Page 6 - Antler from Butler & Stag

Welcome guidance
It looks like the issue of whose responsible for potentially dangerous and costly cladding in the light of the Grenfell fire tragedy isn’t going away anytime soon. For a fifth time, the government recently opposed an amendment to the fire safety bill intended to protect leaseholders living in affected high rises, but those involved have vowed to continue fighting.
However, some progress has been made in reducing
the number of wall safety surveys requested by lenders, with new guidance recently issued by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. The guidance advises that only leaseholders in buildings at high risk should be asked
for EWS1, the external wall safety forms, when they
sell or remortgage, and that those in low-risk buildings should be exempt. It is hoped that there will now be a significant reduction in EWS1 requests and the severe delays they were causing, while allowing more focus on the assessments of higher risk buildings.
Pets at home
It’s good news for animal lovers who also happen to be tenants because, providing their pet is well behaved, they’ll be able to secure leases more easily under the Government’s new Model Tenancy agreement.
Currently just 7% of private landlords advertise pet friendly properties, but all that is set to change with the new agreement having consent for pets as standard. As a result, landlords will now have to opt out by objecting in writing within 28 days of a written pet request from a tenant and provide a good reason why they wish to decline.
The change comes in response to the huge increase in pet ownership as a result of the pandemic. Indeed, the latest figures show that more than half of UK adults now own a cat or dog.
Ian Davidson
Chartered Surveyor
The professional team of surveyors and engineers at Ian Davidson Chartered Surveyor (IDCS) offer over 30 years experience dealing with property surveying and valuation matters around the M25 and Theydon Bois areas.
We have worked with many local, friendly Estate Agents
too over the years, and our knowledge of this area is based on many years practising helping owners and purchasers alike.
See our full range of services at www.davidsonaquila.co.uk or call Ian on 07774 260415.