Private Sector Landlords · range of partners, to help improve housing standards. IAccredited...

Winter 2014

On 14 May 2014 the

Immigration Bill received

Royal Assent, in doing so it

became the Immigration

Act 2014.

The Immigration Act 2014

introduced a requirement for

landlords of private rented

accommodation to conduct

checks to establish that new

tenants have the right to rent in

the UK. If an agent is

managing a property and

sourcing tenants for a landlord,

it may be assumed by a

landlord that such checks will

form part of the agent’s duties.

Landlords or agents will be

required to make simple checks

on the immigration status of

their tenants, these will include:-

• Asking prospective tenants

to produce identification

from a checklist of specified

documents.

• Checking the documentary

evidence and retain copies

of the documents as

evidence that the check has

been carried out.

• Not leasing a property to a

tenant who cannot produce

satisfactory evidence of their

rights to reside in the UK.

These checks will only apply to

new tenancy agreements.

Existing tenancy agreements

are unaffected and landlords

will not be required to carry out

retrospective checks. The

requirements apply to all adults

(aged 18 and over) living within

the property.

Landlords or agents may be

fined up to £3,000 per tenant if

they are found to have rented to

an illegal migrant without

carrying out the necessary

checks.

There are a number of

exemptions from these new

requirements:-

• Any accommodation

provided by a local authority

where they are under a

statutory duty to do so

(including where the tenant

is placed into the private

rented sector).

• Accommodation provided by

an employer for an

employee.

• Hostels and refuges.

• Hall of residence for

students or where a higher

educational institute has

nominated a student for

accommodation.

The Government has agreed to

a staged roll out of the

requirements and the first

phase will be implemented in

Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell,

Walsall and Wolverhampton

(but will not apply to Solihull or

Coventry) to allow an evaluation

to be made before a national

roll-out. The first phase of the

provision will come into force

from 1st December 2014.

It is anticipated that the

requirements may apply more

widely from 2015.

Guidance is available to help

landlords, agents and tenants to

understand how these

measures apply to them and

which explain how to carry out

the checks is available at

www.gov.uk/government/

publications/right-to-rent-

landlords-code-of-practice

or via a telephone helpline

0300 069 9799.

A case checking service is also

available for status verification

where the prospective tenant

has an outstanding immigration

application with the Home

Office or the Home Office has

their documents, by completing

a form online or by telephone.

This service will provide a clear

yes or no answer within two

working days.

The Immigration BillDASH Landlord

Accreditation

Green

Deal

Sprinklers

Smoke

Detection

Mould and

Condensation

Handy

Van

p2

Contents:

p2

p4

p5

p6

Private Sector

Landlords

www.erewash.gov.uk

p7

Private Landlords Bulletin Winter 2014:July 2011 Issue 10/10/2014 16:56

Accreditation is a set of standards (or code) relating tothe management and conditionof privately rented accommodation.

DASH Landlord Accreditation Scheme

The vast majority of landlordsdo a fantastic job in providingquality accommodation for theirtenants. DASH Landlord Accreditation scheme allowsthem to be publically recognised for being good.

DASH Landlord Accreditationis a scheme which recognisesand acknowledges private sector landlords with good standards in the condition andmanagement of their propertiesand their relationship with their tenants.

The scheme has been successfully operating since2008 and is open to all landlords in the East Midlandswho own and manage let property.

On completion, the landlord willbe awarded the scheme’s quality mark of ‘DASH Accredited Landlord’ and theirname will be added to the public register.

Accreditation is akey way that landlords canstand out as

professionals

The scheme aims to help landlords maintain the skillsand knowledge needed tomanage their lettings professionally. DASH offers landlords -

Tr aining sessions

Help with tenant difficulties

Continual professionaldevelopment opportunities

Newsletters

Landlord Roadshows

Consultation and research.

Membership to DASH Landlord Accreditation is free,and lasts for 3-years.

How to achieve accredited status

To achieve accredited status, a landlord must complete / agree the following:

Agree and comply with our code of conduct including being a “fit and proper person”.

Complete the Landlord Development Course and keep up to date with changes in legislation and guidance through continuous professional development.

Have a health and safety check on a sample of your properties to make sure they meet the scheme standards.

Linda Cobb, DASH Manager says...

“Accreditation offers the private rented sector ameans of ‘self regulation’that is to say DASH Landlord Accreditation is notan enforcement body.

“Our success comes fromworking in partnership with arange of partners, to help improve housing standards.

“Accredited Landlordsshould be personally rewarded for their hard workand commitment to good standards”.

www.dashservices.org.uk01332 641111

www.erewash.gov.uk

Private Sector Landlords Winter 2014

2

It is estimatedthat anywhere between 20 -50,000 landlordshave joined an accreditationscheme across the UK.

Erewash Borough Council

will be holding its 6th

annual conference for

Private Sector Landlords.

The council would like to invite

you to this year’s conference

which will be a valuable

opportunity to be updated on a

range of current topics that

may benefit you as a landlord.

It is anticipated that the

conference will be held during

November/December 2014.

The conference is free to

attend and is aimed at

enhancing the knowledge of

landlords, letting agents and all

those involved in the private

rented sector.

We will be contacting you with

further details in due course,

but in mean time if you would

like to register your interest in

attending the conference

please contact the

Housing Renewal Team

0115 931 6060 or

[email protected]

Landlords Conference 2014



www.erewash.gov.uk 3

Energy EfficiencyOn the 1st May 2014 the

government launched the

Green Deal Home

Improvement Fund

(GDHIF), making £120

million available. The

scheme offered cashback

vouchers to households in

return for the installation

of energy efficiency

measures. For the first

time solid wall insulation

qualified for significant

financial assistance.

The GDHIF was expected by

the Department of Energy and

Climate Change (DECC) to

last 12 months.

The scheme required

households to have a Green

Deal Assessment done to

identify which energy efficiency

measures could be installed.

The cost of the assessment

could be claimed back via the

GDHIF when the cashback

voucher to install measures

was registered.

On the 22nd July DECC cut

the maximum payment

available after £50 million of

the £120 million budget had

been taken. The warning

sparked a rush to apply and

the remaining £70 million was

taken up in just three days,

leading DECC to halt the

scheme with immediate effect

at 6.30pm on Thursday

24th July.

The lesson to be learned from

this is the importance of having

a Green Deal Assessment in

place. It is almost certain that

any new financial initiatives

offered by DECC will require a

Green Deal Assessment and

having one will allow a swift

response to any new schemes,

thereby increasing the chance

of receiving funds. Hopefully,

as with the GDHIF, the cost of

an existing Green Deal

Assessment will be able to be

claimed for within any new

scheme.

With landlords coming under

pressure from the government

to improve the energy

efficiency of their properties,

being ‘ready to go’ as and

when new schemes become

available would seem to be the

way forward.

Energy Performance

Certificates (EPC)

From 2018 Landlords

should ensure their

privately rented properties

meet a minimum energy

efficiency standard (likely

to be set at EPC rating ‘E’ )

or that they have installed

the maximum of packages

of measures under the

Green Deal.

For further help or advice visit

www.gov.uk/greendealor contact:

Kay Kent

Home Energy

Efficiency Officer


T: 0115 931 6061 or

[email protected]

Futures Homescape, a local

housing provider, are keen to

lease and manage more

properties on behalf of private

property owners, following

successful schemes in

Erewash and Amber Valley.

Properties can be blocks of

apartments or houses; or

individual properties. They may

be new- build; conversions (for

example from offices) or

existing residential units.

Futures lease and manage

tenancies, for up to five years

as part of its innovative and

growing private sector leasing

scheme. The properties are

offered at market rent with

Futures Homescape taking a

percentage of the rental

income over the five-year

period to manage the

tenancies.

Futures have many years’

experience of managing and

leasing properties in Erewash

and Amber Valley - both for

affordable housing, and more

recently with properties for

market rent. They have

delivered a number of

schemes in partnership with

Erewash Borough Council.

A recently completed local

development for market rent

has been very successful for

Futures; the landlord and for

local people needing good

quality, well managed homes.

Paul Whittingham, Head of

Housing at Futures

Homescape, said: “Our

reputation of managing

tenancies and our guarantee of

rental income means we can

offer something credible,

secure and economically

viable to private landlords to

provide homes across the

area.”

A landlord who owns

properties across the area,

said: “From my point of view it

is the perfect match. Futures

Homescape had an offer which

really worked for me and in the

process has created new

homes for people in the area

who need them.

“The fact I get less rental

income because Futures takes

a percentage to manage the

properties is actually made up

by the fact I get guaranteed

income over the five years and

I don’t have any of the

administration costs

associated with running the

development.

“The security of having a

housing provider behind the

project made it possible in

terms of getting the loan to

fund the development and

being able to forecast

long-term income.

“I’ve worked with Futures

Homescape on a number of

schemes in the area and look

forward to continuing to do so.”

Futures would like to hear from

landlords with properties or

potential developments in

Erewash and/or Amber Valley.

For more information on the

scheme, contact Emma

Lindley, Private Sector

Coordinator, Futures

Homescape at

emma.lindley@

futureshomescape.co.uk

Tel: 01773 573195

GreenDeal

Futures Homescape Leasing & ManagementScheme for Private Landlords



www.erewash.gov.uk 5www.erewash.gov.uk


4

Sprinklers Derbyshire Fire & Rescue

Authority plays a key

leadership role in promoting

a better understanding of the

benefits of sprinklers as part

of a core commitment to

reducing the impact of fire

on people, property and the

environment in Derbyshire.

There is clear evidence that

sprinklers can be effective in

stopping fires spreading,

significantly enhancing fire

safety within the home and

drastically reducing death and

series injury as a result of fire.

Smoke detectors are a

excellent alert system and

warn you there is a fire, but a

sprinkler system will extinguish

the fire, protecting the

occupants and prevent further

fire damage that can leave a

property inhabitable.

Derbyshire Fire & Rescue

Service are attending more

and more house fires where

smoke alarms are not working

or simply not fitted.

Sprinklers have been

successfully used for

protection of property such as

factories, department stores

and shopping centres for well

over 130 years and there is

now a growing appreciation of

their potential to save lives in

domestic properties where the

majority of deaths from fire

occur.

Sprinklers can:

• Reduce death and injury

from fire.

• Reduce the risks to

firefighters.

• Protect property and

heritage.

• Reduce the effects of

arson.

• Reduce the environmental

impact of fire.

• Reduce fire costs and the

disruption to the community

and business.

• Permit design freedoms

and encourage innovative,

inclusive and sustainable

architecture.

Domestic Premises

Fire in the home still accounts

for the greatest number of fire

deaths and injuries each year.

While it would be ideal for all

domestic premises to have

sprinklers, it is recognised that

this is not practical or realistic.

We advocate the fitting of

sprinklers in the homes of

people most at risk from fire -

younger people, older people,

people with mental health

problems and those who have

mobility problems. Derbyshire

Fire & Rescue Service work in

partnership with developers,

the residents of Derbyshire and

social housing landlords to

encourage the installation of

sprinklers in the homes of most

vulnerable people.

Design Freedoms

Sprinklers can allow much

more interesting use of space.

New building codes work on a

performance-based approach

to the safety of a building, so

by including sprinklers,

designers can achieve greater

freedom to fulfil their overall

vision. They can include

features such as:

• Larger compartment sizes.

• More open spatial designs.

• Reducing exit door widths.

• Reducing periods of fire

resistance to elements of

structure.

• Reducing constraints such

as distance between

buildings.

For more information please

contact Derbyshire Fire and

Rescue Service on

0115 932 6832

or visit their website

www.derbys-fire.gov.uk/

campaigns/think-sprinkler/

The timeline below illustrates the progression of a fire in a building both with and without a

sprinkler system.

According to the Fire

Statistics for Great Britain

between April 2012 to

March 2013 only 12 per

cent of dwellings within

England were reported to

not having working smoke

alarms and more than one

third of fires occurred

within dwellings in Great

Britain had no smoke

alarm installed.

Although there is no legal

requirement under the

Regulatory Reform (Fire

Safety) Order 2005 for Housing

Associations and Private

Landlords to install smoke

alarm systems, they do

however have a “Duty of Care”

to their tenants to fit this

standard.

Local Authorities have

enforcement powers under the

Housing Act 2004 Part 1 to

enforce the installation of fire

detection where there is no

adequate provision of smoke

detectors within the property.

Which type of detection

should be used?

BS 5839-6:2013 is the main

standard for design,

installation, testing and

maintenance of domestic fire

alarm systems and Building

Regulations refer to this

standard.

There are many and varied

types of fire alarm systems and

you should seek advice from a

competent electrician prior to

fitting a system to your

property. Traditionally there

are three types of sensor

technology that have been

used in domestic smoke

detectors.

Optical smoke alarms are

typically more effective at

detecting slow burning

fires, which can smoulder

for hours before bursting

into flames.

Ionisation smoke alarms

are generally more effective

at detecting fast, flaming

fires which consume

combustible materials

rapidly and spread fire

quickly.

Heat alarms are triggered

when room temperature

reaches a set point . These

alarms are generally used

in locations where other

alarm types are not

suitable, such as kitchens.

The diagram below shows

what type of detector should be

fitted in which area of the

property.

Wireless Alarm Systems

Many rental properties would

be suitable for the fitting of a

wireless alarm system, these

are usually wired into the

existing lighting main to

provide power but they also

have a battery standby. In

existing properties this is a

great advantage as they can

be fitted quickly and easily

without the need for a

separate circuit.

Each smoke alarm

communicates with others by

continuously sending and

receiving wireless signals

creating a 'meshed network.'

The systems can usually be

expanded and can be linked to

a panel.

For more information please

contact Derbyshire Fire and

Rescue Service on

0115 932 6832

or visit their website

www.derbys-fire.gov.uk

Home fire

safety checksOur Home Fire Safety Checks

take around half an hour to

complete and entail a brief

walk around the house to

identify obvious hazards, a

guided lesson on fire safety in

the home using the national

Fire Kills booklet as a prompt,

and we also fit smoke alarms

for eligible persons which are

free of charge.

If we feel a household is at an

elevated risk of fire we may

wish to revisit on a regular

basis to provide interventions

and reduce or eliminate the

identified fire risks. Community

Fire Safety Officers are also

trained to provide basic health

information and can sign-post

persons with additional

concerns on to relevant

agencies. Any person wishing

to enquire about a free home

fire safety check should ring

0115 932 6832 and speak to

the Fire Service Admin Team.

More information can be

found at:

www.derbys-fire.gov.uk/

keeping-safe/home-fire-

safety-check

Smoke Detection

Living Room

Kitchen

BedroomBathroomOptical

Ionisation

Heat


What is condensation?

Condensation is caused whenmoisture held in warm airmeets a cold surface like a window or wall and condensesinto water droplets. If this happens regularly then mouldmay start to grow. It will appear on cold surfaces and inplaces where there is littlemovement of air.

How to avoid condensation

1. Produce less moisture.

2. Increase ventilation to remove moisture.

3. Insulate, draught proof and heat the property.

What is mould?

Condensation can lead tomould growth. Moulds are afungi, which are simple plantsthat will grow wherever thereare damp surfaces in houses;the most common place is onand around windows.

First steps againstmould

First treat any mould that ispresent within the property andthen deal with the basic problem with condensation.Mould growth should not reoccur.

Wipe down windows and window-sills every morning in cold weather.

To kill and remove mould, wipe down the walls and window frames where the mould has formed with a fungicidal wash. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions precisely or you can use a mild bleach solution.

Disturbing by brushing or vacuum cleaning can increase the risk of respiratory problems.

After treatment, it is recommended to redecorate using a good quality fungicidal paint to help prevent mould recurring. Please note this paint is not effective if overlaid with ordinary paints and wallpaper.

If the carpets have been affected by mould growth then they should be professionally cleaned.

6 www.erewash.gov.uk


How to reducecondensation and mould growth

Please ask your tenants to

recycle as much as they can

using the blue and brown bins

and green bags.

If you require any leaflets to

help promote the recycling

message in your properties

then please do not hesitate to

contact Refuse & Recycling

Services on 0115 907 2244.

To ensure that your property is

left clean and tidy prior to any

re-occupation, the vacating

tenant should be encouraged

to use their free bulky waste

allowance.

If necessary any extra

unwanted items including any

household waste can be taken

to the Derbyshire County

Councils household waste

recycling centre located on

Manners Industrial Estate

in Ilkeston.

Information on the free bulky

waste service can be located

at:

www.erewash.gov.uk/

environment-waste/

household-rubbish-and-

recycling/special-

collections-for-large-items

A HMO can be defined as a

house or flat which is let to 3

or more tenants who form 2

or more households and

share a kitchen, bathroom

or toilet.

Self-contained flats that have

not been converted to the

standard of the 1991 Building

Regulations also fall under the

dentition of a HMO.

A Mandatory HMO License is

required when there are 5 or

more tenants who form 2 or

more households, sharing

amenities and the property is

3 storeys or more. The current

cost of a 5 year HMO License

is £793.00 and renewal of a

HMO License for a subsequent

5 years is £680.00.

If you are a landlord or

property developer and would

like more information of HMO’s

or would like an officer to visit a

property to discuss the

requirements before any

conversion works start, then

please contact a member of

the Housing Renewal Team on

0115 931 6060.

Recycling

Can you do more?Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO)

Private Landlords Bulletin Winter 2014:July 2011 Issue 10/10/2014 16:56 Page 6


www.erewash.gov.uk 7

The Handy Van service is

aimed at the more vulnerable

and elderly members of the

community over the age of

60 living in the Borough of

Erewash to enable them to

live safely in their own home.

Examples of work are:

• Home fire safety checks.

• Smoke alarms checked

and fitted.

• Home security checks.

• Energy efficiency advice.

• Falls Prevention Advice

Practical tasks for example,

• Changing light bulbs.

• Securing carpets and rugs.

• Removing and hanging

curtains.

• Checking stair rails and

appropriate path and door

access clearance.

Further information or to book

an appointment please call

Medequip on 01773 604426.

Metropolitan Care & Repair

are a home improvement

agency, working throughout

Derbyshire, which assists

home-owners and private

sector tenants.

We can support your tenants

by signposting to various

services e.g. befriending,

welfare rights and handyvan

service as well as offering

advice in relation to disabled

adaptations and housing

issues.

If you have a tenant who you

think may benefit from our

service, then please contact

us on:

0845 850 8013or email:

hiaderbyshire@

metropolitan.org.uk

Handy Van Service We may be able to help your tenants!

Every year around 70 deaths

and 350,000 injuries within

UK Homes are caused by

faulty electrical installations

and electrical equipment.

The majority of electrical

accidents are caused by

shocks, burns, fire and

mechanical movements

initiated by electricity.

Such accidents are mainly

caused by:-

• Broken accessories and

equipment;

• Deterioration of electrical

installation;

• Misuse of the installation

and equipment and

• Non or inconsistent

maintenance programmes.

Typical examples of potentially

dangerous electrical

installation are shown below.

The Landlords and Tenants Act

1985 states that private

landlords are responsible to

ensure that the electrical

installation and electrical

appliances in a rented property

are safe when a tenancy

begins and maintained in a

safe condition throughout

the tenancy.

The Electrical Safety Council

recommends that an electrical

installation inspection and test

should be carried out by a

registered electrician at least

every five years or on change

of tenancy in accordance with

BS 7671.

HMO’s

Under ‘The Management of

Houses in Multiple Occupation

(England) Regulations 2006’

states that the electrical

installation is inspected and

tested at intervals not

exceeding five years by a

qualified electrician in

accordance with BS 7671.

More information can be

obtained from:

www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.

uk/guides-and-advice/for-

landlords/

www.gov.uk/private-

renting/your-landlords-

safety-responsibilities

Electrical Safety


8 www.erewash.gov.uk


Council Contact

New Anti-social BehaviourTools and Powers

October 2014 sees the introduction of

new anti-social behaviour tools and

powers under the Anti-Social Behaviour

Crime and Policing Act 2014. At

present, there are 18 existing remedies

and these will be reduced to just 6.

The range of Court Orders targeted at

anti-social individuals, (e.g. ASBOs and

ASB Injunctions), will be replaced with

new tools - the 'Criminal Behaviour

Order,' and the 'Crime Prevention

Injunction'.

In addition, the various closure and

control orders and notices, will be

replaced by 'Community Protection

Notice', 'Public Spaces Protection

Order and the 'Closure Power'.

Finally, Police powers such as

directions to leave and dispersal orders

will be replaced by a Police Direction

Power.

Furthermore, the Government will

create a "community trigger" which will

impose a duty on the members of new

community safety partnerships to take

action to deal with ASB where local

agencies have failed to respond.

We work to tackle anti-social behaviour in local communities by working with different organisations, residents and landlords.

For further information:

Anti-social behaviour


Visit: www.erewash.gov.uk

E: [email protected]

Phone: 0115 907 2244 and ask for the

Community Safety Team

or

Derbyshire Constabulary

Visit: www.derbyshire.police.uk

Phone: 101 the non-emergency number

or 999 in an emergency

Recycling, Rubbish and Waste




Phone: 0115 907 2244 and ask about

recycling and rubbish

Noise nuisance




Phone: 0115 907 2244 and ask for the

Environmental Health Team

'If you require this publication in analternative format and/or languageplease contact the council to discussyour needs. Information on thecouncil’s services including alanguage translation option can befound on our website

www.erewash.gov.uk

or email your request to:[email protected]

or call 0115 907 2244.

0115 907 2244

[email protected]

Minicom:0115 931 6056

Ilkeston Town Hall, Wharncliffe Road, Ilkeston Derbyshire DE7 5RP

Long Eaton Town Hall,Derby Road, Long Eaton Derbyshire NG10 1HU

Housing Renewal TeamMerlin House, Merlin WayIlkeston, Derbyshire DE7 [email protected]

)

8

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