RLA : RPI : In brief - August / September 2003

News from the Residential Property Investor, the bi-monthly magazine for RLA members

other artilces from the August / September 2003 issue

In brief - August / September 2003

Failure to act on repeated local authority advice and warnings about the inadequacy of fire safety precautions at two of his properties has cost a London landlord £4,500 in fines and court costs. Mohammad Afaz Khan pleaded guilty to charges arising from his failure to bring his Leyton High Road properties up to current standards, when he appeared before Waltham Forest Magistrates Court recently. Khan said he managed 100 rented properties, 20 of which he owned.

Changing lifestyles have meant demand for flats has risen faster than for houses over the last 10 years, the market intelligence company Key Note has reported. The average flat price went up 149 per cent to £125,600 between the third quarters of 1992 and 2002. With the number of people living alone having increased by 1m over the last 10 years, 40 per cent of house buyers are now single compared with 25 per cent in 1983.

Same sex couples could gain tenancy succession rights under proposals for a civil partnership registration scheme published by the Government. Nine other EU countries already have provision for recognising same sex partnerships and 'civil partnership registration is well established as a way of providing legal recognition for same sex couples', said the Government.

The Local Government Association is calling for support from registered social landlords for the idea of empowering local authorities to lease and temporarily manage privately owned properties that remain empty. 'Dilapidated homes can lead to all sorts of local problems', said LGA Housing Executive chairman Richard Kemp who is championing the proposal. 'With a need to provide decent homes for people while reducing the pressure to build new properties on greenfield sites, it's vital that we use all the avenues open to us', he said.

The £33m grant to local authorities to help them improve the administration of housing benefit is the 'biggest ever investment in housing benefit since the scheme began in 1988', said Housing Benefit Minister Chris Pond. The priority for use of the first batch of money is to improve the speed and accuracy of processing claims and preventing and recovering overpayments.

Hamptons International has reported a 50 per cent increase in the volume of properties let in London this July compared with last. Its country branches say lettings are 66 per cent higher. 'Strongest demand in the capital is for lower priced, smaller properties close to the Underground. Strongest demand in the country is for mid-market properties up to £2,500 per calendar month'.

Two Spalding landlords admitted to unlawful eviction and unlawful harassment when appearing at Lincoln Crown Court recently. Darren Robinson returned home to find the locks to his rented house had been changed and his belongings had been put in the shed. Landlords Alison Bourne and Christopher Thompson had not given Robinson written notice but had left a note on the door saying they were 'sick' of telling him to leave.

From the end of September leaseholders of flats will have the right to take over the management of their building without having to prove fault on the part of the landlord or pay compensation for the right. This is one of a raft of rights contained in the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 activated by a commencement order laid before Parliament in August. Another change will be a strengthening of leaseholders' rights against unreasonable charges levied under their lease.

other artilces from the August / September 2003 issue

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