The Competition and Markets Authority is launching a three month probe into the workings of the private rental sector.
It says the focus will be on “the end-to-end experience from a tenant’s perspective including finding somewhere to live, renting a property, and moving between homes.”
This will also identify consumer protection issues and “will examine the relationship between tenants and landlords and the role of intermediaries, such as letting agents.”
The study will culminate in a report on its finding and proposed next steps over this summer.
Separately - but happening at the same time - there is to be a study on house building.
This will look at four areas - how builders are delivering the right sorts of homes that communities and buyers need; land management and claims of land banking; how councils oversee the delivery of affordable homes; and what factors may be holding builders back from adopting new building techniques or moving towards more sustainable net zero homes
Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA, says: “The quality and cost of housing is one of the biggest issues facing the country. Over the last few years, the CMA delivered real change for leaseholders, with tens of thousands of homeowners receiving refunds after being overcharged unfair ground rents.
“With that work nearly finished, we’re now looking to probe in more detail two further areas – the housebuilding and the rental sectors.
“If there are competition issues holding back housebuilding in Britain then we need to find them. But we also need to be realistic that more competition alone won’t unlock a housebuilding boom.
“In the same vein, we want to explore the experiences people have of the rental sector and whether there are issues here that the CMA can help with.
“We will of course be guided by the evidence, but if we find competition or consumer protection concerns we are prepared to take the steps necessary to address them.”
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I wonder whether this with be balanced with good and bad experiences? Methinks not...
It can't be any worse than relying on the lies and hate spouted by Shelter, Acorn, Generation Rant etc.
Hopefully it will invite all Landlords and tenants to participate?
Why doesn't anyone look at the landlords perspective and how they have been disadvantaged by the tax system , the increase in red tape and the introduction of the licensing scheme ( a cash machine for the council , oh no it isn't and pigs will fly). As we are running a business treat us for tax purposes as we are a business ie CGT, IHT etc.
On house building side the less they build , higher the prices. So whats the rush.
Yet again, ignoring the elephant in the room when it comes to rentals, Social Housing! All the hype in the media about how terrible social housing is, damp, mould, kids dying but they choose to challenge the "low hanging fruits" the private rental sector.
As agents, we have been screwed over by the tenant Fee Ban Act, landlords are being royally shafted every way they turn yet still this incompetent government continues to follow the vote, or at least they think they are...............
It’s something new every week.
I for one can’t wait to get out of this business.
This Government obviously want to see tented communities as they have put every obstacle in the way of PRS LLs.
We have propped the rental market up for years now and you would have thought the Government would have been thinking ahead about this country’s ever increasing population and where they would be living.
But no, they have absolutely NO IDEA.
Landlord bashing from the government!
Well what a load of rubbish, to look at any commercial transaction from just one parties point of view is shoddy research to say the least.
How about looking at if from the landlord's point of view, then they would see why things are in the mess they are!!
Because if you don’t like the answer… don’t ask the question, and they already know the answer.
The only way all this is going to change is by landlords leaving the sector. Unless and until sufficient leave the onslaught will simply continue.
I am running down my portfolio as quick as I can, the sooner this gets to crisis point the better. Then and only then will the true value of the PRS be acknowledged.
Watchdog launches probe into Tenant / landlord relationship,
no need to waste 3
Months on this just come and see me I can put them right straight away.
EHS already says annually that 83 % of tenants are satisfied,
Why is this further onslaught against the PRS necessary !
As others have already stated/intimated, any such "probe" needs to ensure that it looks at the situation from everybody's perspective, not only the Tenants but also Landlords and also needs to look into the inherent basis on which the very existence of - say - Shelter is founded, that being that all Landlords are "AHoles" whenever a Tenant contacts them and shouts loud enough about the alleged failings of their Landlord. Whilst some may be legitimate, there will, as many decent Landlords will be able to attest, be a certain proportion of Tenants who are themselves the creators of the problem/s.
Such a "probe" will provide the result that, directly reflects the current thinking of those who are "in power" at that time given time, as we have all seen and witnessed whenever there is a public consultation over any aspect of life - in short a whitewash. Don't you just love politicians.
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