Landlords and agents should be required by law to provide their tenants with insurance when they sign up to a new tenancy.
The insurance would be paid for by the landlord, but available for the tenants to use – to be able to put in place repairs should the landlord refuse, or to secure legal advice in the event of a dispute.
The idea has come from agent Ajay Jagota, of Kis Lettings, who has submitted it to the Government’s CLG inquiry into the private rented sector. The inquiry is looking into a variety of proposals, including rent controls and the mandatory regulation of agents and landlords.
Jagota, whose company manages almost 700 properties across the North-East, said: “Over 50 Acts of Parliament already regulate the relationship between landlords and tenants. The real problem is tenants not knowing their rights, and not having the resources to enforce them when they do.
“Change is needed, but regulation is not.
“Our recommendation to the inquiry is that agents and landlords should be required by law to provide mandatory private redress insurance for tenants signing up to a new tenancy.
“This would empower tenants to quickly make repairs if landlords prove unwilling or unresponsive and to quickly and affordably secure legal advice and support in the event of disputes with agents or landlords.
“As premiums would inevitably rise for landlords or agents who fall short of the required standards, they too would have a significant financial interest in providing and maintaining services and facilities of a high standard.
“Whatever recommendations the CLG inquiry makes, we would urge them to make empowering tenants the focus.
“Whatever solutions the committee proposes must not make it harder, or even impossible, for the smaller and independent operators who make up so much of the market to compete and even to function at all.”
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Comments
I ask Ajay Jagota, of Kis Lettings.
How will any of this help, Landlords who face bad tenants?
I rented a place out and then the following week, I find all my furniture dumped in the front garden, because the tenant did n't want it. He lied to say it was broken. I asked him, why did n't he call me for replacement?. He had his own furniture in place of mine. It was clear, this wanted an unfurnished flat. The value of furniture thrown out was over £2,000. These tenants, stopped paying rent and skipped the deposit. No recovery of the furniture and other problems was possible....
It seems mr jagota has lost his brain, he has no clue on residential lettings market. One of the useless article i read in 2013 so far.
Can only agree whole heartedly with the previous comments, what a load of tosh from this Jagota idiot.
G
Here we go again with Mr Self Publicity Ros why on earth do you give household room to these stories which are simply advertorials.
For insurance you need to have an insurable interest and I think Mr Jagota will find that is why his idea, which has been looked at before several times, will not work.
There is a relationship between L and T of course - but not an insurable one. That's why the tenant has to insure their own belongings.
Now here is a really rich one
"The real problem is tenants not knowing their rights, and not having the resources to enforce them when they do."
Good Lord Mr Jagota which planet is your business established on?
Given your obvious lack of knowledge or at least common sense Mr Jagota I should keep quiet with the comments in your last paragraph if I were you as you may actually fall into the very category you wish to eliminate!!
Mr Jagota is obviously in bed with the insurance industry. Rogue landlords will always circumvent the legislation, leaving the rest of us with an every-growing regulation millstone round our necks.