The National Residential Landlords Association has hit back at a claim that it is seeking to ‘turn students’ against the government’s proposed reforms for the private rental sector.
The website OpenDemocracy - which describes itself as “an independent international media platform” - says the NRLA has written to over 20 student unions across the UK.
In at least one correspondence which OpenDemocracy says it has seen, the NRLA allegedly says that the government’s proposed banning of fixed-term tenancies through the Renters’ Reform Bill could cause "chaos" and damage students’ mental health.
OpenDemocracy then quotes a National Union of Student leader saying: “It is wrong that the NRLA is pushing for exemptions for students which would afford them fewer rights than other renters. Our research repeatedly shows that the cost of housing is a key driver impacting student mental health so it is disingenuous for the NRLA to imply that the greater protections secured through the bill will bring harm to students.”
However, the NRLA has defended its communications, telling Landlord Today: “The welfare of students is best served by ensuring a healthy supply of homes to rent. Recent images of students queuing to view properties is a sign that there is simply not enough accommodation to meet demand. All this is doing is leading to less choice and higher rents.
“The government’s plans to make all student tenancies open ended or ‘periodic’ would only make it harder to find accommodation. It would mean no landlord could ever guarantee that housing would be available for students at the start of each academic year. This would cause chaos, confusion and anxiety for students unable to plan where they live and with who.
“Ministers have already accepted that student housing is a special case by exempting tenancies in private halls of residence from becoming periodic. The reasons for doing this in halls apply every bit as much to the wider student market.
“This is why we have reached out to 22 student unions across the country to find a solution that recognises the unique nature of the student market.”
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Where's Paul Calf when you need him ??
Well done the NRLA for making sure this issue has been clearly communicated to the Government and student unions. Typical that student unions have thrown it back in their face! It's a real issue and o this occasion students would be advised to listen to the NRLA.
I've read somewhere that the chief Ben Beadle has his own student housing. This may explain why they have acted but he says to the govertment he doesn't mind S21 going.
Hilarious. The NRLA is bang on the money on this one. The news on all media over the late summer was about the total annihilation of student accommodation in Scotland - guess why! Yup, the ending of fixed term tenancies .... I'm sure that Robert Brown can add flesh to this.
Of course, the Student Union blamed all those "greedy landlords"
900 groups were reported to be chasing a single flat in Glasgow in September.
David Alexander reports having around 40000 prospective tenants on his books.
However students graduating do tend to let me know around February if they are leaving and I then persuade them to give me formal notice which is irrevocable so I can get on with selecting new tenants to take over in early June. They now know that they have to pay all summer or risk not finding anywhere in September, so the situation for normal student flats isn't too bad under the new legislation.
However the combined student/ summer let market which used to work well in Edinburgh and St Andrews has been largely destroyed as tenants don't let landlords plan sufficiently far ahead to get tourists lined up for the summer periods and many more than before stay on in summer jobs.
This has meant many flats are now full-time short term rentals forcing students further out into residential areas, especially in Edinburgh and St Andrews.
Stop all this nonsense. The Renter’s Reform Bill / The White Paper Bill etc, then you won’t need to discriminate with exemptions to further divide the community’s.
Those are Treasonable Policy’s and you are not fit to hold Office.
They want landlords with decades of Service to do endless Courses to learn how to be a landlord how cool is that, not.
Why don’t they have Courses to enter Parliament or even to be a Minister hopping like flea from one Department to another that they know nothing about.
I sit in my armchair and laugh at the tenant associations, the likes of Shelter, Generation Rent, Acorn and now the NUS, shooting themselves in their collective feet. It is almost that they want the whole rental system destroyed and no accommodation to be available.
Remember "No situation is so bad that government intervention cannot make it worse" and reflect.
Open Democracy - I attempted to write a response to an article they published but the online website would not let me register and publish my comment. So I tried ringing their contact phone line - no answer. So I emailed them - guess what - no answer. I suspect Open Democracy is actually Left Wing not particularly democratic and only publish if you agree with their point of view. They do not appear to like facts which undermine their particular flavour of dogma!
It is sad that the bodies supposedly representing tenants can't see where this will end up. The outcome for student accommodation if these changes come is proved in Scotland where it has happened. The outcome is less student homes and therefore higher rent for those students - combine that with the uncertainty landlords have for rents I am sure will result in less investment in house improvements which is ultimately going to reduce the quality of student homes as well. The end result is fewer available houses, higher rents and lower quality houses. I wonder what these bodies will suggest in 10 years once that has happened and can no longer be denied? It will take along time to build back up - longer than it took to destroy.
I wonder if anyone in the student unions is studying economics. It certainly doesn't seem so.
Most student union activists don't do any studying at all!
Robert, It was much the same when I was employed in the work place, (mid 70s Eastern Electricity) the union shop steward rarely did any work , I'm sure student unions are no different .
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