Picking your way through the minefield – the app for new tenancies.

The list of things that need to be sorted out when you give someone a new tenancy never ends. Here’s a few … Gas safety certificates, EPC, deposit protection, tenant referencing, council tax, ‘right to rent’ immigration checks, section 21s, smoke detectors and there are plenty more you can add.

Tenants need to know most of this as well as the landlord and from a landlord perspective, keeping tenants well informed helps

• tenants understand a landlord’s responsibilities
• build trust and avoid misunderstandings

So the Homestamp Consortium (which Sandwell Council is a leading member of) has just launched a new app – ‘Check before you rent.’ This takes tenants through what they need to consider when looking at a possible new home. But the app can also be a handy reminder for landlords. It’s completely free to use and you can download it from either the Apple ‘App Store’ or Google Play today.

The app is already attracting attention, featuring in news reports on local radio and we would love to know what you think about it. So please do have a look. If you have comments or questions, please send them direct to Gary Wright at gary_wright@sandwell.gov.uk

 

Sold out landlord conference looks at the future for privately rented housing

Lord Best – Chair of the Council of the Property Ombudsman at the West Midlands Landlord Conference

Over 400 landlords and agents attended the sell-out West Midlands Private Landlord and Letting Agent Conference at Walsall Football Stadium last Friday.

Change seemed to be the underlying theme of the conference. Change in:

• The regulations and legislation controlling the sector
• The demands of the housing market
• The innovations and new ways of working that landlords will need to adopt.
• The welfare support that many tenants depend on and their responsibilities to manage their rent.

With Sandwell’s Stephen Gabriel as MC, we had some first rate speakers, with presentations from Gerry Lyng of the Department of Work and Pensions on Universal Credit,  David Cox, the Managing Director of the Association of Residential Lettings Agents giving his round-up of the state of the sector and Gary Wright introducing the innovative, new app for tenants ‘Check Before You Rent.’ (Look out for a separate blog post on the app shortly). In addition, we had Lord Best, a leading and respected expert across all aspects of housing and the unmissable Mary Latham of the National Landlords Association. The conference highlighted just how important it is for landlords to keep themselves informed, up to date and in touch with both other landlords and the council officers who deal with their issues. Although the next conference isn’t until next year, Sandwell’s own next landlord forum will be on 17^th December at Oldbury Council House. To book a place, email Tina Dolan at tina_dolan@sandwell.gov.uk

If you attended the conference and have any comments or feedback you would like to share … its not too late. Drop an email to Liz Mooney at Elizabeth_mooney@sandwell.gov.uk

Oliver