Landlords and letting agents were conspicuous by their absence from the announcement of the ‘roadmap’ for the Renters’ Rights Act late last week.
The press release said a “Countdown begins for the biggest increase to tenants’ rights in a generation”.
“In just under six months, private renters will no longer face being served with a Section 21 ‘no-fault’ eviction notice – a practice leaving thousands vulnerable to homelessness every year,” it declared.
We’re calling time on no fault evictions and rogue landlords.”
And Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: “We’re calling time on no fault evictions and rogue landlords.”
There were comments from, in order, Generation Rent, the Renters’ Reform Coalition, Shelter, Crisis, Centrepoint and St Mungo’s (a housing charity).
But there was nothing from any landlord or letting agent organisations.
Complete lack
Phil Turtle, of Landlord Licensing and Defence, says: “It is very obvious that the government has included canned comments for you [press and media] from renters organisations and Shelter the homeless charity that houses no-one.
“A complete lack of comments from the landlord community!”
A spokesman for the NRLA told The Neg: “Whilst the NRLA was approached for a comment to include in MHCLG’s press release, it decided not to provide one given its concerns about the lack of practical detail and materials needed to achieve the Government’s stated ambitions.”
The NRLA also issued a separate press release calling for more detailed guidance in addition to the roadmap.
A deadline alone is not enough.”
Ben Beadle, CEO at the NRLA (main picture), said in the release: “The announcement of a commencement date for these important reforms is welcome. However, a deadline alone is not enough.
“We have argued consistently that landlords and property businesses need at least six months from the publication of regulations to ensure the sector is properly prepared for the biggest changes it has faced for over 40 years,” he said.
“Unless the Government urgently publishes all the guidance documents and written material needed to update tenancy agreements to reflect the changes to come, the plan will prove less a roadmap and more a path to inevitable failure.”
BREAKING: Renters’ Rights Act to be implemented on May 1 next year
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