Fitness For Human Habitation

11 March 2020 47729 Views

The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act came into force across the country on the 20th March 2019.

The act is designed to ensure all rented accommodation is of a good standard, giving tenants means of redress against landlords who neglect responsibility and provide substandard property.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government advise;

‘Landlords who do not maintain safe properties prevent the operation of an effective and competitive rental market where all landlords operate on an equal footing. This Act provides an additional means for tenants to seek redress by giving them the power to hold their landlord to account without having to rely on their local authority to do so’.

The Act applies to: 

●      tenancies shorter than 7 years that are granted on or after 20 March 2019 (tenancies longer than 7 years that can be terminated by the landlord before the expiry of 7 years shall be treated as if the tenancy was for less than 7 years)

●      new secure, assured and introductory tenancies (on or after 20 March 2019) 

●      tenancies renewed for a fixed term  (on or after 20 March 2019)

And from the 20 March 2020 the Act will apply to all periodic tenancies.

This is all tenancies that started before 20 March 2019; in this instance landlords will have 12 months from the commencement date of the Act before the requirement comes into force.

Committed to providing inventory clerks and letting agents with the most up-to-date and useful training for both new and established property reporting professionals; the Homes Fit For Human Habitation (FFHH) guidance provided by InventoryBase Academy is completely free, and gives industry professionals guidance to understand the components of the act we have designed a template that mirrors all 29 risk categories and the guidance also includes information around:

●       explaining both the hazard and risk

●       highlighting those persons deemed most vulnerable / at risk

●       what the potential issues of each risk are

●       indicating the 3 risk category options

●       offers additional example issues and actions

Access the FREE Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Guidance here.

Other courses include “Learn how to produce professional property reports” & “Legionella risk assessments” – sign up for free at InventoryBase Academy now.