Managing a rental property or portfolio can mean that there will be legal issues that require handling. Crombie Wilkinson have a dedicated landlord solicitor team, serving both corporations and private landlords from our offices in York, Selby, Pickering and Malton.
We can provide legal advice for operating rental properties and dealing with disputes between landlords and tenants.
Legal advice for landlords
Our landlord solicitors provide straightforward advice. We can help no matter the size of the property portfolio; from one to multiple buildings, commercial or residential, we can help you with:
- Advice on rent deposits.
- Guidance on a Landlord’s legal responsibilities.
- Possession proceedings.
- Legal advice on eviction of tenants.
- Preparing tenancy agreements, guarantees, contracts and rental licences.
- Rent recovery.
- Landlord and tenant disputes.
Landlord Laws – Common FAQs
What are a landlord’s legal responsibilities?
For both commercial and residential properties, a landlord is responsible for keeping their properties safe and free from health hazards. This includes taking care of repairs to the structure of the property – both interior and exterior. It also includes heating, water systems, basins, sinks, baths and any other sanitaryware. The landlord is responsible for gas and electrical appliances and must ensure they meet safety standards.
What can’t a landlord do?
There are a number of things landlords can’t do once the property is being rented. These include entering the property without permission, excessively contacting the tenant, refusing to make essential repairs, not securing the tenancy deposit, changing locks on the building, increasing rent during the fixed-term of a tenancy, and evicting tenants during the fixed-term and/or without proper notice.
What rights do tenants have against landlords?
The right to live in the property undisturbed. The right to see the property’s energy performance certificate. The right to be protected from unfair eviction and unfair rent changes. The right to know the identity of the landlord. The right to have a written agreement if they have a fixed-term tenancy of more than three years. The right to not have to pay certain fees when setting up a new tenancy. The right to live in a property that's safe and in a good state of repair. The right to have their deposit returned at the end of the tenancy subject to inspections and no damage being carried out.
How long must a landlord give a tenant to move out?
A landlord can end the let at any time by serving a written 'notice to quit'. The notice period will depend on the tenancy or agreement, but is often at least 4 weeks.
Learn more about landlord laws and your rights as a landlord here and contact our team of solicitors for landlords to receive expert advice.
