Caxtons Residential

Caxtons Residential Caxtons understands not only the financial but also the emotional value of residential property.

We create manageable, affordable and secure homes by effective letting and management of student living, family accommodation and apartment blocks.

For tenants on benefits or with children or pets, the new renters reform bill proposes measures to make it easier for ev...
27/06/2022

For tenants on benefits or with children or pets, the new renters reform bill proposes measures to make it easier for everyone to access safe and secure housing.

We maintain that landlords should not discriminate against someone on any kind of benefit if they can meet the rental criteria set. It is common practice to seek a guarantor, however we recognise the system is not perfect. The Fairer Private Rented Sector white paper states;
'We will make it illegal for landlords or agents to have blanket bans on renting to families with children or those in receipt of benefits.' How this will be implemented is not yet clear, but it does bring an important issue to the fore that needs to be addressed.

Each request for a pet should be considered on its own merit. The white paper states, 'We will legislate to ensure landlords do not unreasonably withhold consent when a tenant requests to have a pet in their home, with the tenant able to challenge a decision.' The new deal will make it easier for landlords to accept pets in reasonable circumstances as it proposes amending the Tenant Fees Act 2019 to include pet insurance as permitted payment. Therefore landlords will be able to request pet insurance up front so that any damage will be covered and rectified.

For more information or to arrange a chat to discuss further please contact Debbie Pennell; [email protected]

This element of the renters reform bill does not drastically impact landlord or tenant as annual reviews replicate exist...
24/06/2022

This element of the renters reform bill does not drastically impact landlord or tenant as annual reviews replicate existing mechanisms and there is already a Tribunal which supports tenants who wish to challenge excessive rent increases. The latter of which we note is not common place amongst our landlords.

It is good practice that when a landlord needs to adjust rent, they are predictable and allow time for a tenant to consider their options. To that end the government is increasing the minimum notice landlords must provide to two months when proposing a rent adjustment.

The government recognises that 'most landlords do not increase rents by unreasonable amounts but in cases where increases are disproportionate, we will make sure that tenants have the confidence to challenge unjustified rent increases through the First-tier Tribunal.' For more detail see: A Fairer Private Rented Sector: https://bit.ly/39GEdLy

To discuss any queries, please get in touch with Debbie Pennell: [email protected]

Sadly a small proportion of privately rented homes are of poor quality, in situations like this tenants may feel pressur...
23/06/2022

Sadly a small proportion of privately rented homes are of poor quality, in situations like this tenants may feel pressured to put up with the issues or that their requests for improvements are not acted upon. The new deal proposed by the government states it will 'halve the number of non-decent rented homes by 2030 and require privately rented homes to meet the Decent Homes Standard for the first time.'

Currently there is a Decent Homes Standard in the Social Rented Sector, but until now, there has been no requirement for private rented sector properties to meet a certain standard.

The government is keen to make it easy for landlords and tenants to understand the new standards and propose that local councils will have new powers to manage their local supported housing market and take action against poor quality providers. A number of pilot schemes will run with selected local councils to trial improvements with a view to speeding up adoption of the Decent Homes Standard. The government is conducting a review which is due to conclude in autumn 2022.

We will keep a close eye on developments as this will be a key piece of new legislation for all landlords in the future. We will continue to advise landlords on how to keep on top of quality issues and ensure that their properties do not run the risk of falling into disrepair.

If you would like to discuss this further please do contact Debbie Pennell: [email protected]

The new deal makes it easier for a landlord to take a property back where there are persistent rent arrears and protects...
22/06/2022

The new deal makes it easier for a landlord to take a property back where there are persistent rent arrears and protects tenants from unfair grounds of eviction.

The government's white paper for a fairer private rented sector, says: ' We will reform grounds of possession so that they are comprehensive, fair, and efficient, striking a balance between protecting tenants’ security and landlords’ right to manage their property'

There will be a new Private Renters Ombudsman, that all private landlords must join. The fundamental role of the Ombudsman will be to enable landlords and tenants to settle disputes quickly and early on to help avoid all too common unnecessary costly court settlements and keep more tenants in their homes. In doing so the government hopes this will free up the courts to deal with more serious cases. They are also implementing a range of measures to speed up the court process which can be costly and lengthy.

With regards to persistent arrears; 'Eviction will be mandatory where a tenant has been in at least two months’ rent arrears three times within the previous three years, regardless of the arrears balance at hearing', this will support landlords in such situations and also protect longstanding tenants who experience one off / occasional financial shocks that happen years apart, who might previously have been served with Section 21.

For more information please see the government's white paper - section 3: https://bit.ly/39GEdLy

Should you like to discuss this further please get in touch with Debbie Pennell: [email protected]

Provided both tenant and landlord are compliant, we suggest the new deal abolishing Section 21, presents a fairer and mo...
21/06/2022

Provided both tenant and landlord are compliant, we suggest the new deal abolishing Section 21, presents a fairer and more secure outcome for both tenants, and landlords. Find out why:

The government's white paper states, 'We will deliver our manifesto commitment to abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions and deliver a simpler, more secure tenancy structure. A tenancy will only end if the tenant ends it or if the landlord has a valid ground for possession, empowering tenants to challenge poor practice and reducing costs associated with unexpected moves.'

In our experience, 95% of the time, a landlord evokes Section 21 for reasons which are deemed by the new deal as being valid grounds for possession - when they wish to sell or move back in to the property. So the impact to landlords in such circumstances will be minimal whilst more transparent and fair to tenants. The new deal states they cannot use these valid grounds in the first six months of a tenancy, replicating the existing restrictions on when Section 21 can be used. It is important to note that going forwards a landlord cannot take back a property without a valid reason for possession, which is where a minority of landlords were unscrupulously using Section 21 and causing much stress to tenants.

The better news for tenants is that if they are suffering in a poor quality property, or have to relocate for work, they will be able to leave at anytime by providing two months' notice without remaining liable for the rent. From a landlords perspective a longer notice period reduces the potential of a void period, and you would expect allows them time to remedy any issues experienced by a previous tenant if necessary.

Tomorrow we will explore the new grounds for possession proposed to allow landlords the ability to gain possession when necessary due to persistent arrears, and in a more timely and efficient manner than before.

We are on the cusp of the biggest ever overhaul of the private rental sector. The last major shakeup for many years was ...
17/06/2022

We are on the cusp of the biggest ever overhaul of the private rental sector. The last major shakeup for many years was the introduction of the Assured Shorthold Tenancy.

Starting on Monday we will discuss what the new reforms mean for private renters and landlords in a series of blog posts. Will we have the beneficial solution for all?

Stay tuned to Caxtons here on facebook as we share bite sized insight and advice from our in house residential property experts on each aspect of the government's 12 point plan which is spear heading the future of the private rental sector.

Take a look at the full white paper 'a fairer private rented sector': https://bit.ly/3b81gPX

If you have a specific query please get in touch with Debbie Pennell, Head of Residential Lettings: [email protected]

One in four landlords don't feel on top of changing regulations and 27% wouldn't know where to start when it comes to un...
10/03/2022

One in four landlords don't feel on top of changing regulations and 27% wouldn't know where to start when it comes to understanding regulations, according to a survey by Direct Line. We understand the challenges landlords face, it's very easy to miss vital changes to legislation, and there are so many regulations applicable to the sector.

Find out more in our article Climbing the Legislation Wall; https://bit.ly/34bAfYQ

We marked International Women's day by coming together throughout the day to talk about the women who inspire us. Across...
09/03/2022

We marked International Women's day by coming together throughout the day to talk about the women who inspire us. Across our four offices we have 65 amazing women, Directors, Department Heads, Managers, Property Managers, Assistants, Consultants and Accountants working in our commercial, residential, student, insurance, administration and professional departments.

What a team! Happy International Women's day to all.

With legislation constantly changing it's not surprising that some Landlords are feeling self-management is getting too ...
16/02/2022

With legislation constantly changing it's not surprising that some Landlords are feeling self-management is getting too complex and time consuming! We asked Debbie Pennell, our Head of Residential Lettings and Management, to discuss the challenges and how to stay ahead of changes to legislation: https://bit.ly/3BhcKJT

If you're seeking an elegant period home in the heart of Herne Bay's up-and-coming conservation area, just one road back...
28/01/2022

If you're seeking an elegant period home in the heart of Herne Bay's up-and-coming conservation area, just one road back from the sea, this three bedroom home is for you.

It has been sympathetically and stylishly updated and is available for long-term rent, find out more: https://bit.ly/3rU45sG

We are looking for an experienced Service Charge Accountant to work across our large portfolio of commercial properties....
19/01/2022

We are looking for an experienced Service Charge Accountant to work across our large portfolio of commercial properties. As one of Kent's leading property consultancies we have a culture of teamwork and respect for each other's expertise and knowledge. Our staff are always willing to assist, share intelligence and creativity to enable the team to benefit from the knowledge and experiences of many generations.

If you are interested in joining us, please contact Deborah Preston; [email protected], we'd be delighted to hear from you.

The job description can be found here: https://bit.ly/33IPOGJ

Fantastic three bedroom semi-detached House with front and rear garden in the popular village of Chalk. Available to ren...
13/01/2022

Fantastic three bedroom semi-detached House with front and rear garden in the popular village of Chalk. Available to rent from beginning of February.

Find out more: https://bit.ly/3HYZ5JK

Address

107 Watling Street
Gillingham
ME72YX

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9am - 5:30pm
Friday 9am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+441634576000

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Caxtons Residential posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Caxtons Residential:

Shortcuts

Share

Category