Mandatory ‘how to rent’ guide updated by government
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has launched a new series of ‘How to’ guides produced to help support tenants, landlords and letting agents in the private rented sector. In addition, the government’s mandatory ‘How to rent’ guide has been revised.
The most recent update includes a new subtitle in the document and now reads ‘How to rent: the checklist for renting in England’ that is reflective of wording in the Assured Shorthold Tenancy Notices and Prescribed Requirements (England) Regulations 2015.
The MHCLG updated the ‘How to rent’ guide (9th July) and the ‘How to rent a safe home’ guide (26th of June) to reflect legislative changes made recently. In addition to this, two further ‘How to’ guides have been produced to help support tenants, landlords and letting agents within the private rented sector.
The Deregulation Act (2015) requires landlords to issue the ‘How to rent’ guide to tenants at the start of a new tenancy or at the renewal of the current tenancy. Failure to issue this means landlords will be unable to serve a section 21 notice on their tenants. It is therefore important to ensure that you provide the correct guide to tenants.
What's in the new ‘How to’ guides?
The government hopes the guides will help to raise standards across the industry as a whole and features a series of four guides for landlords, agents and tenants.
The ‘How to’ guides within the series are;
How to rent (mandatory - updated 9th July)
How to rent a safe home (updated 26th June)
How to let (new)
How to lease (new)
Landlords and letting agents should regularly check the government website as the guides are subject to regular review and amendment, in order to remain compliant.
You can find out more about the recent changes, including more detailed information about the new ‘How to’ guides here.
