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Croydon council looks set to push through a controversial borough-wide licensing scheme ahead of a government deadline of April 1, after which it would require ministerial consent.

The government says blanket schemes such as the one proposed by Croydon - where every private landlord will have to pay for a licence for each rental property owned - are unreasonable because they hit good landlords without necessarily controlling bad ones, with the cost of the licenses effectively passed to the tenants through likely higher rents.

Brandon Lewis, housing minister, has written to councils to express his concern and to say that from April 1 any blanket licensing scheme will require specific ministerial approval.

However, Croydon council officers are recommending to their councillors - who meet today - that the scheme should go ahead.

Croydon’s proposals are amongst the most expensive of any of the licensing schemes across the country, with landlords told they will have to pay £750 every five years for each property they let, cut to £350 if they apply within the first three months of the scheme.

Those who fail to sign up could, in theory, face prosecution and a £20,000 fine and the council could even take over management of the property. There are some 30,000 privately rented properties in the borough.

Here is the text of the press release from the Department of Communities and Local Government, revealing details of the letter which the minister has sent to all councils:

Housing Minister Brandon Lewis pledged to end the “tenants’ tax” that pushes up rents and imposes unnecessary red tape on decent landlords.

The minister published new rules that will enable councils to licence landlords in neighbourhoods blighted by poor quality accommodation, deprivation and high levels of crime.

But he said he wants councils to work more closely with government on larger licensing schemes to ensure that they don’t unfairly hit good landlords offering a fair service.

New proposals mean councils would have more freedom to introduce licensing in specific neighbourhoods within their boundaries – helping to ensure only rogue operators, who make up a small minority of landlords, are affected.

Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said: The vast majority of private landlords offer a decent service – so I’m determined we end the ‘tenants tax’ caused by draconian measures that do nothing to tackle rogue operators and only serve to push up rents. I want councils to take targeted action and focus their efforts on tackling that small number of landlords who make their tenants’ lives a misery – and help create a bigger, better private rented sector as a result.

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End Of Tenancy Cleans Croydon

A Generic Insight To Our End Of Tenancy Cleaning Specification:
In All Rooms- End of Tenancy Check List
Remove cobwebs
Clean internal windows
Clean window frames and sills-
Clean all woodwork inc doors, frames,handles and skirting boards
Clean radiators and pipe work
Clean lights, fittings, switches and Clean banisters, spindles and handrails
Vacuum carpets
Vacuum and mop hard floors
Deodorise room on completion

In Kitchen / Utility Rooms End of Tenancy Check List 

Clean fronts and all internal facings of cupboards and drawers (only if empty)
Clean cupboard hinges
Clean and degrease tiling and backsplash
Degrease extractor
Clean soap dispenser, seals, buttons and grooves, front top and sides of washing machine and door
Clean door, buttons and grooves, front top and sides of dryer and filter
Clean fridge internally and externally, including all fittings and drawers
On completion of clean all white goods are buffed
Clean sink and taps – descale as required
Polish sink and taps descale as required
Clean work surfaces
Deodorise room on completion

In Bathrooms / Cloakrooms End of Tenancy Check List
Clean and descale tiles
Clean and descale shower screen, head, pipes and fittings
Clean and descale taps, fittings and surrounds
Polish/buff all silvers in bathroom including loo role holder, towel holder etc
Clean bath, then buff bath
Clean and descale sink
Clean and descale WC inc exterior, pipes and seat
Polish mirrors
Deodorise room on completion

Note: Professional Carpet and Oven cleaning is not provided as standard in our end of tenancy cleaning packages. This however can be added on request. In addition, parking fee and traffic congestion charges may apply.

Some of the Area’s Cleaners Croydon Cover:
End Of Tenancy Cleaning Croydon
End Of Tenancy Cleaning Sutton
End Of Tenancy Cleaning Redhill
End Of Tenancy Cleaning Reigate
End Of Tenancy Cleaning Purley
End Of Tenancy Cleaning Coulsdon
End Of Tenancy Cleaning Thornton Heath
End Of Tenancy Cleaning Addiscombe
End Of Tenancy Cleaning Bromley
End Of Tenancy Cleaning Beckenham
End Of Tenancy Cleaning Addington
End Of Tenancy Cleaning Guildford
End Of Tenancy Caterham
End Of Tenancy Orpington
End Of Tenancy Epsom
End Of Tenancy Godstone

Londoners set to cash in on short term rental law change

TUESDAY, 03 MARCH 2015

With the Deregulation Bill currently working its way through the UK parliamentary system, a new analysis shows that London homeowners could earn thousands by renting out spare rooms in their homes. The bill, first announced in 2013, would end rental rules imposed in 1973 but now largely viewed as outdated. These currently prevent Londoners from renting out their homes, or rooms within their homes, on a short term of three months to visitors. Unlike other residents across the UK, Londoners require planning permission if they let a room or home on this basis. When it becomes law, probably in a few months’ time, it will allow London home owners to rent out rooms or their entire property, for up to three months of the year. According to central London lettings agency E J Harris, a home owner renting out their two bedroom apartment in prime central London could potentially earn anything from £2,000 per month up to over £5,000 per month, depending on location, netting themselves a potential additional income over three months of anything from £6,000 up to £15,000 or more. At the very top of the luxury housing market in locations such as Knightsbridge or Mayfair an owner of a penthouse could earn themselves £10,000 per week, or up to £120,000 over a three month period. E J Harris adds that if a home owner decided just to rent out a room in their apartment, then at the top end of the market, rental income for an en-suite bedroom in Knightsbridge could earn them up to £6,600 over a three month period. Renting out a room in a two bedroom Mayfair apartment could potentially earn £500 a week or £6,000 for a three month let. In St John’s Wood a room in a two bedroom property could earn £250 a week, or up to £3,000 over three months. However, it is not only home owners in luxury addresses who could benefit significantly. E J Harris, estimate that renting out a room without an en-suite bathroom in a typical apartment in inner London could earn the owner around £100 per week, allowing the owner to bring in an extra £1,200 over three months. Despite the huge sums of money that a wealthy owner in Knightsbridge or Mayfair could earn from a very short term apartment let or room share, Elizabeth Harris, the firm’s managing director, thinks it is unlikely that anyone at this end of the market will choose to enter the short let or room share marketplace. ‘For a super wealthy oil Sheikh or Russian Oligarch an extra £120,000 is pocket change and people who live in addresses such as One Hyde Park or The Knightsbridge really don’t need to room share,’ she said. ‘However, I do forecast that there is a strong potential market from young professionals aged in their late 20s to late 30s who own their first or second home and are still at the age where they don’t mind room sharing with others or undertaking a short let whilst they are away on holiday,’ she explained. ‘Based on this demographic, I think that a post Deregulation Bill housing market could see a significant upturn in short-lets and room shares in locations such as Soho, Fitzrovia, Notting Hill and Midtown where there are a much higher proportion of younger home owners. If the rules are relaxed, I calculate that a room in a two bedroom flat within these areas could earn anything from £300 per week or up to £3,600 over three months,’ she added. E J Harris highlights that under current legislation, property owners are prevented from letting their properties for short lets of up to three months unless they have obtained planning permission. If this is breached, owners face a potential fine of up to £20,000. The proposed new rules will remove this restriction, allowing more flexibility for home owners to benefit financially from the short stay rental market.  The firm points out that the demand for short term lets is demonstrated by the rise in online websites and applications advertising accommodation for short term rental. For example, Airbnb and onefinestay currently already offer thousands of short term lets within the UK and across the world. Demand for short stay lets increases further during major sporting events taking place in London such as Wimbledon, the ATP World Tour tennis and the upcoming rugby World Cup. Harris also pointed out that there has been a change in how people live their lives, with overseas professionals and those on secondments travelling to London to work on a temporary basis, and a large number of overseas students studying in London on both a short and medium term basis.                        ‘People recognise the benefits of having a more flexible approach to renting out their property, from tourists to professionals, short term letting offers an alternative to staying in hotels, that can be overpriced in peak season and provide the opportunity to stay in an apartment instead,’ she said. Relaxing the rule will allow empty or underused properties to earn an income for their owners. E J Harris has predicted home owners in their 50’s, whose children have flown the nest, are expected to form the top group planning to rent out their properties, as well as overseas buyers looking to rent out their apartment in the months they are away from London.