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TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

Government delays Rental Reform White Paper until 2022

The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities says the long-awaited Rental Reform White Paper will now not be published until next year.

It had long been stated by the Ministry that the White Paper would come out “this autumn” but now contributors to the preparation of the document have been told that the extra time will give the government an opportunity to produce a “balanced package of reforms”.

Housing minister Eddie Hughes, speaking at the Conservative party conference, had already suggested that his teams were still in discussions to avoid what he called “unintentional consequences.”

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The government has already been criticised by pressure groups such as Shelter and Generation Rent for what they claim to be slow work on scrapping Section 21 evictions - a manifesto pledge from the Conservatives in 2019.

The delay has been welcomed by Isobel Thomson, chief executive of the accreditation service safeagent. 

She says: “safeagent welcomes the clarity on when the White Paper on reforms to the Private Rented Sector will be published. 

“It makes sense to wait for the findings of the National Audit Office’s review of existing regulation and exploration of key sector organisations' aspirations for private rental sector reform for the benefit of tenants and landlords. safeagent took part in the NAO’s review and looks forward to the report being published."

The department’s letter to participants admitting the delay says: “Building more time into our policy development will not only allow us to benefit from continued work with the sector but will also allow us to carefully consider the findings of the National Audit Office’s review of regulation of the sector which is due to report in the coming months.

“I hope you agree that it is better for us to take the time to get these reforms right working in partnership with colleagues than to rush something out that misses the mark."

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  • Algarve  Investor

    Can being kicked down the road. Again.

  • Matthew Payne

    The good news keeps on coming this week. This is going to be the biggest change to the PRS since its inception. Got to get it right, got to consult all stakeholders and for once understand the consequences of any changes, unlike the rushed through Tenant Fees Act for example. With a backlog of 65,000 possesion orders, repealing section 21 wouldn't be the wisest move until the backlog is cleared and a tested, workable accelerated court process is in place. Thats going to take a couple of years at least, maybe 3 or 4.

    John Cart

    Having been through the Court process recently I can tell you that 3 or years will not see the backlog cleared, Baldrick and F***land spent months ensuring the court service has been completely sabotaged, even requesting (in the case of F***land) that HCEO's and CC Bailiffs stopped carrying out their duties (remember that??) at one stage. Hopefully there will be an election sooner rather than later, and the Commie-servatives lose enough seats to ensure a hung parliament and it leaves both sets of idiots squabbling for ever and the rest of use to get on with our business without further interference.

     
  • icon

    It makes perfect sense not to rush to legislate. It has become abundantly clear over the last couple of years that rushed, ad hoc, over-regulation is reducing supply and creating more stock problems than it's solving. A less hostile nuanced approach is required with the focus on landlord incentive for longer leases and more tenant security. There is still an education issue among some privately managed landlords, but these represent a very small minority and the rogue landlord narrative is activist driven and massively over played. More often than not these ' rogue landlords' tend to be Housing Association or Local Authority neglected property, and not the small compliant landlord who offer a quality bespoke service to their Tenants.
    Let's hope this is the start of a 'push back' from the government with a fair and reasonable attitude from all sides of the housing debate. Though maybe I'm in living in dreamland!

  • icon

    Could Section 21 have the employment law timescale applied?

    I.E.

    In the first 2 years of residence, a section 21 can be sought as normal, but after 2 years of residence, the tenants/s gain additional rights/protections, in that, the section 21 must have justified/proper reasoning and can't be 'no-fault'.

    icon

    Good idea.

    Landlords would therefore be very careful who they allow to stay beyond 24 months, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

    For once, good tenants would be suitably rewarded and rogue tenants would be out on their ear - so it will never happen because the rogues have louder supporters!

     
    Theodor Cable

    And what if I want them out after one year and 364 days?
    And give them notice as such in the original contract that they sign?
    No sign, then no cntract.
    I know I will find renters on MY contract.

     
  • PossessionFriendUK PossessionFriend

    Avoiding "Unintended consequences," hey - well guess what - that's not possible.

    Business reacts to market conditions and as in all business, its the end user that pays.
    Oh my, are there going to be consequences, and unfortunately they will permeate right through the PRS, efforts to protect the few Rogue tenants will impact the majority of honest tenants.

    You don't have to be 'Mystic meg' to predict that finding properties , especially for some groups of Tenants, is going to get somewhere between very difficult and nigh on impossible. !

    Tenants will have so-called Renter support groups to 'Thank' [sic] for that.

  • Theodor Cable

    In that case, All my tenancy agreements will only be for 2 years and renewable for 2 years etc........

    icon

    I think this would obviously not be allowed as part of the idea.

    Any tenant/s that stay/s at the same address for more than 2 years will automatically gain the legal protection of not being able to be 'no-fault' evicted via section 21, even if you do what you suggested.

    EDIT

    Yes, you can have any contract you want?

    But let's say drug dealing tenants keep paying and don't want to leave, then you can't 'no fault' evict them.

    You will have to prove why they should be evicted.

    Tenants are going to gain this protection as soon as section 21 is abolished.

    This 2 year idea would at least give a better result.

    EDIT 2

    I don't think you understand.
    At the moment section 21 is going to be abolished.

    This means from the moment a tenant moves in, you will not be able to serve section 21 'no fault' eviction documents.

    Tenants will immediately, automatically have this protection.

    Once the tenancy agreement expires it becomes a rolling tenancy, they are legally allowed to stay and you can't use a section 21 anymore.

    With a 2 year plan, landlords will still be able to serve bad tenants the 'no fault' section 21 paperwork in this initial period.

     
    Theodor Cable

    I can have any contract I want. Forever whom I want.
    If the tenant does not like it, then the tenant can £$ckoff
    There will always be someone who will rent on MY terms, and if not, I will move on.
    They have no right to my house unless I agree....I DICTATE THE RENTAL DEAL, NOT them.
    If I don't like their offer, they don't get it.
    Even Shelter or Genaration Rent cannot overrcome my demands for the contract OF MY PROPERTEY. It is ONLY my choice.........And mine only.

     
    icon

    You appear to be planning to work outside the law. Good luck with that!

     
  • icon

    Government interference is always a disaster, they don’t live in the real World. And as for all these warm hearted soft headed organisations like Shelter, Generation Rent etc, they are just a joke that will back fire on Tenants.

    icon

    I don't think I would ever describe these evil anti landlord (and anti decent tenant) mobs as warm hearted or a joke!

    Their activities HAVE already harmed decent tenants and landlords but I am not sure that is "back fire" as they're only interested in protecting rogue tenants which means hurting decent tenants and landlords in the process.

    Every eviction delayed or thwarted equates to a decent tenant denied a home which continues to be occupied by rogues and thieves, with the connivance of mobs like Shelter, Generation Rant etc.

     
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