Legal advice for Landlords
Whether you manage one property or ten, there are a number of legal issues you could face during your time as a landlord. So to help guide you through any complex or difficult situations, we provide a legal advice service, as standard, with our Landlord Insurance.
When might you need legal advice?
From obtaining a Gas Safety Certificate for your property to protecting your tenant's deposit in a government-approved scheme, there are various laws that you need to adhere to in order to let your property legally. These laws were created to protect both you and your tenants, and making sure that you're compliant is a key part of being a landlord.
However, you might also encounter some legal issues that you had not prepared for. For example, what happens if your tenant's financial situation changes and they are no longer able to pay rent? You could find yourself facing several months without any income and have to go through a lengthy eviction process in order to repossess your property.
Another circumstance where you could find yourself facing legal proceedings is if your tenants make a formal complaint against you. For example, if the property is unsafe or in severe disrepair and your tenants believe you have failed to address the problem.
Meanwhile, landlords who let commercial properties face their own set of legal implications. If you fail to tackle problems with asbestos, structural integrity or fire safety, you could be liable to pay a large fine.
Whatever your situation, legal advice is available from a qualified professional who can advise you on the best course of action to take before the problem escalates. There may be some simple safeguards, or processes, that you can put in place to help mitigate any risks. However, by trying to tackle a legal issue by yourself, or waiting to see if it will just go away, you risk making the problem worse, which could result in a more costly outcome.
Legal Advice Helpline
At Direct Line for Business, we understand that hiring your own legal team can be an expensive and unrealistic option. So to make sure you have access to legal knowledge, we have incorporated a Legal Advice Helpline into all of our business insurance policies, including our Landlord Insurance policy.
As a Landlord Insurance customer, you will have unlimited access to a team of legal advisors, who will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year round in England and Wales.
Our advisers can provide confidential advice and guidance on any commercial legal problems or questions you might have. Whether you're trying to settle a tenant payment dispute or contesting a tenant complaint, our advisors can instruct you on the best action to take. The helpline can also be used for non-tenancy issues such as employment, prosecution, VAT and contract disputes.
Where can I find the helpline number?
You can find the phone number for the Legal Advice Helpline in your policy documents.
Legal Documents Service
Our Landlord Insurance customers can also take advantage of our Legal Documents service, which comes as standard with your landlord policy.
Using our online tool, you can draft important legal documents, such as tenancy agreements and repossession notices, without having to hire a solicitor.
All you need to do is choose the document you want to create and then answer a few simple questions. Our solicitors can then check and approve these documents using the service - at no extra charge.
Learn more about the Legal Documents Service here.