PROPTECH-X ‘Proptech & Property News’: Has 3Di already built the proposed UK landlord portal | Huckletree coworking announces B Corp status

Private renters portal – has 3Di already built this solution

As a journalist, editor and Proptech analyst, to name but a few of the hats I wear, necessarily I spend a lot of my life reading and analysing company reports, data and more boringly sometimes government whitepapers or the actual acts when they pass into law.

I have for some time sensed that much of what the government dreams up regarding the property world, is in fact coming to us from across the pond or similar. A case in point, a hot topic at present, is the possibility of a Landlord portal for all in the UK.

Reproduced in full is the Gov.uk explainer, it makes for interesting reading. It is then followed by a piece by a Proptech company who is a client of mine, based in America 3Di systems, who seems to have been doing this ‘new’ iniative very succesfully some time ago.

Source www.gov.uk/guidance/privately-rented-property-portal-renters-reform-bill

‘The Renters (Reform) Bill will introduce a new Private Rented Sector Database, which will support the future digital Privately Rented Property Portal service. All landlords will be legally required to register themselves and their properties on the Property Portal and could be subject to penalties if they market or let out a property without registering it and providing the required information.

The Property Portal will provide a ‘one stop shop’ for landlords allowing them to access relevant guidance through a single ‘front door’. This will provide the basis for an effective service, helping landlords understand their obligations and demonstrate compliance. The Property Portal will also be used for communicating changes to requirements – ensuring landlords have access to simple up-to-date information about their responsibilities.

For tenants, the Property Portal will increase transparency and the information available before they decide to rent a property and throughout their renting journey. This will allow them to take effective action to enforce their rights and be aware when they can escalate issues with their property to their local council or the Private Rented Sector Ombudsman.

The Property Portal will also provide local councils with more data about private sector properties. One of the biggest and most time-consuming barriers faced by local councils is identifying poor quality and non-compliant private rented sector properties and who owns them. The Property Portal will provide a trusted and consistent intelligence source which will remove unnecessary, frustrating administration, meaning council staff will be able to focus on enforcement against criminal landlords.

Frequently asked questions

How will a landlord sign up to the Property Portal and what happens if they don’t?

All landlords will be legally required to register their property on the Property Portal. They will be able to do this online. For those who are unable to register online, we will offer advice telephone lines and alternative offline ways for registrations to be processed.

Local councils will be able to take enforcement action against private landlords that fail to join the Property Portal.  If a landlord lets or advertises a property without it first being registered on the Property Portal, they can be fined up to £5,000 by the local council. If a landlord repeatedly breaches the requirement, or if they commit a serious offence such as providing fraudulent information to the Property Portal, they may be fined up to £30,000 or could face criminal prosecution and a Banning Order.

Who will pay for the Property Portal? How much will it cost landlords?

Landlords will be required to pay for to registered for the Property Portal. However, we will work to ensure that the fee is proportionate and good value.

What information will be available to the public on the Property Portal?

We are still determining the exact information which will be available to the public and this will be set out in regulations. We are planning for this to include information related to property standards.

We are committed to carefully balancing landlords’ privacy concerns with private tenants’ need to make informed decisions about their housing options when designing a new system. Tenants will be able to access necessary information in relation to their landlord’s identity and details of the property, but we do not envisage that all data will be publicly accessible.

How will the Property Portal interact with the Database of Rogue Landlords?

We intend for the Privately Rented Property Portal to replace the functionality of the Database of Rogue Landlords relating to private sector landlords.

We will make certain details relating to offences viewable to tenants and prospective tenants. Opening up this information will ensure tenants can make a more informed rental decision – leading to a better rental experience. However, we will also ensure that this aim is proportionate to landlords’ right to privacy.

Will the introduction of the Property Portal mean the end of selective licensing?

Selective licensing remains a valuable tool when used appropriately and combined with other measures. It enables local authorities to target the improvement of standards and safety in areas suffering from issues such as poor housing quality, high levels of deprivation and anti-social behaviour. It has the ability to drive better outcomes for local residents, tenants and responsible landlords.

Our plans to deliver a Property Portal will provide access to information about privately rented properties and tackle one of the biggest and most time-consuming barriers faced by local councils when enforcing standards – identifying poor quality and non-compliant properties and who owns them.

We will work with local councils to gather more information about their selective licensing schemes to ensure the schemes are continuing to deliver the intended outcomes

When will the Property Portal be launched?

We plan to introduce the Property Portal as soon as possible after the Bill has received Royal Assent. We will ensure we have tested it well and that it’s working well for all parties before it is introduced’.

So there you have it barring a general election being instantly called due to a Boris meltdown and all new legislation being stopped there will be a shiny new landlord portal.

Maybe DLUHC minister Dehenna Davison would do well to take a look at this operation who built and executed this very project over a year ago. See below.

Press Release – LOS ANGELES, CA – February 1, 2022 – 3Di Systems (3disystems.com), a national leader in developing unique housing software solutions for state and local governments, has recently launched a rental property registry for Los Angeles County in partnership with the county’s Department of Housing.

This is Los Angeles County’s first centralized system to manage the county’s rental property stock of nearly 270,000 properties, and report on property-related updates and county-wide trends. The rent registry solution, which officially launched on September 27, 2021, was built and implemented on the 3Di Engage software as a service (SaaS) platform. It can be viewed at: www.rentregistry.dcba.lacounty.gov.

The rental property registry solution makes it easy for property owners and managers to provide property information to the county, then aggregates that information into a database of rental properties within the platform. This up-to-date and accurate property inventory provides invaluable insights to better regulate and oversee housing program objectives like managing evictions, inspections, affordable housing programs, and more.

Los Angeles County’s rental property registry web portal will not only capture property information, but will also help tenants and property owners/managers place service requests and track the status of those requests. The portal’s integrated payment system further simplifies requests that require a fee, allowing users to pay online via credit card or e-check.

“A comprehensive platform complete with an accurate inventory of a community’s rental properties is essential for effective and efficient housing programs that truly benefit tenants and property owners,” said Rajiv Desai, Founder and CEO of 3Di Systems. “We are extremely pleased to announce the launch of Los Angeles County’s rental property registry and look forward to our continued partnership with the county.”

Rental property registries are one of 3Di System’s most popular housing software solutions. Built on the low-code 3Di Engage SaaS platform and hosted with Amazon Web Services (AWS), 3Di’s rental property registries are supported by a robust foundation that empowers rapid implementation, powerful extensibility, and consolidation of data for greater visibility.

For more information contact Rajiv Desai, Founder and CEO of 3Di Systems.

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Innovation and coworking leader Huckletree announces B Corp status and reveals insights from its first Impact Report

Press Release

Innovation and coworking leader Huckletree announces B Corp status and reveals insights from its first Impact Report

·       Huckletree gains certification as a B Corporation, signalling a shift towards greater accountability and transparency in the property sector

·       Huckletree’s 2023 Impact Report shines a light on the company’s key sustainability practices including CO2 save, energy efficiency, being fully vegetarian and eliminating single-use plastic across their hubs

·       Huckletree is to host its third Annual Earthrise Summit this September – a three-day forum of interconnected events themed around climate or impact topics

Huckletree, a coworking disruptor, announces its newly attained B Corp status alongside its 2023 Impact Report findings which reveal its commitment to continuous improvement and strict sustainability measures, including its 500 tonnes of CO2 saved from its newest building at Oxford Circus.

Certified by B Lab and achieving an overall B Corp score of 86.4, the certification solidifies Huckletree’s dedication to ESG and reinforces how the flexible office space sector is leading the way for the build environment. The certification comes after Huckletree is deemed to have met rigorous social and environmental standards which represent its commitment to goals outside of shareholder profit. 

Driven by creating net positive outcomes for buildings, members and local communities, and prioritising transparency and accountability, the 2023 Huckletree Impact Report has revealed the business is going above and beyond for the planet, the people within its spaces, the surrounding local communities and its stakeholders. 

Huckletree is committed to raising awareness for the climate crisis and its most recent opening in Oxford Circus diverted 99.1% of waste from landfill, which avoided more than 500 tonnes of CO2 compared to landfill – the equivalent of 25,000 trees needing to grow for a year to capture CO2 emissions. The Oxford Circus hub achieved a Silver SKA award for its sustainable fit-out process and materials. 

Sustainability is a key pillar of the Huckletree model and runs through the entire business, from acquisition, through to design to operations. Bringing hubs to life in the most eco-friendly way possible, Huckletree partners with B Corp accredited developers and suppliers at the forefront of sustainable building design and operation and has a target to ensure that  all new spaces target a SKA rating of Silver, as well as running at an EPC level of B. When it comes to existing within the spaces, the Huckletree world is energy efficient, waste managed and has been a fully vegetarian operation since 2018.

Loud campaigning and quiet action behind the scenes is part of Huckletree’s DNA. The annual Huckletree Earthrise Summit inspires co-creation and conversation between founders, students, politicians, creatives, technologists, policy makers and SMEs. The next summit in September will bring together the best and the brightest in sustainable innovation and will include a heady mix of changemaking organisations as well as prominent players within climate tech and climate action.

Previous speakers include Charly Cox, Arizona Muse, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Tristram Stuart, Angel Arutura, Melissa Hemsley, David Chipperfield, Jimmy Chin, Lily Cole, Nimco Ali – as well as representatives from the United Nations, Project Everyone, Ecosia, B-Lab, Pangaia, InFarm and Tony’s Chocolonely.

When looking into its social impact, Huckletree is dedicated to the wellbeing, personal growth and development of its members, and the team runs frequent Founders Circles and roundtable discussions focused on creating connections, sharing experiences and exploring diversity of thought. In addition, Huckletree’s annual Alpha Programme, their 12-week accelerator designed for pre-seed founders from under-represented backgrounds, has helped 83 new founders bring their businesses to life since its inception in 2017.

The programme is taught by industry experts, and the graduates have an opportunity to pitch to a curated  investor audience in a live end of programme showcase. Last year alone, Huckletree made 110 tailored individual introductions between members, ambassadors and VC networks. 

Gabriela Hersham, Co-Founder and CEO of Huckletree comments:

“We are excited to be continuing on our journey post B Corp certification, and while we have an ambitious year of action ahead of us, I’m proud that every function of Huckletree is now being assessed through the prism of impact, alongside departmental metrics. There is exciting change in businesses being launched today, away from the growth at all costs model, towards a model that prioritises transparency across operations and accountability to community, people and planet (Vs. only shareholders) and leadership at all times, not just when it is convenient. 

Our focus has always been on building incredible spaces and experiences as workers return to the offices with higher expectations than ever before, expanding our programmes to reach more entrepreneurs and businesses globally, while scaling our number of hubs. This is a new era for Huckletree, and thanks to the work we put into building solid foundations and a connected ecosystem, we’re keenly taking the challenge on.”

Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK comments: 

“We are delighted to welcome Huckletree to the B Corp community. This is a movement of companies who are committed to changing how business operates and believe business really can be a force for good. We know that Huckletree are going to be a fantastic addition to the community and will continue driving the conversation forward”. 

The Huckletree Impact Report dives deeper into the business’ journey to B Corp and ESG commitments. Please download it here.

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Proptech and Property News in association with Estate Agent Networking.