This week, the Government has announced its intentions to implement mandatory Electrical Safety testing for all rental properties. This will mean every fixed electrical installation is inspected and tested at least every five years by a qualified person. We have consulted our approved contractors to find out a bit more about the process of Electrical Testing and why its necessary. What is Electrical Safety testing? Electrical safety testing should be carried out by a NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting) accredited electrician and they will carry out an inspection and then issue a report. During the inspection the accredited […]

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The Tenant Fee Ban is the legislation that everyone is talking about for 2019, set to shake up the rental market in England and put an end to unregulated fees and charging of tenants. Whilst many agents are uncertain of the implications of the Act, as independent letting specialists with over 25 years of experience we have been planning and preparing for the fee ban for the past few years and are promoting it as a time of great opportunity for Landlords. Here are Parks’ top 5 predictions on how the Tenant Fees Ban could change the rental market and […]

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In September 2018 Brighton & Hove City Council applied for and received approval for a Selective Licensing Scheme. Initially approved by the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), this would have operated in the twelve wards in Brighton and Hove affecting 27,000 homes. Unexpectedly, Brighton & Hove City Council’s licence has been revoked by the same Secretary of State who originally approved the scheme. On 2nd November Brighton and Hove City Council posted a statement on their website, this reads as below: “The designation for Selective Licensing has been withdrawn by the Secretary […]

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The Government has been improving the standards of Residential Letting & Property Management agents throughout England by introducing legislation over recent years, one such piece of legislation is the introduction of compulsory Client Money Protection. Parks has been a regulated and licensed member of Propertymark since 2004, which already required its members to be audited, hold Client Money Protection (“CMP”) for all clients’ money and have professional indemnity insurance. A Government consultation paper published in March 2017 found that only 60% of Residential Letting Agents protected landlord and tenants money by ring fencing and protecting their clients’ deposits and rents from misappropriation through Client Money Protection.  The consultation does […]

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