Amendments to the Renters Reform Bill, designed to give landlords more protection, have won the backing of a prominent industry figure.
Neil Cobbold, managing director of PropTech firm PayProp UK, says the amendments help the Bill strike the right balance between the rights of landlords and tenants.
“A recent report from the Bank of England has confirmed that landlords have been leaving the PRS over a number of years because of higher taxes and an increasing burden of regulation,” he said.
“We all want to see the industry deliver a high standard of homes for tenants and a sustainable return for. landlords, encouraging current property owners to stay and new landlords to invest in more rental stock.”
Cobbold continues: “The vast majority of landlords want to provide decent homes for their tenants, but it is imperative that they feel secure about regaining possession of their properties should they need to do so.
“Ensuring there is real progress in court reforms before any proposed eviction changes take place may reassure landlords who are worried that they may have to wait over five months to recover their property, based on current wait times.
“The four-month minimum rental period should likewise be a comfort to landlords who are concerned about tenants saying they intend to stay for a long period, but once they move in, only stay for a couple of months in the summer, and then move on.
“And giving more protection to the student market – which has been well established for many years as an annual cycle – would be good for student landlords and tenants alike.”
The Bill will shortly enter the report stage of its Commons progress, where MPs will vote on amendments before its final third reading in the House of Commons: the measure then moves to the Lords.
Tory MP Anthony Mangnall last week tabled a series of amendments including
- Enact the recommendations of the cross-party housing select committee that tenants be unable to give notice to leave a property until they have been in it for at least four months when fixed term tenancies end.
- Enable evidence such as texts or emails from neighbours to be taken into account by the courts when deciding if a tenant has engaged in anti-social behaviour.
- Address concerns that the courts are not prepared for the impact of the end of section 21 repossessions by requiring the Government to publish a review of the operation of possession proceedings in the courts before it is abolished.
- Prevent a costly duplication of efforts by ending the use of landlord selective licensing schemes by councils when the national Property Portal covering the private rented sector is established.
- Protect the annual cycle of all types of student housing by extending the Government’s proposed ground for possession to achieve this to one- and two-bedroom student properties, not just Houses in Multiple Occupation.
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I scratch my head and wonder does this make any difference? What can you do about a Tenant who leaves partway through the fixed period? Absolutely nothing! What’s wrong with the court system that they can or will improve? it takes in my area about six weeks to get to court. The National average is nine weeks according to the ministry of justice. When 75% of evictions are undertaken by social landlords how many more evictions are going to be created by the abolition of section 21?
Most evictions could be avoided by telling councils and other legal advisors not to advise tenants not to pay the rent get evicted, and they will be rehoused. Where mediation by councils is introduced ie where councils introduce a scheme to mediate between defaulting tenants and landlords It substantially reduces the number of evictions and tenants reporting as homeless. If all councils introduce mediation, it would probably reduce the need for court evictions even with the abolition of section 21.
The abolition of section 21 will only go to show that landlords evict for a reason and that is usually nonpayment of rent.
As for text and complaints from neighbours, to prove ASB I have done over 300 evictions via the courts so have a lot of experience of district judges . I cannot see that will make very much difference as evicting for antisocial behaviour will still be discretionary and. I cannot see many District judges who are blatantly anti-landlord being that sympathetic. What landlord is going to risk going to court with a few texts from neighbours?
Jim HaliburtonTheHMODaddy
Well put Jimbo..
I don't see they are chaging anything regarding anti-social behaviour. They say no conviction required - but you can guarantee you still need to do everything to get a conviction, but the judge just doesn't slam his hammer down and say guilty. So no change.
And... As is often the case...What if negibours of anti social tenants are too scared to publicly protest? As was an old lady above tenants who had all night parties /gatherings every weekend.
Private rentals are not social housing and tenants can't be given the same rights as public sector tenants. It's the failure to build sufficient Council housing that has pushed poor benefit dependant people into permanent homes in the private sector.. Private sector housing is not meant to house the poor long term and most private sector tenants are not on benefits...Now, we are all paying the price of the failure to build sufficient Council housing... In the process the PRS is being wrecked...
The Renters reform Bill Is going to be a disaster for Landlords and Tenants.
Test
Question 1 What Part of this Bill will attract anyone to become a Landlord ?
Question 2 Will the Renters Reform Bill encourage more Landlords to exit.
Question 4 Is the NRLA currently Representing their members interest .
Question 5 Will the RRB cause more homelessness.
Good Look
Agree, its the completely wrong thing at the wrong time. If it was a buyer's market then there might be some scope to put pressure on landlords, but right now any pressure on landlords just leads to more properties being sold out of the rental sector.
>> "Enact the recommendations of the cross-party housing select committee that tenants be unable to give notice to leave a property until they have been in it for at least four months when fixed term tenancies end."
Can someone explain what does this mean because I don't understand what they mean by "at least four months when fixed term tenancies end" are they saying after the tenancy has ended?
>> "Enable evidence such as texts or emails from neighbours to be taken into account by the courts when deciding if a tenant has engaged in anti-social behaviour."
OK, emails and text messages have been a thing since the 90s, so I don't know why it's taken this long for the law to consider such as evidence, regardless it won't change anything. You could have video evidence and yet the rouge tenants will still be able to drag out the case for months, costing you money!
>> "Address concerns that the courts are not prepared for the impact of the end of section 21 repossessions by requiring the Government to publish a review of the operation of possession proceedings in the courts before it is abolished."
It doesn't matter how clean the process is, if the tenants are able to drag it out. The pavement can be as straight as it is, but if you have to walk for a long time your legs will get numb!!
>> "Prevent a costly duplication of efforts by ending the use of landlord selective licensing schemes by councils when the national Property Portal covering the private rented sector is established."
Much prefer to get the licensing scheme abolished altogether.
>> "Protect the annual cycle of all types of student housing by extending the Government’s proposed ground for possession to achieve this to one- and two-bedroom student properties, not just Houses in Multiple Occupation."
...Were landlords not allowed to evict students before? What sort of rehash is this?
No legislation change is required. Everything needs to be based on market forces. S21 must remain for tenants and landlord's benefit. The landlords have a right to their property, if the tenants breach the agreement, simple with 2 months notice. However, this often do not work and have to be given s8 notice for non-payment and then tenants to be taken to the court. The tenants have managed to stay in the property in my case for 11 months, only paying the first 2 months rent. No to Reform bill.
It's an improvement on the original but no mention of pets.
Interesting that they want to include one and two bed flats in the student thing. The larger student houses definitely need to be protected but small flats are more questionable. Prior to Article 4 students almost never rented small flats. Since Article 4 was introduced students have been keen to rent anything within a reasonable distance of the university. Small flats, ex Council, family houses just outside the Article 4 zone, anything that cuts down on their travel time and costs. It has completely distorted the rental market. Low paid city centre workers are forced to live further and further from their work.
Jo, I have a small studio flat within walking distance of the University. I had a student tenant (with guarantor) there for three years. His family wanted him to live away from the student melee so he could concentrate on his studies. It worked and he was one of the best tenants I have had.
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