W PROPERTY
L
ATTENTION ALL LANDLORDS!
Guy Platt-Higgins, Director at Skellens Estate Agents
talks to us about the new Tenant Fees Act.
The Tenant Fees Act came into force on Saturday 1st
June 2019. This introduced new rules surrounding
what Landlords can and cannot charge tenants or
their guarantors. you need to know this legislation and how it impacts
upon you or your company and you need to avoid
falling foul of it because the Courts will have zero
sympathy with you if you do”.
Guy Platt-Higgins, Director at Skellens Estate Agents
recommends that all Landlords who are unfamiliar
with the new legislation ought to obtain legal advice
at the earliest opportunity. This new legislation has been introduced to remove
unscrupulous Landlords from the market. This can
only be a good thing but it will also catch those
otherwise decent Landlords who have innocently
failed to understand/implement this legislation.
Ignorance of the legislation will not be any defence.
Guy said: "This new legislation has 35 sections and
as with most modern Acts of Parliament, it is not
very reader-friendly. Naturally there are sanctions
for failing to observe obligations and the legislation
anticipates that some Landlords or Agents may seek
protection from their limited liability status.
"However, unusually, the Act removes such
protection and prevents Company Directors from
hiding behind their “corporate veils”.
"In short, if you charge Tenants or their guarantors
fees for anything over and above rent and utilities
56 wirrallife.com
As Estate Agents we do not purport to offer legal
advice therefore if you are a Landlord and unsure as
to whether you are fully compliant you should seek
independent legal advice.
Tenants should also be aware of this Act - if you are
a tenant of a residential property concerned about
what your landlord is charging you, take legal advice.