In this first issue of 2025, we bring you the latest news and updates for Leicester student landlords.
Renters’ Rights Bill update
The Renters’ Rights Bill has passed through the commons and is now in the House of Lords at Committee Stage. We expect this to pass into law in Summer this year.
If you are confused about the Renters’ Rights Bill and how it could affect you and your portfolio, you can rewatch our Q&A webinar with legal expert – David Smith who discussed the impact of the bill on the student accommodation sector. Tap below to rewatch 👇
We will be running another webinar on this topic later in year. Stay tuned for updates.
Energy controls on properties
We are considering installing energy controls at certain properties from next year, this will not only reduce the environmental impact of your home, it will also help keep energy bills in control for tenants who have bills inclusive options.
If your property is selected, we will of course be in touch to ask for permission and to run you through the finer details.
Selective licencing
The government recently published a new general approval for all additional HMO and selective licensing schemes. Until recently larger selective licensing schemes that covered more than 20% of the local authority’s geographical area or covered more than 20% of residential property required approval from the Secretary of State. That limitation has been removed. The position on additional HMO licensing has not changed as that already had an unlimited general approval. The requirement of a ten-week consultation period for any licence scheme remains in place and it was in fact usually this that led to problems for local authorities.
This is likely to lead to a bit of an increase in selective licensing schemes that cover the whole of a local authority area of responsibility. Many local authorities had stayed below the 20% limit as they were worried their schemes would not pass SoS scrutiny, not least because that scrutiny process was extremely opaque and seemed to be quite political in nature. This concern will now evaporate, and local authorities are likely to dust off previously shelved schemes.
This does also make one wonder about the intended interaction between the PRS Database and selective licensing. They are of course different things, but it should not be forgotten that one of the main benefits to local authorities of selective schemes is the information about landlords they obtain. While selective schemes allow imposition of other obligations, we question whether they add much beyond what the database will provide and the cost/benefit is very doubtful, especially when applied across a wide area as opposed to being used to target hotspots.
If you have any questions regards this, please get in touch with your property manager.
Is your property still available for next year? 🏡
If your property is still on the market or you have any questions regarding current demand, please get in touch with Ruta Svedkauskaite (Sales Manager) who will advise on potential options to help let your property in time for the new academic year.
£500 landlord referral
Sulets are actively looking to sign up new landlords in Leicester. If you know of anyone who could benefit from the Sulets service, then please let us know. The more landlords like you that we have on board, the more students we can help.
If you recommend a new landlord to us, we will offer you a £500 cash referral payment if they sign up and we let their property!
Please contact Ruta Svedkauskaite (Sales Manager) who will be happy to help and can offer valuations on potential rental incomes in the student sector.
Terms & conditions:
Sulets will pay £500 to any existing landlord referring a new landlord who hasn’t previously rented a property through us and whose property we subsequently rent for the forthcoming year. The payment is for each new landlord introduced. There is no limit on the number of individual referrals that can be made.
Photo by Arthur Lambillotte on Unsplash