Could you keep up with all this landlord law?
In recent research from Upad.co.uk, changes to regulations and tax measures came out top of the list of the concerns of buy-to-let landlords in the UK. This doesn’t surprise us.
Over the last few years, there have been hundreds of changes to UK laws that affect buy-to-let landlords. Navigating these changes and avoiding massive fines or worse (such as having your investment property confiscated – a recommendation from MPs on which we recently reported) is a nightmare for most landlords.
The way that laws are enacted in the UK doesn’t help either, as we recently showed when we answered a landlord’s question asking how to repossess an abandoned buy-to-let property. New laws were passed through Parliament when MPs signed off the Housing and Planning Act 2016. However, the sections of the Act that deal with repossession of abandoned property have not yet been enacted. So, though the law has been passed, the landlord community is in limbo!
We have identified all the laws that may apply to buy-to-let landlords. The list follows. All 178 of them.
If you don’t have the time to read through this list, skip to the end of this article to find out how to streamline your efforts to keep up with landlord laws.
- Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001
- Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003
- Anti-Social Behaviour etc (Scotland) Act 2004
- Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014
- Assured Tenancies and Agricultural Occupancies (Forms) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2003
- Assured Tenancies and Agricultural Occupancies (Forms) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2003
- Building Regulations Part P: Guidance Booklet
- Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982
- Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000
- Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002
- Consumer Protection Act 1987
- Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 (SI no.2739)
- Control of Pollution Act 1974
- Council Tax (Additional Provisions for Discount Disregards) Order 1992
- Council Tax (Chargeable Dwellings) Order 1992
- Council Tax (Discount Disregards) Order 1992
- Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992
- Council Tax (Liability for Owners) (Amendment) Regulations 1993
- Council Tax (Liability for Owners) Regulations 1992
- Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015
- Crime and Security Act 2010
- Criminal Law Act 1977
- Data Protection Act 1998
- Defective Premises Act 1972
- Deregulation Act 2015
- Deregulation Act 2015 (Commencement No. 1 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2015
- Disability Discrimination Act 2005
- Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 (SI no.3260)
- Employment Rights Act 1986
- Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) Regulations 2007
- Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) (Amendment No.2) Regulations 2008
- Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2010
- Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2011
- Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2012
- Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2014
- Energy Act 2011
- Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013
- Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010
- Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2014
- Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2014
- Equality Act 2010
- Equality Act 2006
- Estate Agents Act 1979
- Finance Act 2003 (Part 4)
- Firearms Act 1968
- Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988
- Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Fees Order 2013
- Fixed Term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002
- Freedom of Information Act 2000
- Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2010
- Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1993
- Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1989
- Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (SI no.1324)
- Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (SI No. 2451)
- Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974
- Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996
- Health and Safety (Training for Employment) Regulations 1990
- Heat Network (Metering and Billing) (Amendment) Regulations 2015
- Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014
- Home Information Pack (Suspension) Order 2010
- Houses in Multiple Occupation (Management) (England) Regulations 2009
- Houses in Multiple Occupation (Management) (Wales) Regulations 2009
- Housing (Interim Management Orders) (Prescribed Circumstances) Order 2006
- Housing (Scotland) Act 2014
- Housing (Scotland) Act 2010
- Housing (Scotland) Act 2006
- Housing (Scotland) Act 1988
- Housing Act 1985 Part 10
- Housing Act 1988
- Housing Act 1996
- Housing Act 2004
- Housing Act 2004 (Commencement No 5 and Transitional Provisions and Savings) (England) Order 2006
- Housing Act 2004 (Commencement No 5 and Transitional Provisions and Savings) (Wales) Order 2006
- Housing Act 2004 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional Provisions and Savings) (Wales) Order 2006
- Housing Benefit (Local Housing Allowance and Information Sharing) Amendment Regulations 2007
- Housing Benefit (Local Housing Allowance, Miscellaneous and Consequential) Amendment Regulations 2007
- Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit)(Local Housing Allowance and Information Sharing ) Amendment Regulations 2007
- Housing Benefit (Amendment) Regulations 2009
- Housing Health and Safety Rating System (England) Regulations 2005 (SI no.3208)
- Housing Health and Safety Rating System (Wales) Regulations 2006
- Housing (Tenancy Deposits) (Prescribed Information) Order 2007
- Housing (Tenancy Deposit) (Specified Interest Rate) Order 2007
- Housing (Tenancy Deposit) Order 2007
- Income & Corporation Taxes Act 1988
- Income Tax (Trading and other Income) Act 2005
- Infrastructure Act 2015
- Inheritance Tax Act 1984
- Immigration Act 2014
- Immigration Act 2016
- Land Registration Act 2002
- Land Registration Rules 2003 (Si no.1417)
- Land Registration etc (Scotland) Act 2012
- Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (as amended)
- Landlord and Tenant Act 1987
- Landlord Registration Act 2002
- Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012
- Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation and Other Houses (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment)(England) Regulations 2012
- Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Additional Provisions) (England) Regulations 2007
- Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Additional Provisions) (Wales) Regulations 2007
- Licensing and Management of Houses in Mutiple Occupation and Other Houses (Miscellaneous Provisions) (England) Regulations 2006
- Licensing and Management of Houses in Mutiple Occupation and Other Houses (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Wales) Regulations 2006
- Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Prescribed Descriptions) (England) Order 2006
- Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Prescribed Descriptions) (Wales) Order 2006
- Local Government Act 2003
- Local Government Finance Act 1992
- Management of Health and Safety at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2006
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (as amended)
- Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006
- Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Wales) Regulations 2006
- Manufacture and Storage of Explosives Regulations 2005
- Money Laundering Regulations 2003
- Money Laundering Regulations 2007
- Mortgage Repossessions (Protection of Tenants etc) Act 2010
- Occupiers Liability Act 1957
- Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994
- Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949
- Private Landlord Registration (Information and Fees) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2008
- Private Rented Housing (Scotland) Act 2011
- Private Rented Housing Panel (Applications and Determinations) (Scotland) Regulations 2007
- Private Water Supplies (England) Regulations 2016
- Proceeds of Crime Act 2002
- Protection from Eviction Act 1977
- Public Health Act 1961
- Public Health Act 1936
- Race Relations Act 1976
- Redress Schemes for Lettings Agency Work and Property Management Work (Requirement to belong to a scheme etc) (England) Order 2014
- Regulatory Reform (Assured Periodic Tenancies) (Rent Increases) Order 2003
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (Si no.1541)
- Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002
- Rent Act 1977
- Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999
- Rent (Scotland) Act 1984
- Rent Officer (Housing Benefit Functions) Amendment Order 2007
- Rent Repayment Orders (Supplementary Provisions) (England) Regulations 2007
- Rent Repayment Orders (Supplementary Provisions) (Wales) Regulations 2008
- Residential Property Tribunal Procedures and Fees (England) Regulations) 2011
- Residential Property Tribunal Procedure (England) Regulations 2006
- Residential Property Tribunal (Fees) (England) Regulations 2006
- Residential Property Tribunal Procedure (Wales) Regulations 2006
- Residential Property Tribunal Procedures and Fees (Wales) Regulations 2012
- Residential Property Tribunal (Fees) (Wales) Regulations 2006
- Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977
- Selective Licensing of Houses (Specified Exemptions) (England) Order 2006
- Selective Licensing of Houses (Specified Exemptions) (Wales) Order 2006
- Selective Licensing of Houses (Additional Conditions) (Wales) Order 2006
- Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005
- Sewerage (Scotland) Act 1968
- Sex Discrimination Act 1975
- Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992
- Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Regulations 2011
- Terrorism Act 2000
- The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015
- Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Order 2010
- Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) (England) Order 2010
- Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (Wales) Order 2002
- Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Order 2006
- Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Order 2005
- Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987
- Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997
- Town and Country Planning Act 1990
- Tribunal Procedure (First-tier Tribunal) (Property Chamber) Rules 2013
- Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1994
- Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999
- Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts (Amendment) Regulations 2001
- Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011
- Water Industry Act 1999
- Water Industry Act 1991
- Water Industry (Schemes for Adoption of Private Sewers) Regulations 2011
- Water Industry (Undertakers Wholly or Mainly in Wales) (Information about Non-owner Occupiers) Regulations 2014
- Weeds Act 1959
- Welfare Reform Act 2007
- Welfare Reform Act 2007 (Commencement no 4 and Savings and Transitional Provisions) Order 2007
- Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
- Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011
- Work at Height (Amendment) Regulations 2007
- Work at Height Regulations 2005 (as amended)
- Work at Height Overhaul of guidance January 2014
That’s a lot of law that could apply to you as a buy-to-let landlord in the UK. And worse still, it doesn’t include regulations and by-laws applied by local authorities! And, even worse, these laws, and individual sections within them, can change at any time.
Can you keep up with all this landlord law?
Our comprehensive services to landlords include helping you keep up to date with new legislation. If you don’t have the time or legal knowledge to keep pace with the tide of new landlord laws, contact the Ezytrac team today on +44 01522 503 717. Discover a better way to profit from buy-to-let property investment.
Live with passion,
Brett Alegre-Wood