x
By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies to enhance your experience.
Graham Awards

TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

Think-tank backs Generation Rent call for greater controls on landlords

An independent think-tank is the latest organisation wanting landlord licensing schemes across England plus a nationa landlord register, emulating similar schemes operating in Scotland and Wales.

The Centre for Public Data - echoing a statement by the activists’ group Generation Rent - says councils that require landlords to be licensed take more than twice as much enforcement action as other authorities.

In addition, councils with licensing regimes also apparently identity more unsafe homes being rented out and resolve more of these issues with landlords. 

Advertisement

CFPD’s recommendations include that a national register be created and made easily searchable for tenants; it also wants the register data published, and integrated with other property databases for EPCs, deposit protection and holiday accommodation. 

CFPD director Anna Powell-Smith says: “In England, you have to register to run a takeaway or work as an art therapist, but anyone can be a landlord – remarkable given how dangerous it is to live in a property with faulty wiring, boilers or mould.

“A patchwork of schemes will never give renters the protection they need and are an inefficient use of council resources. A national register will be cheaper to run and more effective in raising standards.”

In the Queen’s Speech for this session of Parliament, the government promised to consider the merits of a national landlord register and a White Paper on rental reform is expected in the coming months. 

 

Yesterday we reported that Generation Rent claims that of the English councils submitting data in 2019-20, some 32 councils which operated selective licensing schemes in that period reported finding 5,052 private rented homes with “category 1” hazards following an inspection - an average of 158 homes per council - and that 85 per cent of these were made free of hazards. 

There were 200 councils without selective licensing and they reported 12,607 unsafe homes in total - 63 homes per council - resolving 65 per cent of cases.

Want to comment on this story? If so...if any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals on any basis, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.

  • icon

    Stink Tank go and buy your own, surely you’ll get one of those Governments Schemes to help you out temporarily with the Mortgage before lenders start re-possessions.

  • icon
    • 27 October 2021 09:33 AM

    The cockroaches and parasites asking for more landlord blood.

  • icon

    Ok, so I stumped up over £3k in licence fees a couple of years ago, and no doubt the same again (or more) when they need renewing.
    If the government want to replace the plethora of local licensing regimes with a single, low cost, per landlord scheme (Rent Smart Wales??), I'd go along with that. At the moment licensing is unregulated, out of control, and totally at the whim of useless local councils, many with an anti-landlord mentality. Why yet another think tank needs to stick it's oar in I don't know (who pays for these people??).
    Oh, and in the interests of a "level playing field", a tenant register as well please.

  • PossessionFriendUK PossessionFriend

    " Independent " - my @r$e ! bunch of Lefty Socialists funded by JRF and other Tenant interest groups.
    Like the Govt, they need to learn that every measure they impose on Landlords has a knock-on financial impact on Tenants ( who need to catch-on to this - instead of being sold a pup )

  • icon

    Doug of Course it will be gone up that’s the name of the game, hasn’t it gone up from £560. Application fee at start of licensing to £1’200 + now, that’s some unjustified increase, but sure they must look after the poor Tenants being treated so badly by us terrible Rogues Landlords.

  • icon

    The private rental sector was virtually no existent until the introduction of the AST in the 80s . Section 8 and section 21 , were crucial in attracting private investors. By 2007 there were 2.8 Million households in the private sector , By 2017 this had increased to 4.5 Million Households . Collectively we house an higher proportion of tenants than all the social housing providers combined . With 85% of our tenants perfectly happy with their homes.

    But the Government is not listening to us, it prefers to listen to self serving organisation who house no-one, and will not be the ones facing being homeless , as Landlords sell up. or sky high rents as we are forced like any business to cover our costs.

  • icon

    I have no problem with a national landlord register but the cost of a general licensing scheme will undoubtably be charged to the landlord = more rent increases for tenants.
    I also agree that bad tenants should go on a tenant register so their sins followed them and once they realised their bad behaviour would make it very difficult to get a tenancy anywhere they would be encouraged to behave in a responsible manner. Very little need for section 21 then!
    I remember back to the days before AST's when unscrupulous landlords used thugs to bully tenants to move them out so they could sell the property at a much higher figure witout a sitting tenant. Peter Rachman was the name and the way he worked became known as Rachmanism.

icon

Please login to comment

MovePal MovePal MovePal
sign up