.

6% of those surveyed were living in overcrowded accommodation.

65% are in full time employment with 12% in part time work, with the average weekly income of £583, 83% identified as white with 74% stating Britsh or Irish.

50% of private renters were issued with a fixed term 12 month tenancy and on average stayed in the same property for 4.1years

Satisfaction guaranteed

Contrary to many press reports the survey states that a staggering 84% of private renters were either satisfied or very satisfied with their accommodation, however those in private rented properties spend the highest % of their household income on their housing cost, with Londoners spending on average 42% of their monthly income with the rest of the UK spending 33%.
Compared to social tenants who only spent on average 28% and homeowners with a mortgage as little as 17%.

Of those surveyed, only 20% of private renters were in receipt of Housing Benefit or Universal credit Housing Element.

Surprisingly only 76% of private renters said they paid a deposit at the start of their tenancy, with only 73% confirming their deposit was protected, worryingly 20% didn’t know if their deposit was protected.

Only 11% of private rented had savings over £16,000 with 63% having no savings and only 58% of private renters believed they would eventually buy their own property.

Disrepairs

In 2017-18 disrepair was worse in private rented accommodation with 25% of homes failing to meet the Decent Homes Standard compared with only 13% of social housing and according to the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) 14% of private rented homes had a category 1 hazards compared to only 6% in social housing. Despite this 73% of private tenants were satisfied with repairs.

Tenant wont leave? Ancient law may help landlords claim double rent

It has happened to the best of us, our tenant gives notice then at the last moment changes their mind and they will be staying.

This can cause a landlord and any would be (signed up tenants) a nightmare

Although landlord will have the legal right to possession, he will have to get a court order first which could take months (by which time the tenant will probably be long gone

An answer may lie in section 18 of the Distress for Rent Act 1737.

To quote the act

“whereas great inconveniences have happened and may happen to landlords whose tenants have power to determine their leases, by giving notice to quit the premises by them holden, and yet refusing to deliver up the possession when the landlord hath agreed with another tenant for the same”

The act goes on to provide that if a tenant gives notice and then fails to leave, a landlord can charge double rent “ and such double rent or sum shall continue to be paid during all the time such tenant or tenants shall continue in possession as aforesaid“. 

However note the following:

The tenant must have served a proper valid notice to quit, which has been accepted by the landlord

The double rent can  only be charged on a daily basis for the period of time the tenant overstays

It cannot be used if the tenant just fails to return the keys

It cannot be used if the tenant just stays on after the end of the fixed term (in which case in most cases a new periodic tenancy will arise)

Arguably the money can be deducted from the tenants deposit in the normal way, but few judges or adjudicators are aware of this law, so it may be hard to enforce (although landlords could just print out the extract from the statute).

I would be very interested to know if any landlords have actually used this rule, and if so, whether (if it was challenged)  they were able to uphold the claim at court or arbitration.

Private rented sector France v UK

I am not called The Property Geek for nothing, those who know me know I have an obsession with the rental industry and as a Francophile I thought I would write about how the UK and France differ when it comes to renting privately.

Both Countries rental systems can be complex with a minefield of legislation and governance, France is very pro-tenants rights and extremely animal friendly, as with everything research is key, below is a brief outline of what to expect when renting in France.

Anyone can become a landlord in the UK whether by accident or a planned business, at present there is no requirement for a landlord to be registered in anyway.

In France all professional landlords must be registered with the ‘Chambre de Commerce’ and are referred to as an LMP (loueur en meublé professionnel).

When renting in France it is important to understand there are two types of rental property, furnished and unfurnished, you may not think this poses too much of a problem, however the legal system is very different for each. Furnished has recently been given a clear legal definition and tenants of unfurnished property have more rights than those in furnished properties.

As a landlord furnished and unfurnished properties are assessed differently for tax purposes so mixed portfolios can prove to be an unwanted stress, also income from each rented furnished property must be in excess of €23,000pa.

In 2015 the law was changed in France to implement rent caps (rent-controlled area (zone tendue)) in many regions across the Country restricting how much rent can be increased by.

Another important point to raise is that by law, the landlord cannot prohibit the tenant from having pets of any kind.

Deposit

Deposits in France are required to be equal to 1 months rent, however they do not need to be protected in anyway.

When a tenant vacates their deposit must be returned to them within two months of them leaving the property if there are disputes, or one month if there are no issues. If a landlord doesn’t return the deposit after this time, the tenant can submit a complaint to the Commission Department of Conciliation (CDC).

This is in contrast to the UK where a deposit must be protect with one of the 3 approved schemes and within a set period of time, also deposits must be returned within 10 days of the tenant vacating, or in part if there is a dispute

Minimum Rental period

The minimum rental period for an unfurnished property in France is 3 years, compared to a furnished property which is 1 year, however holiday lets and some short term rentals can only be provided by furnished properties.

As we know in the UK the minimum rental period is 6 months on a standard Assured shorthold tenancy (AST) regardless of the level of furnishing.

Pre-tenancy checks

In the UK we rigorously check our tenants history from previous rental behaviour to credit history to inside leg measurement, not forgetting the Right to Rent check.

France does not have a credit history system because they do not use finance in the same way we do, for example we can chose a myriad of finance options from credit cards, loans and hire purchase, in France those option are still available but all finance payments go directly through a persons bank account and is therefore linked direct to the bank account activity, if a person misses a repayment on an item or their rent, their bank account is frozen until the issue is resolved, as I’m sure you can imaging, people rarely miss their payments.

When renting in France applicants need only provide the following documents

• An identity document: id card, passport, driver's licence, visa information, etc.
• A proof of professional activity: work contract, employer's reference, a student card; a business statement ( if tenant runs own business)
• A proof of financial support: last three months’ pay slips, whether the source of funding is salary, pension or any other benefit; previous tax returns; proof of having a student scholarship.
• References of previous renting Only if tenant has rented in France before otherwise it is not needed:

Safety Documents

In the UK the landlord has to provide the following documents to the tenant.

·         Valid Gas cert ( if gas in property)

·         Energy performance cert (EPC)

·         How to rent guide

·         Deposit protection information.

In France the landlord is still required to provide an EPC, in addition to this he must also provide a risk or safety report of the property.

Tenant insurance

By law, a landlord can request a tenant take out home insurance to cover the risks of mainly water damage, fire, explosion and in some cases, theft of contents.

If required, the tenant must provide proof of such insurance when first renting the property, and every year thereafter at the request of the landlord. The lack of insurance can be grounds for the landlord to cancel the lease (if a lease clause is provided) or buy insurance for the tenant and demand repayment of the fee. Otherwise, a tenant is free to choose the insurance company of their choice.

The tenancy agreement

Since 2015 all tenancy agreements across France have been regulated and must indicate which charges are to be paid by the landlord and which by the tenant. Typically include city taxes, utilities and, particularly for apartments, charges for the maintenance of communal areas.

Subletting

It is legal to sublet in France, provided the tenant has official written approval from the landlord and the sublease does not exceed the amount paid by the main tenant.

Tenancy renewal

In the UK if no one ends the fixed term tenancy then it is automatically renewed to form a statutory periodic which rolls on month by month.

In France this is the same however the automatic renewal forms another 1 year fixed contract, not a rolling monthly one.

Giving notice

For tenants in furnished properties they are required to give 1 months notice.

For tenants in unfurnished properties they are required to give 3 months notice ( one month if renting in Paris)

Tenants can give notice at any time, and the notice period starts from the day the landlord receives your official letter.

Notice must be given in writing either by registered letter (recommender), delivered by a bailiff (hussier), or delivered by hand with acknowledgement of receipt and annotated. Emails and verbal notices are not valid.

Landlords must give six months’ notice before the end of the rental period of an unfurnished property, or three months’ notice for a furnished property.

There is no provision of a no fault notice in France, so no Section 21, a landlord must have reason for ending the tenancy, such as rent arrears or breach of tenancy

Property maintenance & access to the property

Once the keys have been handed over, the landlord does not have the right to enter the property without the tenant’s consent, and may be charged with trespass or harassment for doing so. The landlord does not have the right to check up on the tenant, for example, annual property inspections, unless this has been agreed in the rental contract. They do have the right to enter the property to undertake essential works and routine maintenance (although not improvements to the property), and the tenant must allow this.

In France that tenants have responsibilities to carry out minor repairs and routine maintenance; these can include garden maintenance, fixing basic interior damage, attending to minor plumbing, gas and electrical issues, cleaning chimneys and more. Major repairs, however, are the responsibility of the owner.

Many aspects of renting in France whether as a tenant or a landlord seem to be simpler than here in the UK, but wherever you chose to live or own your property knowledge is key.

Are we bored of boards

Another council has been given the go ahead to ban To Let boards in part of a city - with government backing.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has told Lincoln council that it can ban the display of boards on certain streets, predominantly those in strong student accommodation areas.

The application for the ban came after the council considered the results of several consultations in what it describes as “problem areas” within the city.

Some residents allegedly claimed the boards were an unnecessary eyesore.

However, the figures involved are not large: a total of 134 consultation responses were received by the council, with 85 of those calling for a total ban on the boards.

The government has now given the directive to remove the deemed consent for using letting boards in certain areas of the city.

The council’s planning manager Kieron Manning says: “In recent years, the council has witnessed a significant increase in the number of complaints about the proliferation of To Let boards in certain parts of the city.

“Any letting sign should be a temporary feature but, when signs are left up too long in areas containing high numbers of rental properties, they can begin to dominate the street scene.

“We became aware that some signs were staying almost all-year-round and this was beginning to have a negative effect on the look and feel of our streets, so we decided to take pro-active action to solve the problem.

“We are very pleased that government has listened and agreed to allow us to implement the ban. We don’t expect this to have a negative impact on the city’s rental market as searches are now mostly done online, and people who are interested in moving to these particular areas will be able to find homes to rent very easily on the internet.

“In addition, they can also visit and call letting agents direct for an up-to-date overview of properties available.”

The proposal for a total ban will now go to the council’s executive committee for final approval before implementation of the directive can begin on April 8

source: LettingAgentToday