March 2021
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Avoid supply and contractor delays - book remedial work now ahead of the Healthy Homes deadline, advises Property Management company Crockers.
The deadline for rental properties to comply with the Government’s Healthy Homes regulations is almost upon us, with all private rentals being required to comply within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy after 1 July 2021. Furthermore, all private rentals must comply by 1 July 2024.
Private rental owners should now have received their Healthy Homes assessments or should have organised for one to be completed.
The Healthy Homes Standards were brought in to increase the quality of rental homes. Read more about Healthy Homes Standards and its requirements at our Healthy Homes Hub.
Landlords who have tenanted properties need to carry out any work resulting from their Healthy Homes assessment within 90 days of the current tenants leaving if they leave before July 2024, and all properties must be compliant by that date.
Given the average tenant turnover in a property is around two years, there will be thousands of tenant changes over the next year. Rather than waiting until a tenant decides to leave, it makes sense for landlords to make any necessary changes now, avoiding added stress when a tenant leaves.
When the government set the deadline to have insulation installed to the required standard in 2019 many landlords left things until the last minute. The resulting shortage of suppliers and insulation meant many were unable to get work completed in time and some owners were fined at the Tenancy Tribunal for not complying. To avoid history repeating itself, it is advisable to book any work that needs completing now. This gives you the best chance of having it completed in time for the deadline.
An added complication resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic is that many suppliers are reporting delays in receipt of stock due to production and shipping problems in offshore supply chains. It’s not clear when this will improve. This means some jobs have taken months to reach completion after being approved. There is also a chance landlords may not be able to get multiple quotes and installation within 90 days in the current market. Heat pump shortages have already been noted by the industry.
For all the above reasons, Crockers advises carrying out work now so that it isn’t too late when tenants leave. It is likely we will also see tenants vacate properties that don’t meet the Standards to move to ones that do following July 2021, as any new property they move into will have to be compliant. Having a Healthy Homes Compliant property is also a huge advantage for those looking to sell their investment properties.
Call 0800 CROCKERS or Call 0800 2762 5377
