Born and raised in Portugal, Hugo Oliveira moved to Plymouth in 2009 and has since established a successful career in Lettings.
Now, Hugo is the trusted face of compliance here at Lang Town & Country, holding MARLA, DEA and LRA qualifications alongside his training as an Inventory Clerk.
He’s a member of ARLA Propertymark and brings a genuine passion for staying ahead of ever-changing legislation – something that gives our landlords and sellers real peace of mind.
Here, Hugo tells us more about his journey into the property industry, his qualifications, and why being compliant matters more than ever for landlords and sellers in Plymouth.
Can you start by telling us a little about yourself and your journey into the property industry?
I was born and raised in Lisbon, Portugal. I moved to Plymouth in 2009 and have been working in Lettings and Estate Agency ever since.
You hold the MARLA, DEA and LRA qualifications – for anyone unfamiliar with those, can you explain what they mean and why they matter?
MARLA stands for Member of the Association of Residential Letting Agents. I’ve also completed the Level 3 Certificate in Property Agency. This means that not only am I qualified to the highest standards, but as part of ARLA Propertymark I’m also able to keep up to date with all the new legislation and updates in the industry.
DEA stands for Domestic Energy Assessor, meaning I’m qualified to complete EPCs on any domestic property.
LRA stands for Legionella Risk Assessor, meaning I’m qualified to complete Legionella Risk Assessments on any domestic property.
These qualifications matter because they mean I’m fully qualified and trained to the highest standards.
As Lang Town & Country’s dedicated Compliance Officer, what does your role involve day to day?
As Compliance Officer, my daily role centres around ensuring the business follows all relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards. This includes:
- Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance
- Data protection (GDPR)
- Property legislation compliance
- Training staff
What are the key legal requirements that landlords and sellers need to have in place before they can rent or sell a property? Can you talk us through what they are and why each one is so important to being compliant?
The list of requirements to be compliant, especially for landlords, keeps getting bigger and more complex every year.
What used to be as simple as having a Gas Safety Certificate, EPC and Electrical Condition Report has, over the years, become increasingly more demanding. The same applies to sellers, with the constant addition of extra compliance and due diligence.
I would encourage landlords and sellers to contact us so we can run through all the legal requirements and recommendations.
Many landlords and homeowners aren’t fully aware of their legal obligations around EPCs, Legionella Risk Assessments and PAT testing – what are the risks of getting these wrong or overlooking them altogether?
The risk of a landlord not knowing current legislation can be significant, both financially and legally. Landlords need to understand the consequences of not being compliant.
EPCs are a legal requirement, and every landlord needs to understand that without a valid EPC a property cannot be let. There are also the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, which mean the property needs to be rated E or above to be rented – though this is due to change to a rating of C from 2030.
Landlords have a legal duty to ensure electrical equipment they provide is safe and compliant, and PAT testing is one way to demonstrate this. This applies to portable appliances supplied by the landlord (e.g. kettle, toaster, washing machine if plug-in).
For landlords, assessing and controlling Legionella risk is a legal obligation arising from health and safety legislation and water safety guidance. The law requires a risk assessment and appropriate controls.
The government has confirmed that all privately rented properties in England and Wales will need a minimum EPC rating of C by 2030. What does that mean for landlords, and what should they be doing now to prepare?
This change in legislation means the property cannot legally be let if the EPC rating is not C or above. This is due to be implemented in 2030, and the key point is: don’t wait until the deadline arrives to make sure you’re compliant.
A landlord should review their current EPC, plan improvement works early, prioritise insulation and heating efficiency upgrades, budget over time, and keep evidence of works completed to prepare for the future EPC C requirement.
For a landlord or homeowner who has never been through an EPC assessment before, what can they expect when you visit their property?
First and foremost, the intent of the visit is to gather data and evidence to allow me to produce a report to check a property is compliant. This includes checking things like wall construction, heating system, windows, insulation, lighting, and more. It normally takes around 30-60 minutes, sometimes longer for larger homes.
Lang Town & Country offers these assessments in-house rather than referring clients elsewhere. Why is that important, and what difference does it make to landlords and sellers?
At Lang Town & Country, we believe that offering these services in-house allows us to provide a bespoke service to our landlords and sellers and help them stay compliant.
For a landlord or seller, using our in-house services makes the process more streamlined, because compliance checks can be integrated directly into our letting and management services. Some of the benefits are:
- Convenience
- A single point of contact for tenants
- Compliance management
- Improvement advice
Beyond EPCs, Legionella assessments and PAT testing, what other compliance or maintenance support can landlords access through Lang Town & Country?
At Lang Town & Country, we provide a full range of compliance, safety, and maintenance support services.
Our services may differ depending on what level of management a landlord requires, ranging from Managed Plus to Let Only. While the services provided may vary, our dedication and professional expertise is always the same, and available to anyone needing assistance or advice regarding all aspects of letting or selling a property to remain compliant.
Finally, what’s your advice for any landlord who is unsure whether their property is fully compliant. Where should they start?
If a landlord is unsure whether their rental property is fully compliant, they should start by contacting Lang Town & Country. With more than 30 years of experience, we have built a strong and trusted reputation, offering our clients a bespoke service and exceptional client care.
As an independent letting agency in Plymouth, our team takes great pride in providing an enthusiastic, professional and efficient service.
Our dedicated lettings team will provide any landlord with expert support and guidance to ensure their property is fully compliant, helping them out every step of the way.
