TV property expert Phil Spencer has called for a radical simplification of the rules surrounding landlord licensing, fees and other regulations.

In an article in the Sunday Times over the weekend Spencer, who is a contributor to our sister publication Estate Agent Today, wrote of the scores of laws already impacting on the private rental sector, with more to come if the government succeeds in bringing the Renters Reform Bill into law.

He wrote: “Many of the regulations surrounding private renting vary from place to place, with great inconsistency over how they are enforced – or if they are enforced at all. 

“For example we have over 150 national laws impacting on the private rental sector, plus a lot more applied in some areas only. So for example there are rent caps in Scotland but not elsewhere, and while many local councils across the UK have licensing systems for landlords they vary from place to place with different fees and standards to be met. Some councils do not have licensing at all, while in Wales there’s even a new language surrounding renting – tenancies are now contracts, and renters now contract-holders.

“It’s desperately confusing and to make matters worse, the policing of the existing rules is typically left to local councils and can be very patchy. Councils are themselves facing spending cuts and some Trading Standards divisions have been slimmed down.”

Spencer says the situation is likely to be made even more patchwork if, as proposed, councils have varying powers over the number and activities of Airbnbs. A recent suggestion from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities says councils should be able to determine planning consent for new Airbnbs, and could limit the number of nights they could be let for, varying place to place.

Spencer goes on to tell Sunday Times readers: “It seems to me that leaving it all to individual local authorities means that there is a complete lack of consistency for renters and landlords alike: consequently, we have a messy and disjointed private rental sector. 

“This may get even worse as the Renters Reform Bill changes are introduced and stricter energy efficiency requirements put even more emphasis on our army of small-scale landlords being able to understand and abide by a blizzard of regulations.

“In short, we need uniformity, clarity and simplicity – and soon.” 

You can see Spencer’s full article here although for some readers it may be behind a paywall.