The Gazette 1996

JULY 1996

U A Z t l l b

a c c ommo d a t i on which includes an apartment, flat, maisonette, etc., but not mobile h omes or caravans. This obligation applies to appropriate a c c ommo d a t i on rented by^a private landlord, voluntary bodies, local authorities or employers, if a rent is payable. A rent book is not required for a holiday letting. The date the landlord was obliged to supply a rent book in relation to a tenancy which c omme n c ed before September 1, 1993 was No v emb er 1, 1993. The rent book records the rent and other payments made by the tenant to the landlord and must contain other information: • the address of the a c c ommo d a t i o n: • the name or address of the landlord and of the landlord's agent (if any); • the tenant's name; • the term of the tenancy; • the amount of the rent and wh en and h ow it is to be paid, • particulars of any payments other than rent to be paid by the tenant to the landlord for services e.g. heating or piped television; • the amount and purpose of any deposit paid by the tenant and the conditions under which it will be refunded by the landlord; • a statement of information wh i ch advises tenants of their basic rights; • particulars of the name, address and telephone numbers of the housing authority in wh o se area the a c c ommo d a t i on is situated; • the date of c omme n c eme nt of the tenancy; and • an inventory of furnishings and The last t wo particulars need not be included where the tenancy c omme n c ed before 1 September 1993. It is the landlord's responsibility to enter the information in the rent book. Any subsequent c h a n g es in the information must be entered in the rent book by the landlord within one month of the change. An e x amp le of such 178 appliances supplied by the landlord for the tenant's use.

• provide proper ventilation and lighting to each room; • maintain c ommon facilities for cooking, f o od storage, lighting and heating in g o od repair and safe working order; • maintain c ommon sinks, toilets, baths, showers or other c ommon areas in g o od repair and in a clean condition; and • provide a secure handrail for any c ommon stairway. Landlords who fail to comply with any statutory duties imposed on them are liable to a fine of £1,000 and £100 per day for any continuing offence. The landlord is not under any duty to a tenant in relation to anything the tenant is entitled to r emo ve or for repairing glass breakages in w i n d o ws in any part of the building of wh i ch the tenant has e x c l u s i ve use. In relation to a toilet, bath or s h ower facilities in a building containing t wo or more flats, a toilet and bath or | s h ower must be provided either in j the flat itself or e l s ewh e re within the building but not more than o ne • ! general, there must be at least o ne toilet and bath or s h ower for each t wo flats. How e v e r, up to four flats may be served by o ne toilet or by o ne bath or s h ower provided the flats ! are not intended to be o c c u p i ed by more than four persons in all. For e x amp l e, four bedsitters each o c c u p i ed by o ne tenant may be served by a single toilet/bath. floor a b o ve or b e l ow the flat. In Local authorities are responsible for e n f o r c i ng the legal requirements in relation to registration, rent b o o ks and standards described above. Local authorities include the c oun ty c oun c i l, corporation or urban district c o un c il in w h o s e area the rented a c c ommo d a t i on is located. Co un ty c o u n c i ls are responsible for t owns with t own c omm i s s i o n e r s. Th e se authorities have p owe rs to investigate any breaches Enforcement of Regulations

change wo u ld be a rent increase or if the landlord appointed a n ew agent. I Wh e re other payments for services are { ' made directly by the tenant to the landlord, the landlord must, at that time, either record the payment and j sign for it in the rent book or provide a | signed receipt containing full details of the payment. Where payments are made other than in person e.g. by standing order, bank giro etc., the landlord must, within three months, either record and sign for the payment in the rent book or g i ve the tenant a written statement of the j payment. |

Standards for Rented Accommodation

Since January 1, 1994 landlords of rented a c c ommo d a t i on including

apartments, flats, maisonettes etc., (but not mobile h omes or caravans) let for rent or "other valuable consideration" j have a statutory duty to ensure that these dwe l l i n gs c omp ly with certain ' m i n i mum physical standards. Ho u s es | let by local authorities are subject to the same standards from January 1, ! 1998. The standards do not apply to |

I

• holiday lettings or bona fide temporary lettings; or • certain c ommun al type a c c ommo d a t i on provided by health boards or approved voluntary bodies. The standards are set out in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 1993. Th e se standards require landlords to:

j

• ensure that the house is in a proper state of structural repair, i.e. that it is essentially sound with the roof, floors, ceilings, walls and stairs in g o od repair; • provide a sink with hot and cold water facilities in each dwelling; • provide toilet and bath or shower facilities; • provide adequate means for heating or installing c o o k i ng equipment and for storing food; • maintain installations for the

i

i '

supply of electricity or gas in g o od repair and safe working order;