Signup to the SWLA
It had initially been proposed that all landlords with a gross rental income above £10,000 would need to be using MTD by 2024. Here are the new plans…….
You need to follow the requirements for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax if you are self-employed or a landlord from:
Some businesses and agents are already keeping digital records and providing updates to HMRC as part of a live pilot to test and develop the Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. If you are a self-employed business or landlord, check if you can voluntarily sign up now through your software provider.
If you’re signing up your own business, you should use the step-by-step guide for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax to get started.
If you’re an agent, you should follow the Making Tax Digital for Income Tax step by step guide for agents.
The SWLA office will close at midday on Friday 23rd December and reopen at 10am on Tuesday 3rd January. During the closed period, email and voicemail queries will be monitored and replied to.
We wish our members and the wider community a happy and peaceful Christmas. From the SWLA Committee and Office Staff.
Wednesday 8th February 2023 – 9:30am – 1pm
Venue – Online
If you are accredited this will count towards your CPD hours, but the course is open to all.
Cost for SWLA members – £35 Cost for non-SWLA members – £40
Course will cover –
Disrepair situations and not resolving them in a timely manner has the potential to derail possession claims and can lead to a financial counterclaim and fixed penalty fines. This course will cover the statutory and common law obligations placed upon landlords, explore fitness for human habitation, the importance of inventories and visits to check for disrepair/lifestyle causing damage or potential damage. Also, what landlords can expect from their tenants regarding living in a ‘tenant like manner’…. Plus, some useful tips on how to avoid potential problems.
Places secured upon receipt of payment, book your place through the office 01752 510913.
The course will be instructed by Stephen Fowler from Training for Professionals.
Bristol Rent Control survey | Ask Bristol Consultation and Engagement Hub
Wednesday 15th February 2023 – 9:00 – 4:30pm
Venue – Online
Price – £65 for members of SWLA, £75 for non – members for one day course.
Course covers ASTs, Deposits, Section 21s, Section 8s, HMOs, Gas and Electrical Safety, Inventories and much more.
The course will provide you with all the skills to start, manage and finish a tenancy.
Places still available. Contact the office on 01752 510913 or info@landlordssouthwest.co.uk to book your place, places only secured on receipt of payment.
Over 1120 landlords have already completed this course since September 2011.
Course can lead to Accreditation, if required.
We are proud to announce Landlord Accreditation South West (LASW) are founder members of the West of England Rental Standard.
Wednesday 25th January 2023 @ 7.30pm Future Inn Plymouth, Members Only…………
Dame Caroline Dinenage, MP for Gosport, secured a key concession in the debate on the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill on the Council Tax valuation of rooms in shared living accommodation.
Caroline tabled an amendment, New Clause 7, to the Bill, with the aim of addressing increasingly common instances of Council Tax being placed on occupants of Homes of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs).
This amendment was developed alongside local businessman Daryn Brewer, who is converting numerous empty shops on Gosport High Street into high quality shared living spaces, with independent shops occupying the lower floor and high-spec HMOs on the upper floors, with shared kitchen, laundry and workspaces.
Caroline has been campaigning on this issue alongside Portsmouth North MP, Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP, for two years. They have attended numerous meetings with Ministers.
Speaking in the debate, Caroline said:
“There is a huge financial strain on people, often young professionals, at the very start of their careers, suddenly landed with a council tax bill of up to £1000, even once they’ve allocated the single person discount.”
“Shared housing is a core pillar of the housing sector. In 2018, HMOs provided 3 million sharers with rental accommodation across England and Wales. So this has the potential to become a major problem.
“Council tax is a property tax, it is not a head tax, and it should not be down to individuals who are simply paying for a bedroom to foot this bill.”
As a result of Caroline’s amendment, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, has written to confirm an accelerated consultation will now investigate how the Valuation Office Agency apply council tax bands, especially to HMOs.
In his letter to Caroline, he said:
“You have very clearly set out concerns that the approach taken to the council tax banding of some properties could act as a deterrent to entering the HMO market, as well as causing financial hardship for tenants. In light of those points, I will consult on the way that HMOs are valued for council tax. This will allow us to ensure that HMOs are valued as a single dwelling, unless exceptional circumstances apply.”
Dehenna Davison, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Levelling-up responded in the debate, saying:
“I am very grateful that we were able to reach a good position on this, and I look forward to working with her and her constituent Mr Brewer on the consultation and beyond to ensure we get this right.”
Speaking after the debate Caroline said:
“I’m delighted that we are finally making progress on this issue which is increasingly causing distress and concern to residents in shared living accommodation in our area. I look forward to working alongside the Minister to ensure this is tackled once and for all.”
An HMO is a dwelling in which multiple residents reside with separate bedroom spaces, but a shared kitchen facility. There are increasingly instances of Council Tax being charged to individual residents, rather than the landlord of the house as a whole, with each living space being falsely counted as a separate dwelling.
Caroline tabled New Clause 7 to ensure Council Tax is charged to the property as a whole, rather than issuing several unaffordable bills to individual occupants.
For more information contact caroline.dinenage.mp@parliament.uk
-To watch Caroline’s full contribution, please go to https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/9272f2d4-bab3-47fe-aa4e-c5d38298f8bb
Article from https://www.caroline4gosport.co.uk/news/caroline-wins-council-tax-victory
SWLA have received many calls from our members in relation to this matter – the council tax rebranding is happening across the UK and affects many HMO landlords. We encourage HMO landlords to raise this matter with their MP to gain as much support as possible.