Beckett unveils plan for national register of private landlords » Housing » 24dash.com

A major new package of measures to strengthen consumer protections for tenants living in private rented accommodation is being announced today by Housing Minister Margaret Beckett.

The Government wants to improve the quality of the private rented sector, by increasing professionalism, driving out bad landlords, and strengthening protections for tenants affected by repossessions.

New proposals to be taken forward for consultation, as recommended in Julie Rugg’s independent review of the private rented sector, include:

• Introducing a light-touch national register of every private landlord in England to increase protection for both vulnerable tenants and good landlords. Landlords will need to include their registration number on all tenancy agreements and could be removed from the register for persistent poor performance like failing to carry out essential repairs, or not protecting tenants’ deposits.
• Full regulation for private sector letting agents. Letting and managing agents do not currently need to have professional credentials. This means that both tenants and landlords have no realistic redress when things go wrong. To tackle these problems, the government proposes creating an independent regulator for all letting and managing agents.
• An improved complaints and redress procedure for tenants. For the first time, the Government will look to set up a mechanism whereby tenants are able to register official complaints about sub-standard landlords, and if these complaints are substantial and proven then landlords may be removed from the national register.
• Greater local authority support for good landlords. Local authorities will be encouraged to create ‘local lettings agencies’ to better facilitate tenancies in the private rented sector for those in housing need, including Housing Benefit recipients.

The Government is today also announcing its intention to change the law to ensure that tenants have a minimum two months’ notice if they have to leave their home because their landlord has been repossessed.

At present, a gap in legal protections means that some tenants could be evicted at short notice if their landlord is repossessed – sometimes with less than two weeks to move their belongings and find somewhere new to live. These changes are part of a wider package of support the Government has put in place to support households at risk of repossession in the current economic climate.

Margaret Beckett said: “With almost three million private tenants in the country, the private rented sector plays a vital role in providing choice and flexibility in the housing market. That’s why we need to ensure tenants have the protection they deserve, the many decent landlords receive the support they need, and those landlords whose performance is inadequate either improve or leave the sector.

“The proposals we’ve announced today will create a system that retains its attractiveness for those who choose not to buy, but also embraces greater professionalism without creating unnecessary burdens on landlords.”

Mrs Beckett added: “It is not right that tenants through no fault of their own can be forced to leave their home at a moment’s notice if their landlord is repossessed, which is why we are intending to change the law. In the meantime, I hope that lenders will move as quickly as possible to safeguard tenants in their homes."

Leslie Morphy, Chief Executive of Crisis said: “A strong and healthy private rented sector has a vital role to play in meeting our housing needs, particularly for those who do not qualify for social housing, but we have long argued that we need to raise standards across the sector. The measures announced today of a new national register of every landlord and full regulation for private letting agents will provide important new tools in increasing protection for vulnerable tenants and driving out bad landlords from the sector. We warmly welcome them and urge that they be implemented as quickly as possible.”

For tenants in danger of possible eviction due to their landlords facing repossession, the Council of Mortgage Lenders have agreed to work with their members to alleviate where possible any pressure on the tenant. They will continue to work with government to promote and share best practice between their members, ensuring tenants get the support they need at this time.

Changes to the rules for informing tenants if their landlord is due to attend a court repossession hearing have already come into effect. Since April, tenants will now get up to seven weeks notice of a hearing, up from the previous two week period.