The Lettings Legals Minefield – Time to Consider Let Assist?

In recent years there have been hundreds of changes to UK laws that affect private landlords. Navigating these changes and avoiding massive fines or worse for non-compliance (including imprisonment as occurs in some cases and potentially having your property confiscated – a recent recommendation from MPs) is a very real nightmare for landlords.

Industry experts have determined that there are over 180 individual and/or incremental pieces of legislation that may apply directly or indirectly to private landlords.

These include, though likely will not be limited to (as new and modified regulations are being introduced at a truly alarming rate) the following:

1. Assured Tenancies and Agricultural Occupancies (Forms) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2003
2. Assured Tenancies and Agricultural Occupancies (Forms) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2003
3. Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001
4. Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003
5. Anti-Social Behaviour etc (Scotland) Act 2004
6. Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014
7. Building Regulations Part P: Guidance Booklet
8. Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982
9. Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000
10. Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002
11. Consumer Protection Act 1987
12. The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008
13. Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 (SI no.2739)
14. Control of Pollution Act 1974
15. Council Tax (Additional Provisions for Discount Disregards) Order 1992
16. Council Tax (Chargeable Dwellings) Order 1992
17. Council Tax (Discount Disregards) Order 1992
18. Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992
19. Council Tax (Liability for Owners) (Amendment) Regulations 1993
20. Council Tax (Liability for Owners) Regulations 1992
21. Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015
22. Crime and Security Act 2010
23. Criminal Law Act 1977
24. Data Protection Act 1998
25. Data Protection Act 2018
26. General Data Protection Regulation
27. Defective Premises Act 1972
28. Deregulation Act 2015
29. Deregulation Act 2015 (Commencement No. 1 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2015
30. Disability Discrimination Act 2005
31. Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 (SI no.3260)
32. Employment Rights Act 1986
33. Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) Regulations 2007
34. Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) (Amendment No.2) Regulations 2008
35. Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2010
36. Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2011
37. Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2012
38. Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2014
39. Energy Act 2011
40. Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013
41. Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010
42. Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2014
43. Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2014
44. Equality Act 2010
45. Equality Act 2006
46. Estate Agents Act 1979
47. Finance Act 2003 (Part 4)
48. Firearms Act 1968
49. Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988
50. Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997
51. First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Fees Order 2013
52. Fixed Term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002
53. Freedom of Information Act 2000
54. Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2010
55. Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1993
56. Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1989
57. Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (SI no.1324)
58. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (SI No. 2451)
59. Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
60. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
61. Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996
62. Health and Safety (Training for Employment) Regulations 1990
63. Heat Network (Metering and Billing) (Amendment) Regulations 2015
64. Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014
65. Home Information Pack (Suspension) Order 2010
66. Houses in Multiple Occupation (Management) (England) Regulations 2009
67. Houses in Multiple Occupation (Management) (Wales) Regulations 2009
68. Housing (Interim Management Orders) (Prescribed Circumstances) Order 2006
69. Housing (Scotland) Act 2014
70. Housing (Scotland) Act 2010
71. Housing (Scotland) Act 2006
72. Housing (Scotland) Act 1988
73. Housing Act 1985 Part 10
74. Housing Act 1988
75. Housing Act 1996
76. Housing Act 2004
77. Housing Act 2004 (Commencement No 5 and Transitional Provisions and Savings) (England) Order 2006
78. Housing Act 2004 (Commencement No 5 and Transitional Provisions and Savings) (Wales) Order 2006
79. Housing Act 2004 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional Provisions and Savings) (Wales) Order 2006
80. Housing Benefit (Local Housing Allowance and Information Sharing) Amendment Regulations 2007
81. Housing Benefit (Local Housing Allowance, Miscellaneous and Consequential) Amendment Regulations 2007
82. Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit)(Local Housing Allowance and Information Sharing ) Amendment Regulations 2007
83. Housing Benefit (Amendment) Regulations 2009
84. Housing Health and Safety Rating System (England) Regulations 2005 (SI no.3208)
85. Housing Health and Safety Rating System (Wales) Regulations 2006
86. Housing (Tenancy Deposits) (Prescribed Information) Order 2007
87. Housing (Tenancy Deposit) (Specified Interest Rate) Order 2007
88. Housing (Tenancy Deposit) Order 2007
89. Income & Corporation Taxes Act 1988
90. Income Tax (Trading and other Income) Act 2005
91. Infrastructure Act 2015
92. Inheritance Tax Act 1984
93. Immigration Act 2014
94. Immigration Act 2016
95. Land Registration Act 2002
96. Land Registration Rules 2003 (Si no.1417)
97. Land Registration etc. (Scotland) Act 2012
98. Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (as amended)
99. Landlord and Tenant Act 1987
100. Landlord and Tenants (Covenants) Act 1995
101. Landlord Registration Act 2002
102. Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012
103. Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation and Other Houses (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment)(England) Regulations 2012
104. Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Additional Provisions) (England) Regulations 2007
105. Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Additional Provisions) (Wales) Regulations 2007
106. Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation and Other Houses (Miscellaneous Provisions) (England) Regulations 2006
107. Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation and Other Houses (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Wales) Regulations 2006
108. Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Prescribed Descriptions) (England) Order 2006
109. Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Prescribed Descriptions) (Wales) Order 2006
110. Local Government Act 2003
111. Local Government Finance Act 1992
112. Management of Health and Safety at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2006
113. Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (as amended)
114. Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006
115. Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Wales) Regulations 2006
116. Manufacture and Storage of Explosives Regulations 2005
117. Money Laundering Regulations 2003
118. Money Laundering Regulations 2007
119. Mortgage Repossessions (Protection of Tenants etc.) Act 2010
120. Occupiers Liability Act 1957
121. Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994
122. Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949
123. Private Landlord Registration (Information and Fees) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2008
124. Private Rented Housing (Scotland) Act 2011
125. Private Rented Housing Panel (Applications and Determinations) (Scotland) Regulations 2007
126. Private Water Supplies (England) Regulations 2016
127. Proceeds of Crime Act 2002
128. Protection from Eviction Act 1977
129. Public Health Act 1961
130. Public Health Act 1936
131. Race Relations Act 1976
132. Redress Schemes for Lettings Agency Work and Property Management Work (Requirement to belong to a scheme etc.) (England) Order 2014
133. Regulatory Reform (Assured Periodic Tenancies) (Rent Increases) Order 2003
134. Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (Si no.1541)
135. Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002
136. Rent Act 1977
137. Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999
138. Rent (Scotland) Act 1984
139. Rent Officer (Housing Benefit Functions) Amendment Order 2007
140. Rent Repayment Orders (Supplementary Provisions) (England) Regulations 2007
141. Rent Repayment Orders (Supplementary Provisions) (Wales) Regulations 2008
142. Residential Property Tribunal Procedures and Fees (England) Regulations) 2011
143. Residential Property Tribunal Procedure (England) Regulations 2006
144. Residential Property Tribunal (Fees) (England) Regulations 2006
145. Residential Property Tribunal Procedure (Wales) Regulations 2006
146. Residential Property Tribunal Procedures and Fees (Wales) Regulations 2012
147. Residential Property Tribunal (Fees) (Wales) Regulations 2006
148. Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977
149. Selective Licensing of Houses (Specified Exemptions) (England) Order 2006
150. Selective Licensing of Houses (Specified Exemptions) (Wales) Order 2006
151. Selective Licensing of Houses (Additional Conditions) (Wales) Order 2006
152. Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005
153. Sewerage (Scotland) Act 1968
154. Sex Discrimination Act 1975
155. Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992
156. Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Regulations 2011
157. Terrorism Act 2000
158. The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015
159. Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Order 2010
160. Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) (England) Order 2010
161. Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (Wales) Order 2002
162. Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Order 2006
163. Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Order 2005
164. Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987
165. Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997
166. Town and Country Planning Act 1990
167. Tribunal Procedure (First-tier Tribunal) (Property Chamber) Rules 2013
168. Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1994
169. Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999
170. Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts (Amendment) Regulations 2001
171. Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2013
172. Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011
173. Water Industry Act 1999
174. Water Industry Act 1991
175. Water Industry (Schemes for Adoption of Private Sewers) Regulations 2011
176. Water Industry (Undertakers Wholly or Mainly in Wales) (Information about Non-owner Occupiers) Regulations 2014
177. Weeds Act 1959
178. Welfare Reform Act 2007
179. Welfare Reform Act 2007 (Commencement no 4 and Savings and Transitional Provisions) Order 2007
180. Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
181. Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011
182. Work at Height (Amendment) Regulations 2007
183. Work at Height Regulations 2005 (as amended)
184. Work at Height Overhaul of guidance January 2014
185. Homes (Fit for Human Habitation) Act 2018
186. Tenant Fee Act 2019
187. Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020

That’s an awful lot of laws that could apply to you as a private landlord operating in the UK. And to make matters worse, this does not include regulations and by-laws applied by local authorities! Worse still, these laws and individual sections within them, can change at any time.

If you’re a landlord who currently self-manages and you really don’t have the time to keep abreast of the mountain of lettings legislation, we’re here to help. Our recently launched Let Assist service is designed specifically for landlords who wish to self-manage the ongoing maintenance of the property but need our professional assistance with legislative requirements. This service also includes an annual rent appraisal / rent renewal and an annual inspection of the property.

Contact your local branch of Perry Bishop for further details and enjoy peace of mind, knowing that you’re staying on the right side of the law!