Lichfield District Private Landlords’ Forum

Notes from Meeting held Thursday 22nd January 2015

Attendees:

Private Landlords & Lettings Agents / Lichfield District Council Representatives
Name / Organisation / D Whittaker / Housing Options Manager (Chair)
Bob Johnson / Private Landlord / Pat Leybourne / Revenues & Benefits Manager
Christine Johnson / Private Landlord / R. Ohren / Private Sector Housing Officer
Neville Guest / Private Landlord / Other Attendees
Anthony Everall / Private Landlord / Name / Organisation
Ron Glynn / Private Landlord / Anne Smith / Bromford
Bev Booth / Private Landlord / Louise Fenn / Bromford
Stephen Whinyates / Jayman Lettings / Mandy Bygrave / National Landlords Association
Andrea Gibbons / Private Landlord / Simon King / Pickering Solicitors
Darren Gibbons / Private Landlord / Peter Humpherson / Pickering Solicitors
David McGuffie / Private Landlord / Simon Barber / Ideal Boilers
Sandra Davies / Private Landlord / Lee Kingston / Ideal Boilers
Mike Boston / Private Landlord
Kayley Harrison / Lichfield Diocese
Julianne Phillips -Jones / Mellway Lettings
Julie Taylor / Mellway Lettings
Matthew Bird / Let it be Properties

Apologies:

Name / Organisation
Claire Lear / Valuation Office Agency
Cllr C Greatorex / Cabinet Member-Community, Housing & Health
Stan Rowlands / Private Landlord
Fiona Cassidy / Jayman’s Letting Agents

1. Introduction

DW welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were made.

2. Apologies

Apologies were given as above

3. Notes of last meeting

The notes were accepted as a true record of the meeting held on the 24th July 2014.

4. Matters arising

Ron Glynn advised he was present at the meeting but was not recorded in the minutes.

5. Speakers

Presentation 1 - Section 8 Notices – Simon King and Peter Humpherson, Pickering’s Solicitors

Other Grounds

Ground 2 – mortgagee requires possession of the property because of mortgage arrears (2 months notice)

Ground 5 – Minister of Religion

Ground 12 – other obligation of the tenancy broken (2 weeks notice)

Ground 13 – condition of the property, deterioration due to tenant (2 weeks notice)

Ground 14 – tenant/other occupier causing a nuisance (no period of notice), need evidence.

All are discretionary grounds.

Mandy Bygrave – Labour proposing a minimum tenancy term of 3 years

Procedure

  • Serve section 8 and/or section 21 notices.
  • Await expiry of relevant time limits
  • Check which ground can be relied on
  • Issue claim form to Court (fee £250 online of £280 for paper).
  • Witness Statement/and or attend court – advised to do both
  • If possession order granted and expired, and tenant has not vacated- instruct Bailiff

Deposit issues

3 Government backed schemes

If you do not secure any deposit in a government backed scheme within 30 days of receipt if tenancy post April 2007 and give written confirmation to the tenant within 30 days, you cannot serve a section 21 notice on the tenant until you either:

  • Return the deposit in full to the tenant
  • Agree deductions with the tenant

No preclusion on serving section 8 notice even with deposit issues

The Court could order you to pay the tenant between 1 and 3 x the deposit

Could be offset against arrears

Q 6 months rent is paid in advance. How much notice?

A still require 2 months notice

Presentation 2 - Boilers – Simon Barber, Lee Kingston, Ideal Boilers

  • 110of years of manufacturing, based in Hull.
  • Manufacturing - 120,000 units in 2006, 303,000 units in 2013.
  • Have gone from 7th to 2ndbiggest boiler manufacturer in the UK, the first being Worcester.
  • No fault forwarded, picked up in assembly.
  • 6% of boilers installed will have a call back.
  • Service engineers work on their behalf. First rate fixes. Recalls within 30 days marked against engineer.
  • Guarantee same day, next day service for vulnerable tenants.
  • Have two Training Centres of Excellence based in Leeds and Reading.
  • Mobile units of up to 5-6 people, training sessions on site.
  • Training courses free via Simon or Lee.
  • Vogue boiler 10 year warranty with 10-12 years expectancy. Any longer may not be as energy efficient. Older boilers may have lasted longer but no longer meet criteria.
  • Call out - fixed price repair, £275.00
  • Have supplied 4000 to Birmingham CC, 1200 to Dudley MBC for social housing.
  • There are safety mechanisms integral to the boiler so that if it is starved of gas it will shut down.
  • Several plumbers merchants have own brand boilers made by Ideal e.g Plumbcenter, PTS, City Plumbing and Plumbase.
  • 85% sales are combi boilers.
  • Receive lots of user error call outs – ideally they spend a small amount of time going through controls etc with the owner/tenant.
  • Winter months turn up to maximum to get the best out of the boiler for efficiency.
  • A service reminder is built into the boiler. Integral/mechanical time clock.
  • There is an overlay to go over a boiler for a visually impaired client.

Q. What about condensing boilers?

A. Condensing – some boilers release heat out of the back. Ideal boilers create steam- the more steam, the more efficient.

Q Can condensing boilers freeze in cold weather?

A. This can happen but steps have been taken to minimize this. It depends on the position of the trap for the condensate

Q. Any clauses for servicing times?

A. An annual service is recommended. Any Gas Safe engineer can carry out a service and you should ask them to complete the log book but if this is not doen it does not invalidate the warranty. An annual service is approximately £70-£80.

Q. When service completed is a Gas Safety Certificate issued?

A. No. We cannot issue Gas Safety Certificate as a manufacturer.

Presentation 3 - Bromford Support – Anne Smith, Bromford Support

  • Bromford Support offer a floating support service to individuals from 16 years onwards, including tenants of private landlords.
  • Tenants need to give their permission for the Landlord to contact Bromford.
  • The length of time a client can be supported will vary according to need but can be up to 6-9 months support for real needs.
  • The service is funded via the County Council.
  • Bromford Support also operate a drop in service at Lichfield District Council offices on Wednesday mornings.

6. Housing Standards (Standing item)

  • Roy is the contact for all enquiries from landlords and tenants regarding housing standards (Tel 01543 308714 or email )
  • Roy has recently received complaints from GP’s regarding condensation in properties. Some tenants not understanding the heating systems.
  • It is easier to use the thermostat, not turn the heating on and off.
  • In a terrace, being next door to an empty property can cause damp problems – requires heating and ventilation.

Q. Are passive vents any use?

A. They can be better than normal air vents. Acoustic filters can be put onto the vent to erase noise e.g road noise.

7. Housing Benefit (Standing item)

  • Universal Credit (UC) rolled out to Staffordshire authorities within the next few weeks. LDC 23rd March 2015.
  • For new claimants claiming JSA and without complex housing costs.
  • System filters out clients who are not suitable for UC, and those with complex rents e.g anything with service charges, which could include most RSL rentals.
  • 96% of JSA claims are made on line, so they are promoting this method of claiming for UC. Job Centres are digitally ready.
  • Change of role for Job Centre staff – engaging with people back into work.

Shropshire has been doing this for a while.

  • Local Authorities to provide support for DWP and to customers, providing on line access and assistance eg personal budget support.

Q Will all current direct payments to landlords be reassessed?

A. Yes. Direct payments can be made where the tenant is vulnerable (although no definition of vulnerable has been made). This vulnerability can be temporary eg where a claimant has suffered a bereavement. Direct payment can also be made where there are rent arrears.

8. National Landlords Association Update (Standing item)

  • NLA are currently talking to Landlords regarding managing risks.
  • 19% of Landlords make a loss on rental business.
  • 40% of Landlords in the East Midlands face serious rent arrears.
  • Interest rates – a prediction to rise,but when and by how much?
  • Labour plan to introduce rent controls, 3 year tenancies, rent increases to standard formulas, a ban on letting agent fees for tenants and an end to section 21’s.

9. Any other business

  1. DW has received contact from two agencies for landlords to advertise private rented properties online. Localpad and Lookinglocal. He suggested that links to the two sites be included in the minutes and landlords can have a look to decide whether they wish to take it further. If so, DW would able to organise a demonstration. The two organisations are

Localpad

Some examples of their sites include:

Lookinglocal

  1. DG thanked DW and MB for all their hard work at the Forum Meetings.

10. Date of next meeting

Thursday 23rd April 2015 – joint Tamworth and Lichfield Forum with Tamworth Housing – commencing 9.30am and held at Wilnecote Parish Hall, Watling Street, Tamworth B77 5AD

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