As we celebrate 20 years in the property market, what has changed since we opened in 2004?
As we celebrate 20 incredible years in the property market, we reflect on the journey that has shaped us into one of the most trusted estate agents in the community.
The two big changes are to our competition and the laws and acts that affect landlords.
When we first opened our competitors consisted of one branch local agents, small to medium sized enterprises with two or three branches and the corporate goliaths.
The type of agent we compete with has changed dramatically over the last 20 years as large corporate agents grow their businesses through acquisition, with many of the independent local agents both small and large selling out.
At Fisks London we compete on a daily basis against huge corporate agents, in terms of scale it is akin to Dagenham and Rebridge beating Manchester City 3-0.
From our offices in Canary Wharf Fisks London continues to thrive due to our passion for customer focus and our reputation for providing a professional and reliable service to clients who trust and recommend us.
The other big change since we opened our office in 2004 is the increase in legislation. There are over two hundred pieces of legislation that landlords need to comply with, at least ten new laws have been introduced in the last 17 years including but not limited to:
Tenancy Deposit Protection Law in 2007.
Immigration Act 2014
The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations 2015.
General Data Protection Regulations 2018
The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 extended to periodic tenancies in March 2020.
Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Regulations 2019
Tenant Fees Act 2019
The Electrical Safety Act – Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector Regulations 2020
Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard 2020
Fire Safety Act 2021.
I could go on, but I fear the blog would just languish in your deleted items without being read.
There is another big shake up coming soon, in the form of the renters reform bill but that’s for another time when the details have been published and it has been passed into law.
As a Propertymark ARLA agent, with over twenty years’ experience we have expertise in helping landlords comply with these myriads of legislations, which if unwittingly breached can have serious consequences and repercussions.
Twenty years ago, we opened our doors with a simple mission: to make buying, selling, and renting properties a seamless and enjoyable experience for our clients. This will remain our priority for the years to come as we navigate the ever-changing market and legislative conditions.
Please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss the existing legislative obligations on landlords or the forthcoming Renters Reform Bill and how Fisks London can take responsibility for ensuring you comply with these laws.