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Editor’s comment


Will private renting reforms deliver lasting changes


Patrick Mooney, News Editor


T e long awaited legislation to modernise the private renting market in England fi nally arrived aſt er a number of false dawns, but whether it will deliver the promised reforms of abolishing unfair revenge evictions while reassuring both landlords and tenants remains to be seen. Section 21 evictions have contributed hugely to the rise in homelessness, as well as destabilising many lives, but landlords are anxious that the safeguards for tenants do not go so far that they make it impossible for them to recover their properties for legitimate reasons, particularly where tenants are breaking the terms of their tenancy agreements. Only time will tell if the interests of both sides can be satisfactorily accommodated.


T e Bill was launched with a degree of showmanship by Michael Gove, who declared it was a once in a generation opportunity to deliver sweeping reforms but reservations were quick to emerge on both sides of the debate. Some felt this was an unnecessary intrusion by the Government and it could drive many landlords out of the market, with the unintended outcome of reducing the stock of rental properties, making it harder for tenants to fi nd a home and driving up rents. On the other side of the fence there are complaints that loopholes for revenge evictions still exist, that squalid property conditions are not being tackled adequately and not enough resources are being allocated for enforcement. Mr Gove brushed such reservations aside and declared: “T ese reforms will ensure that everyone can live somewhere which is decent, safe and secure – a place they’re truly proud to call home.” We cannot fault his ambition for the draſt legislation!


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No doubt the Bill will face intense scrutiny as it progresses through Parliament and there will be a race to get it onto the statute book before the next general election. T e Labour Party is unlikely to oppose the majority of the planned reforms, but is expected to push for more safeguards for tenants as well as for stronger actions against rogue landlords. It is even possible that the biggest opposition to the proposed changes could come from the Government’s own backbenchers – many of who are themselves private landlords. T e launch of the Bill was quite timely, as it came in the same week that we heard of record high rents being charged outside of the capital and statistics showing further increases in homelessness to an almost 20 year high. Clearly the housing market is not working properly and reforms to correct this are necessary and long overdue.


Meanwhile the introduction of another Ombudsman into the sector will be viewed with interest. Whether they can have the same impact as the Social Housing Ombudsman is anyone’s guess. T e watchdog is continuing to champion the cause of tenants and berate their landlords. T e most strident criticisms are reserved for the handling of long running complaints about poor property conditions, such as damp and mould, which are characterised by poor communications, poor record- keeping and a failure to empathise with the residents, even where they or their family members have serious medical conditions which are being made worse by the landlord’s service failures. T e catalogue of cases being adjudicated on by the Ombudsman do not appear to be declining, in fact the number and size of compensation orders are rising and at some point we are going to have to see some meaningful change in landlord services and behaviours. Otherwise we can probably expect further intervention from the Social Housing Regulator and from Mr Gove.


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T e regulator has been trialling diff erent approaches to landlord inspections, which will begin in earnest next April and over the Summer it is consulting on changes to the consumer standards. T ese could see stronger measures and sanctions being introduced for poorly performing landlords. It might take the threat of personal fi nes (on executives, board members and managers) and disqualifi cations from holding positions of responsibility, before systemic improvements are delivered across the sector. Aſt er a period of time when rented housing did not appear to feature as a priority in the national debate, we fi nally appear to be witnessing something of a change. People living in the private and social housing sectors make up about a third of the population and their votes will be all important when it comes to deciding who will form the next Government. T e proposed legislative and regulatory changes being discussed over the next year will give politicians plenty of opportunites to canvass for our votes. It will be down to all of us to see what we can extract in the way of positive changes.


HOUSING MANAGEMENT


Patrick Mooney


& MAINTENANCE JUN/JUL 2023


Landmark rental reforms issued


Ombudsman orders compensation payments


Fire safety campaign launched


Homelessness at 20 year high


Private rents top £1K a month


On the cover...


West Town Edinburgh Ltd has agreed a joint approach with the City of Edinburgh Council to deliver a major new ’20-minute neighbourhood’ for the city.


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