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Some funding is available to upgrade Oil/LPG boilers or electric storage heaters through the Government backed, energy company funded ECO scheme.
All of the following may be eligible for funding. Electric storage heaters/loft insulation/oil and LPG boilers/cavity wall insulation/attic room insulation.
Funding is means tested/tenants on benefits.
For further information call 0800 644 5000 or visit www.energy-alliance.co.uk quoting SWLA.
A FEW PLACES REMAINING – Don’t Miss Out
Thursday 6th July 2017 – 9:30 – 4:30pm
Venue – Astor Room, Plymouth Guildhall, Royal Parade, Plymouth PL1 1HA
Price – £65 for members of SWLA, £75 for non-members for one day course.
For further details see the Landlord Training area of the website or call the office on 01752 510913.
The following advice has been received from Bateman Group (Landlord Insure UK) who are specialists in providing insurance and financial advice.
Action Fraud have recently received a number of reports from members of the public who have responded to written posts, pages, pictures and adverts on social media platforms offering varying types of insurance cover at desirable prices.
However, once money has been transferred to the fraudsters posing as insurance brokers, a number of consequences have been reported.
In some cases, contact has been severed with the victim altogether and there is no further communication. In other cases, insurance has initially been purchased on behalf of the victim only to be immediately cancelled with the insurer; this means that bogus insurance brokers can forward voided paperwork or email concerning insurance cover to the unsuspecting victim and pocket any refunded insurance fees.
The Devon and Cornwall police offered members of the public the following advice:
Please see the ‘SWLA Insurance’ section of our website if you would like a free no obligation quote from either of our preferred insurance brokers. Anyone is welcome to obtain a quote but there are exclusive discounts for SWLA members.
The Housing and Planning Act 2016 has given councils new powers to deal with rogue landlords. These include Rent Repayment Orders and Civil Penalty Notices. The Government has defined a ‘rogue landlord’ as ‘a landlord who knowingly flouts their obligations by renting out unsafe and substandard accommodation to tenants’.
The Department for Communities and Local Government have issued statutory guidance that the Council must take into account before using these powers. Bristol Council have considered this guidance and, as a result, they are going to change the way they do some things in order to use the new powers as effectively as possible. Before they make the changes they want to seek the views from all interested parties, including landlords, agents and tenants.
You can complete the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/BristolCPNsRROs. The survey will remain open until midnight on 7th July 2017.
The Council are reviewing the Additional HMO Licensing scheme in Bath and want to know what landlords think.
Please take 5 minutes to complete the short survey and help influence future Council decisions on HMO licensing.
Visit – www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/baneslandlord
Following SWLAs day at Bristol Landlords EXPO, we have received a request from Ashley Community Housing for landlords in Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset to contact them should they have empty property they wished to lease.
Further details of the scheme can be viewed on www.ashleyhousing.com or email them – info@ashleyhousing.com.