Garden legislation warning for landlords

News Category: Legal

This article was brought to you by Rentman the premium property management system

Landlords have been warned of forthcoming changes to legislation relating to paving over gardens to free up parking space.

Currently, landlords are not obliged to obtain planning permission when undertaking this measure.

However, as of October the rules will change and this will become a requirement in certain cases, residentiallandlord.co.uk reports.

In order to better help landlords comprehend the new stipulations, the Communities & Local Government and Environment Agency has produced a leaflet detailing what the rules mean for them.

The guide reads: "Planning permission is now required to lay traditional impermeable driveways that allow uncontrolled runoff of rainwater from front gardens onto roads, because this can contribute to flooding and pollution of watercourses.

"If a new driveway or parking area is constructed using permeable surfaces such as permeable concrete block paving, porous asphalt or gravel, or if the water is otherwise able to soak into the ground you will not require planning permission."

Paving over gardens had proved popular with landlords since the availability of parking space enabled them to demand higher rents.

How to stay legally compliant with letting agent software