Tessa Shepperson Newsround #28

Another week has gone by – largely Landlord Law Blogless (as I have taken a week off to give my badly cut finger a bit of respite).

What news have we had?

The Budget

This has some good measures but, many of the papers say, not enough.

We will have to see if, for example, the measures to help those in support of Universal Credit will actually help, although it may be enough to make landlords more amenable to taking benefit tenants.

Let us hope so as it does not look as if its rollout will be stopped.

It sounded as if efforts were being made to increase housebuilding but this is a long-term project and will not help people now.

So far as now is concerned we have yet another consultation about encouraging landlords to give longer fixed terms.  But as David Smith policy director of the RLA says, we already have some 15 consultations and “Tenants cannot live in consultations”

And I don’t know about you but I don’t really have the time to draft responses to so many consultations.  I think we all have consultation fatigue.

So far as the abolition of stamp duty is concerned for 1st-time buyers, we are all told (by the governments own advisors apparently)  that this will just push up prices. Did no-one tell Hammond this?

Grenfell

It looks as if the final number of the Grenfell dead is 71.  Seventy one wholly unnecessary deaths.

We now need to ensure that this never happens again – which means ensuring that all similar properties are retrofitted with sprinklers and have their inflammable cladding removed.   But although funding has been provided for Grenfell related issues, there is no general funding in the budget to help Councils do this.  They are just told to apply to central government.

But as Corbyn pointed out in his response to the budget – several have done so already and been refused.

Prosecutions

It looks as if Local Authorities are in places now starting to bring action as, for example, we have reports of agents being fined for failing to show if they offer client money protection and we have the first prosecution by Rent Smart Wales of an agent for failing to become licensed.

Homes fit for habitation

Nearly Legal is asking us all to contact our MPs about the vote today on the second reading of Karen Buck MP’s Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation and Liability for Housing Standards) Bill.

If this is filibustered out as her last bill was, this will not look good.

Inventories

We have a petition to make it compulsory to have inventories independent as

independent inventories offer protection and help to reduce the number of deposit disputes.

I am inclined to agree.  However, it only has 538 signatures so far so it unlikely to get anywhere.  I suppose people are worried about the cost.

New form

The Justice Dept has at long last issued a new form for accelerated possession proceedings which deals with the new rules introduced some 2 years ago.

So if you re bringing a claim make sure you use the right one.

That’s all for now

Well, that’s all the news my injured finger can cope with typing up just now.  If there is anything major I have left out – please let me know in the comments.

Hopefully, the blog will be back next week, for at least some of the days.