The long-awaited Renters Reform Bill did not even warrant a mention in a key speech yesterday by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak - suggesting that it remains only a secondary issue.
This is despite extensive lobbying and sophisticated publicity from Shelter, Generation Rent and other pressure groups.
In a high profile speech at Stratford, Sunak said he would focus “relentlessly” on five issues.
He said: “I want to make five promises to you today. Five pledges to deliver peace of mind. Five foundations, on which to build a better future for our children and grandchildren.
"First, we will halve inflation this year to ease the cost of living and give people financial security. Second, we will grow the economy, creating better-paid jobs and opportunity right across the country.
"Third, we will make sure our national debt is falling so that we can secure the future of public services. Fourth, NHS waiting lists will fall and people will get the care they need more quickly.
"Fifth, we will pass new laws to stop small boats, making sure that if you come to this country illegally, you are detained and swiftly removed.
"So, five promises - we will: Halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce debt, cut waiting lists, and stop the boats. Those are the people's priorities. They are your government's priorities. And we will either have achieved them or not.
"No tricks, no ambiguity, we're either delivering for you or we're not. We will rebuild trust in politics through action, or not at all. So, I ask you to judge us on the effort we put in and the results we achieve."
Sunak promised to work "night and day" to deliver on the five challenges during this parliament and to create "a future that restores optimism, hope and pride in Britain".
His speech was wide ranging covering educational aspirations, innovation, hard work, social care and a range of other issues - but there was no mention of housing in general and no specific mention of rental reform.
Former Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May first proposed rental reforms, including specially the scrapping of Section 21 eviction powers, back in spring 2019.
Just two weeks ago, shortly before Christmas, the current Housing Secretary - Michael Gove - said: “We’re going to be bringing forward more legislation to improve the position of people in the private rented sector. We want to make sure that people in the private rented sector are confident that local government is on their side. We will bring forward legislation that will give them better protection. It will come in the next calendar year, so 2023.”
The details of the Renters Reform Bill, contained in a parallel White Paper, were released back in June but the government - at that time led by Boris Johnson - did not set out a timetable for implementation.
The measures included a ban on Section 21 evictions and the extension of the Decent Homes Standard to the private rental sector. It also pledged an end to what it calls “arbitrary rent review clauses, give tenants stronger powers to challenge poor practice, unjustified rent increases and enable them to be repaid rent for non-decent homes.”
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Poor Sunak has many more things he could have added to the list. He set 5 issues. Rental reform wasn’t mentioned.
Non-story.
Obviously he doesn't want to scare his vote & core supporters, so he hasn't mentioned "giving the tenants your property" . No mention of law and order which dosent exist, and without anything else is impossible!
Definatley shoring up core votes in the shires as with the planning announcement for the coming council elections in May.
Most of these things will happen regardless of anything Sunak does.
The inflation rate will automatically drop because prices went up so much last year. It doesn't mean prices will drop, just that they won't rise quite so rapidly. If the price of something doubled last year and only goes up by 50% this year inflation has halved but the item is still 3 times the price it was originally.
Jobs will automatically be better paid because minimum wage is going up. It doesn't mean there will be better jobs with better career development opportunities.
The debt figure can be manipulated in all sorts of devious ways.
NHS waiting lists may well be shortened but it's more likely to be a combination of the excess death rate being so high because of all the missed cancer and heart care during the pandemic and people choosing to pay to go private.
What makes him think he's going to be any more successful than anyone else with the dinghys?
So this big sound bite amounts to nothing remotely useful.
He needs to do something about the important stuff that he so totally stuffed up in his role as Chancellor. He needs to ensure people have access to a wide choice of housing of all tenures. Social, PRS and mortgaged. Landlords need to be treated fairly throughout their ownership of rental properties and there needs to be a clear and fair exit route for when we want to retire. We would pay staggering amounts of tax even if we were taxed in the same way as every other business. Section 24 and punitive CGT is just pure greed and a massive disincentive for new landlords to come into the industry. Each of my tenants probably pay about £500 a year more rent than they otherwise would purely so I can pay the extra Section 24 tax invented by this government.
If there are going to be Help to Buy type schemes it needs to be on second hand houses, not new builds. Enabling a FTB to buy a new house results in one sale and very little in tax revenue. Enabling them to buy a second hand house sets a chain in motion and may result in SDLT on multiple transactions and vast amounts of VAT on all the conveyancing.
You've spoken a lot of truth here Jo. Sunak, for me is not a leader, his 5 point plan is just talk.
He needs to lead and make some fundamental changes in so many areas, housing being one that affects ourselves.
Jo
Help to buy bailed out the house builders who were bankrupt. If you watch mark steyn he publisiced that Sunak is a World Economic Forum - Klaus Schwab man !! In essence Sunak is looking for good soundbites.
Just more talk from a politician who in 2 years time max…. Will be out of power.
Rental Reform is not the correct description, it’s the “Private Rental Annihilation Bill” for goodness sake can they not even get that right.
Jo, said a great deal of truth and fact in there.
Of course inflation will come down not sustainable at that level, but now they have jacked up the prices they will stay.
Core voters ? I don't recall voting for this wef puppet
Yes George, can anyone see the hidden hand behind Sunaks back.
The Government is making fortunes out of all this,
If they have forced 260k LL’s to sell or whatever the figures is, c/gains on any equity left on all them, SD from new buyers as Jo said, Solicitors, Accountants, Selling Agents, + billions from licensing Schemes. VAT etc,
Add Section 24 tax take, + they have driven rents through the roofs / higher income means more income tax but tell to Tenants they can have your house to keep them quiet, divide and Conquer.
This idiot supported Brexit which has been a disaster.
Let's be honest, any serious landlord cannot have supported Brexit. I was screaming from the roof tops what would happen. Did we seriously think France would stop the small boats once we left the EU? It was obvious as hell what would happen.
All this to stop Europeans from having freedom of movement (which was what Brexit boiled down to for most). Europeans that have made some of my best tenants. I don't know why any landlord would have voted for Brexit?
Hi Dani, I voted for Brexit and stand by my vote. I have a property in France and have lived there as indeed Germany but for less time. Consequently my decision made my life more difficult for myself as a result. In fact now I'm looking to sell my French house. I also agree with you that we have cut off a supply of tenants. Not that we now have a shortage. But none of this is the reason I voted for Brexit.
We have a very different opinion to our neighbours.
I regard myself as serious Landlord and have been one for more than 30 years, though I will be selling properties now, though may not entirely leave, time will tell.
If you asked a French person or a German and so on what is the principle reason that they would say why they wish to be part of the European Union? The answer is not even thought about by a Brit.
Again this is not the reason why I voted to leave.
Now I would agree that the Politicians have made a complete balls up of leaving the EU but that is a different agenda.
I would also add that I am sure you have excellent and valid reasons for your comment, I am simply pointing out a different view.
Andy Marshall.... The present attack on private LL's (God help us when Labour get in power) is nothing to do with Brexit.. With all our opt outs the UK was essentially just in the Single Market nd the SM was great for the UK economy.. Whatever reasons you may have had to vote leave... Economically there is no arguement... Leaving was a massive mistake for the UK and the economic negative effects are only just starting...
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