Landlord & Buy-to-Let Magazine | Page 3
14
Liverpool licensing scheme a
‘vanity project that will fail tenants’
12
36% see
landlord’s role
as extremely risky
Hands up who wants
to save a life?
Given a choice between saving a life or
saving £15, the answer seems simple.
However, every year hundreds of people
die and are injured in house fires. Many
deaths can be avoided through the
installation of smoke alarms.
Installing a £15 smoke alarm or two
is the right thing to do, and now for
landlords in England it is soon to be
enshrined in law. From 1st October,
landlords will be required to fit smoke
alarms and, where needed, carbon
monoxide detectors. The regulations
are being drawn up, however, for
anyone not quite taking it seriously, they
will be accompanied by the threat of a
£5,000 fine.
It goes without saying that if there is
a fire in a property, the fire service and
judges will be looking for evidence that
alarms were fitted and working. Landlords
will be required to check alarms are
working at the start of a tenancy and from
there tenants will be responsible.
Sounds all very straightforward,
however, the onus is likely to be on the
landlord to evidence all was in order at
the start of the tenancy and there may
be a grey area around when tenancies
are renewed and roll.
There are a number of suppliers
offering ten-year warranty smoke
alarms, which is a big improvement on
the past, however, landlords should
Published by:
Issue 58 April 2015
ISSN 1753-2744
Wealth Media LLP
t/a PropertyNet.media
117 Chestergate
Macclesfield
Cheshire
SK11 6DP
t: 01625 511151
Free Subscription
www.landlordnet.co.uk
in this issue ...
2–22
Industry news including:
• cottish rents rise whilst
S
Aberdeen’s slip over oil
• L andlords remortgage at
twice rate of new purchases
• Accidental landlord?
Be safe, not sorry
• Average rent rose 10%
in 12 months
consider fitting the kind of mains
wired alarms that are now compulsory
in new-build homes as they may offer
better value in the long run.
If the thought of installing or
replacing existing smoke alarms is all a
bit much, don’t worry, help is at hand.
The Government has announced a £3
million fund to help fire brigades issue
free alarms.
Now get ready, because it’s not
often you will hear me say this. The
Government has got its priorities
right on this one – next compulsory
electrical testing – let’s make privately
rented property the safest place to live!
16 North West Landlord
& Letting Show
24
Opinion Counts –
By Cecily Crampin & Harriet Holmes
Deregulation Act 2015:
a misnomer for landlords of
Assured Shorthold Tenancies?
26
Ask Tom – Pre-Contract
or Holding Deposits
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Oliver Romain,
Editor
Like 'PropertyNet.media'
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Landlord & Buy-to-Let Issue 58 • April 2015 1