News

?Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Universal Credit has become a lifeline for many households. In the first two weeks of lockdown alone there were over 500,000 claims per week, more than nine times the usual weekly level of applications.

?In a further blow to the PRS, the ban on possession proceedings has been extended until 20 September and landlords must now provide tenants with at least 6 months’ notice period prior to seeking possession through the courts in most cases.

Earlier this year, Caridon Landlord Solutions joined other industry experts in responding to the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee’s inquiry into the economics of Universal Credit. Following this, a series of recommendations for an overhaul of Universal Credit have now been handed to the Department for Work and Pensions by the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee.

Under a landmark court case heard in York County Court on 1 July, a tenant challenged a letting agent for rejecting her application for a privately rented property on the basis of her being in receipt of housing benefit, and won her case.

This week, Secretary of State Thérèse Coffey took questions from the Economic Affairs Committee on the economics of Universal Credit. As part of this she told MPs that she does not want to see a return to the widespread use of direct rent payments to landlords with tenants in receipt of housing benefit, despite praising the new online Alternative Payment Arrangement system which makes setting up direct payments much quicker.

Did you know that under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, from 1 July 2020 landlords will be required to have property electrics checked at least every 5 years by a properly qualified person. The electrics must meet certain standards and landlords must give their tenants proof of this.