Housing Solicitors Near Me

Housing Solicitors Near Me – the legal support landlords need

Finding a specialist lawyer to help you with landlord and tenancy-related matters calls for more than a quick internet search for “housing solicitors near me”. However, for most people, that’s where their journey to finding the right legal support begins.

To be connected to a specialist solicitor near to where you live, please either call us now on 0845 1391399 or complete a Free Online Enquiry.

If that sounds like you, here is everything you need to know about where specialist housing solicitors can help you and what specifically they can do on your behalf:

What Do You Need Housing Solicitors For?

1) Tenancy Agreements And Leases

The tenancy agreement is the foundation on which a smooth and stress-free landlord-tenant relationship rests.

A tenancy agreement outlines all of your landlord responsibilities. It also makes clear your tenants’ duties to you. This ensures everyone knows where they stand right from the start.
The right tenancy agreement – carefully drawn up, with your needs and the specifics of your property in mind – will minimise the chances of any later disputes with your tenants. The clearer you can be in the agreement, the likelier it is everyone will be happier as a result.

In the event that any disputes do arise, a well-written tenancy agreement also makes it clear who – if anyone – is at fault and what should be done about it. Only a specialist in the relevant fields of law will guarantee that your tenancy agreement does this.

2) Understanding Your Landlord Obligations

Most landlords understand that they can’t simply rent out any old property and be done with it. However, being aware you have some obligations as a landlord and knowing those obligations in detail are two very different things.

An experienced landlord and tenancy solicitor will ensure you fulfil all of your responsibilities as a landlord, such as:

Council registration – you need to register as a landlord with your local council. Being an unregistered landlord carries a large potential fine with it. This registration needs to be renewed every three years.
Electrical and Gas Safety checks – need to be carried out for relevant properties on an annual basis.
EPC assessment – every property needs to have an Energy Performance Certificate available. This needs to be reassessed every ten years.
Legionella risk assessment – sometimes referred to as Legionnaire’s disease, a test for Legionella is a vital but often overlooked responsibility of every landlord.
Smoke alarm installation – every rental property should have interlinked, hardwired smoke detectors installed as a matter of course.

3) Tenancy Dispute Resolution

No one likes to think it could happen to them, but disputes with tenants for things like anti-social behaviour or damage to the property beyond expected wear and tear are common.

It’s important to understand where your responsibilities start and end in these cases – both as defined in the law and in your tenancy agreement. Typically, landlord responsibilities include the structure, sanitaryware, and heating system. An experienced housing solicitor can help you here.

The best housing lawyers will always seek to resolve any tenancy disputes without going to court (because this frequently costs a great deal more time and money). Understanding what your rights are means they can fight your corner effectively and get the outcome you’re looking for.

4) Rent Recovery

In situations where rent payments are in arrears, swift action from a skilled landlord solicitor – even if this action is simply a legal notice – is often enough to swiftly resolve the situation. Most people react very differently to a letter from a lawyer than they do to one from their landlord.

This means that further action is unnecessary in most rent arrears cases. When it is though, an experienced solicitor will be able to guide you through the options available to you and which is most likely to deliver the results you are looking for.

5) Problem Tenants, Eviction, And Regaining Possession Of Your Property

Working out how to deal with problem tenants is one of the areas where housing solicitors shine.

For instance, you might have a fixed-term tenancy in place, making it difficult to evict even the most problematic of tenants. You can’t simply change the locks – this counts as harassment and unlawful eviction. So, what do you do?

There is a correct way to proceed. You need to make sure notice is served in a legal manner and any court order is properly sought. If there is a problem with enforcing eviction orders, your solicitor might be able to help you there too.