According to the propTech supplier, the new service, Tenancy Compliance, will enable Lettings Agents to keep on top of the raft of upcoming legislation changes expected throughout 2022, by ensuring the timely distribution of key legal documentation, that’s always up to date and compliant.
Partnering with Woodstock Legal Services, specialist residential and commercial property lawyers based in Poole, from 1st February firm will maintain 15 separate tenancy AST’s and other legal document templates in line with lettings legislation in England and Wales. The platform also automates the distribution of pre-populated tenancy agreements and other key documents including How to Rent guides, EPC & Gas Safety Certificates.
Subscribed users will also receive weekly legal briefs to help them keep abreast of upcoming legislative changes and actions they need to take. Agents can also opt to use the BOX platform to generate tenancy agreements using their own in-house templates and documentation.
Heidi Shackell, CEO of The Lettings Hub, says: “Legal compliance is one of the biggest challenges for Lettings Agents and Landlords. A single legislative change can have a series of knock-on effects for compliance, which take time and cost money. We forget that Lettings Agents are not lawyers, but they are often expected to have all the answers – or a solicitor’s firm on hand to help navigate the changes.
"We know that the Rental Reform Bill is going to bring some significant changes to tenancy agreements in the coming months and agents will need to feel confident that they understand what all the changes mean. We’ve always structured our development roadmap for BOX around the support and services our clients really need, and Tenancy Compliance will mean our clients have the right tools and the right team available.”
The lettings industry is still awaiting the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities white paper on Rental Reform, which has been described as a ‘very significant piece of policy’ by Eddie Hughes - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing). But the expectation is the market will need to brace itself for a bumper year of legislation change, with the proposal to abolish section 21, strengthen section 8, and introduce lifetime tenant deposits all requiring agents to ensure their tenancy documentation is up-to-date and watertight to protect their landlords.
Carly Jermyn, Director of Woodstock Legal Services, says: “Tenancy compliance can be a delicate subject. Legal documentation needs to be accurate, not create any conflicting terms and has to be able to stand up to scrutiny should it ever be relied on in court. Often, we see clients who have tried to make adaptations to standard contracts or rely on out of date, poorly drafted versions in an effort to save time and money.
"On occasion, this has gone on to cost them dearly with failed evictions or rejected insurance claims. That’s why we’re so pleased to be partnering with The Lettings Hub to provide this Tenancy Compliance service to agents. The more support they have and the more legally compliant their statutory documentation is, the less it will cost them, both in time and money, in the long run. With so many changes to tenancy documentation due this year, it is not the time to go it alone. If there is legal support on offer, now is the time to take it.”
