The time taken to introduce legislation reforming the private rented sector is triggering an exodus of landlords, a lettings industry chief warns.
The government’s White Paper - ‘A Fairer Rented Private Sector’ issued at the start of the summer - aims to reform the rules around the rental sector in the UK and improve the balance between tenants’ and landlords’ rights and responsibilities.
It includes a commitment to scrap Section 21 eviction pqwers, the adoption of a ‘Decent Homes Standard’ and the establishment of a new Ombudsman to settle disputes.
But the associated legislation - known as the Renters’ Reform Bill - has still not entered Parliament, meaning the exact details of the reforms are still unknown. And this is deeply unsettling according to Joanne Millward, divisional lettings coordinator at Fisher German.
She works with landlords all over the country and is urging the government to press ahead with putting the Bill through Parliament.
Although the proposed reforms will not be entirely helpful to landlords, the uncertainty in the meantime is causing much harm.
Millward says: “The industry is essentially stuck in limbo until we know the details of what will appear in the legislation. While the White Paper improves rights for tenants, some of the proposals in it will make becoming a landlord more difficult and will give current landlords more problems to deal with.
“Many landlords are taking things into their own hands as a result and it is yet another reason for many to sell up, reducing rental stock across the country. The supply of rental housing is already under strain in the UK, and this delay is only making it worse by discouraging landlords to keep going.”
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Well that is a surprise 😝
That's the plan. You'll own nothing and be happy😵💫
Agents have a different perspective and a different agenda from landlords. Many landlords don't want the Government to press ahead with the Renters' Reform Bill because it will mean that they will give notice to existing tenants; they are not prepared to lose control of their properties.
Exactly.
Press ahead???? Er no. Bury rental reform.
I don’t see there is any uncertainty. The only certainty is to sell.
Look at all the immigration problems with 40,000 Albanians coming over. Asylum seekers costing us £7m PER DAY in hotels alone. The “invasion” as she calls it. Suella can’t do anything without being criticised and thwarted by woke politicians and immigrant rights groups. This is how it is with our immigration problem.
Housing is the same thing with Gove, Labour and Shelter, Generation Rent etc. Do you want the same politicians who either won’t sort immigration or try and stop those that are trying to to be in power controlling housing and still be a landlord???
Endless rights for tenant. No budget caps required for what they are “entitled to”.
Time to get out.
Talk about stating the obvious 😂, but all this just sums up perfectly the total lack of direction this government has, they are clueless. We know it will come in, so can make decisions based on that irrespective of the actual start date.
So they want to rush it in quickly to prevent Landlords from leaving before the rug is pulled beneath them, they are all full of crap not a days work in most of them.
Agents are a waste of space. All they do is collect money and don’t take responsibility for anything they do. Which is usually not a lot or bad.
My thoughts exactly. The minute it hurts more then I am planning a mass section21 regardless of contractual timing and CGT allowances and will sell the whole portfolio. I would rather air bnb for the short-term if required whilst we have voids periods.
James B
I have a well known agent. They don't perform. They have been negligent in completing the Prescribed Information and have put me in breach of the Tenants Fee Act. Their referencing system is heavily flawed leading to me now having a bad tenant. They don't fully describe where I am financially with the tenant and you have to drag it out of them. I am
Trying to issue a S21.
They quote/ charge ridiculous costs for doing works too.
I also work with agents through work. They don't do anything than post box issues like a messenger.
Your silly comment is unfounded.
In fairness Nick there are good and bad agents, I have found the ''well known ones'' generally hopeless, they tend to employ fresh out of uni wet behind the ears boys and girls where the customer is just a number, smaller local agents offer a better more personal service from experienced staff who are often landlords themselves, I get on well with the agent I use, one office and 6 staff who all know what they're talking about and get things done
Andrew,
I understand and agree. I think you have mentioned your points to me before. Mine is a chain. They are pretty arrogant and won't correct mistakes my solicitor points out until after a lot of resistance. They don't take responsibility for anything. They don't offer any value in my opinion. I think you get value with your agent. I suspect James himself is an agent who does a good job too.
Its not the delays that are driving us away it is the reforms themselves! The delay is just allowing us to do it in a more orderly fashion!
I thought Fisher German was a rawl plug.
They are…. Very good to.
…it takes 14 months right now to get a case heard in court here in north london….and that’s just to get your day in court. Good luck fellow landlords. There is no chance the government will get the court system backlog in place before they remove Section 21. So plan ahead carefully.
Brent has a Consultation open on landlord Licensing have your say and a laugh.
So it’s not landlords and Tenants having their say but the whole Borough as previous fake Consultations. They are sure to get anything result they want through, when huge numbers of people who are not involved in Private Sector housing are deciding what Policy should be, well done Brent master class.
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