Despite a plethora of press releases and statements from pro-tenant groups, it appears only one-in-20 renters knows details of the Renters Reform Bill.
And almost half of all tenants have never even heard of the legislation.
A survey of tenants has been conducted by the Leaders Romans Group, which includes lettings agency brands Acorn, Gibbs Gillespie, Hose Rhodes Dickson, John Payne, Langford Russell, Leaders, Northfields, Portico, Romans and Scott Fraser.
Surveyed on their understanding of the Bill, 46% of tenants had never even heard of it; 36% say they knew a little about it; only 4% say they knew a lot about it.
LRG – which has consistently emphasised that landlords are not as threatened by the Bill as some industry figures suggest – says a recent survey of landlords shows that their main concerns are not the Bill but are instead high mortgage rates, the cost of bureaucracy and regulations, increased taxes, the cost of overheads such as service charges and maintenance costs, and VAT on contractors’ fees.
LRG says its survey shows that landlords are calling for measures to enforce tenant financial responsibility.
“Notably, 70% of landlords support the initiative to link tenant arrears to credit ratings, emphasising its potential to deter late payments … 45% of landlords agree that a tenant register should be introduced, whereby those who have previously been in arrears or have caused damage to a property are identified.”
LRG says responses to its survey of landlords over Section 21 reveals a divided sentiment, with 42% emphasising its importance for maintaining management flexibility. The agency says landlords were keen to stress that the minority of ‘rogue landlords’ had resulted in a ‘bad press’ and that ‘good’ landlords had nothing to fear from the proposed changes.
Alison Thompson, national lettings managing director at LRG, says: “With 70% of landlords calling for tenant arrears to impact credit ratings and 61% pushing for streamlined legal proceedings, there’s a clear mandate for reform that addresses landlords’ concerns while fostering a fair housing market. As discussions around the Renters Reform Bill continue, LRG remains steadfast in its commitment to championing legislative changes that recognise the challenges landlords face, advocating for a rental market that is equitable, sustainable, and responsive to the needs of all stakeholders involved.”
