Annex F
Benefits of increasing rent at the first available
opportunity or on a fixed day
- London & Quadrant Housing Trust -
"We are unlikely to use the option of reviewing rents at
the earliest opportunity as this would involve programming changes
to our computer system. It would also be too confusing to explain
to tenants as to why the date had to be amended by the catch up
mechanism periodically. The option to keep to a common increase
date is much easier to explain".
- Notting Hill Housing Group
- "The part of the rules that prevent backward slippage make
the administration of this method very complex. It would require
an administrative process to track back to the first increase
date" and "A fixed day would lead to administrative
savings because the increase process would be more straightforward".
- Devonshires Solicitors
- "There will be a burden on landlords who choose 52 week
increases and who must therefore remember to correct the date
of increase every few years. However, our experience of working
with and advising RSLs on the issue is that they will use a fixed
increase day such as the first Monday in April each year. We believe
well-advised private landlords will follow suit to avoid the consequences
of identifying the wrong date or forgetting to correct the date
of increase".
- Local Government Association
- "...paragraph 24 which refers to the introduction of a
'53 week rule' to prevent backward drift of rent increase dates
seems to go against the spirit of the paper and its overall intentions
to introduce a simpler system".
- Northern Counties Housing Association Ltd
- "A proposed change to allow
increases to take effect after a minimum 52 week period, rather
than a full calendar year, would greatly assist this Association
in both budgeting around rental income and administering our rent
review processes".
- Broomleigh Housing Association
- "We need the one year rule changed to 52 weeks. We have
always used the 'first Monday in April' rule - 52 weeks most years
with a 53 week adjustment every 4 years - in common with local
authorities.... Para 24 realigns the law to custom and good practice.
And it is simple to apply".
|
