Beckett to receive Rugg Review on private rented housing market

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Housing

Proposals to grow the private rented housing market in the UK were being put forward in an independent report being presented to housing minister Margaret Beckett today.

The Rugg Review will set out recommendations for new procurement relationships between local authorities and landlords and "intelligent" tax incentives to develop the sector.

The review was commissioned by Mrs Beckett's predecessor Caroline Flint at the start of this year to look at issues including landlord licensing, institutional investment in renting, retaliatory eviction, poor property condition and the use of privately-rented properties to house homeless people.

The report comes amid a crisis in the "buy-to-let" market, with many investors who purchased property in the hope of renting it out while profiting from expected price-rises finding themselves in difficulties as a result of the slump in the housing market.

Commenting ahead of its publication, authors Dr Julie Rugg and David Rhodes of the University of York Centre for Housing Policy said: "Too many myths are attached to renting, and have driven policy on the sector for too long.

"We need a new agenda that reflects sound, independent evidence."