London’s residential market, at least in the short term, lost out during the pandemic. London’s average prices increased by 2.8% over the year to September, compared with 11.8% nationally. In some central London postcodes, prices contracted from 10 to 20% at the pandemic’s height. But with London’s office workers and international buyers returning, is the capital about to regain lost ground?

To read more, click here.

Property fraud happens when a fraudster changes the registered details of a building to pose as its owner. The fraudster then applies for a mortgage or sells the property to an unwitting buyer and disappears with the proceeds.

A guide to help homeowners avoid property title fraud has been released by the Fraud Advisory Panel, HM Land Registry and the Law Society of England and Wales.

The full property title fraud guide is available to read here.

The government wants to raise the minimum energy efficiency standards to EPC Band C by 2025 for new tenancies in private rented homes and by 2028 for all tenancies to improve the overall energy performance of the private rented sector in England and Wales. The consultation on the proposals ran until 8 January 2021 and they feature in the Minimum Energy Performance of Buildings bill, which is now awaiting its second reading in the House of Lords. The government has announced a plan of action for how to improve the use and performance of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), which includes updating the Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012 (EPB Regulations) in 2022.

Following a consultation on the government’s proposals to extend regulations on domestic smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in both social and private rented accommodation, the government has now confirmed its plans to amend the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015. The new regulations will make smoke alarms mandatory in all social rented homes, carbon monoxide alarms will need to be fitted in all rented properties with gas boilers or fires and in all rooms with a fixed combustion device - plus all landlords or their property managers will be required to fix faulty alarms once informed of any issue.

From the end of the temporary Covid-adjusted right to rent checks to Making Tax Digital for VAT returns, landlords are going to need letting agents' guidance more than ever in 2022 when it comes to compliance.

Key Dates In 2022

  • February 2022: Energy price cap increase to be announced

  • 1 April 2022: Covid-19 adjusted right to rent checks (England)

  • 1 April 2022: Making Tax Digital for VAT (UK)

Key Dates In 2023 & Beyond

  • 1 April 2023: ​​Economic Crime (Anti-Money Laundering) Levy (UK)

  • 6 April 2024: Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessments (UK)

Legislation Dates Yet To Be Confirmed

  • Winter 2021/2022: Confirmation on increasing Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (England and Wales)

  • Early 2022: Renters' Reform Bill white paper (England)

  • TBC: Building Safety Bill expected to receive royal assent

  • TBC: Regulation of Property Agents (RoPA) (England)

  • TBC: Making Tax Digital for Corporation Tax (UK)


For more information, click here

 

 

Property Portals