Propertymark Update: Renters Reform must balance interests of tenants and landlords
Propertymark has submitted written evidence to the Public Bill Committee on the Renters (Reform) Bill, citing data demonstrating the level of concern amongst members about measures likely to make the PRS increasingly hostile to property owners and the unintended consequences for people in need of homes.
The full submitted evidence can be found here, but in summary Propertymark state:
The UK Government is introducing changes to offer tenants greater security and safer homes as part of plans to create longer tenancies, but they are failing to recognise that the move to periodic tenancies with tenants allowed to give the landlord two months’ notice at any point when they want to leave a tenancy provides less long-term security for landlords. When surveyed, over 80% agents agreed (63% strongly) than removing fixed-term tenancies will impact their tenants negatively.
Furthermore, over 93% agents reported that removing fixed-term tenancies will negatively affect agents and landlords with less than 2% disagreeing.
Implementing more mandatory grounds of possession under Section 8 is a signal to tenants that rent arrears, criminal and anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated. However, existing plans to strengthen grounds for evictions do not go far enough to protect landlords. Furthermore, landlords as housing providers will need to have greater knowledge of eviction procedures, the evidence required to remove tenants and will be operating in a more complex environment.
The proposed court reforms do not go far enough to meet the rising demand once Section 21 notices are abolished. 88% respondents were concerned that courts will not have the capacity to deal with the rise in evictions taking place through the courts once Section 21 notices are abolished. 97% agents agreed that a lack of a specialist housing court will undermine the ability for agents and landlords to evict tenants under new grounds.
If you’d like more information on this, please contact us here at Pennington
Tel: 01473 214343
Email: info@pennington-online.co.uk
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