Industry News
Rental reforms risk becoming charter for ASB
Government plans to reform the private rented sector risk becoming a charter for anti-social behaviour unless urgent changes are made to the draſt legislation. Tis was the warning given to MPs on the
Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee by Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association. Te latest data shows that around a third (32
per cent) of landlords asking a tenant to leave a property had done so because the tenant had engaged in anti-social behaviour. Under Government plans to end
Section 21 repossessions, landlords will be reliant on convictions if they are to have certainty about tackling problem tenants. Recent polling indicates the public have little faith in the ability of the police and councils to tackle anti-social behaviour. A survey of almost 3,500 landlords and
letting agents by the NRLA has found that of those who had served a notice to a tenant due to anti-social behaviour, 84 per cent had received no assistance from their local authority. 75 per cent said they had received no help from the police. Without urgent changes to the Government’s
planned reforms, the NRLA warn that it will become more difficult to tackle behaviour that blights the lives of neighbours and fellow tenants. Te NRLA is calling for full implementation
of the Victims’ Commissioner report on anti- social behaviour. Alongside this, the police and local authorities should be required to check the planned property portal when tackling nightmare tenants and work closely with landlords to take swiſt action against them. Te courts should also prioritise possession cases brought as a result of such behaviour. Ben Beadle said: “Anti-social behaviour
blights the lives of fellow tenants, neighbours and communities alike. It is vital that it is tackled swiſtly wherever it is found. Te Government’s proposals simply do not achieve this, and we are calling on new ministers to look again at the plans. Without change the reforms will become a charter for anti-social behaviour.” Addressing the Committee, Ben Beadle
also raised concerns about the damage the Government’s proposals will do to the student housing market and the urgent need for reforms to the court system. Scrapping Section 21 will lead to more possession cases ending up in the courts and at present they are not processing legitimate cases swiſtly enough. Mr Beadle warned the Committee that unless
the reforms had the confidence of responsible landlords it would be tenants that suffer as the supply crisis in the rental market worsens.
London sees the biggest increase in private landlord numbers
T
he number of private landlords operating within the British rental market has risen by 2.4 per cent since 2016/17, but
in the capital the rate of increase is at a far higher 8.4 per cent. Market analysis from Total Landlord Insurance
revealed the current estimated number of landlords with income generated via property and how this has changed over time. Te figures show that across Britain, almost 2.6 million make a living as a landlord. London is both home to the most landlords at 463,200 and it has seen the biggest increase since 2016/17 - up by 8.4 per cent. Te East of England (4 per cent) and South East (3.4 per cent) have also seen some of the largest upliſts in landlord numbers, while the South East is home to the second highest number at 459,410. But not every area has seen this figure increase.
In Wales, the number of landlords has fallen by -3.9 per cent in the last three years. Te South West has seen a decline of -1.5 per cent, with the North East (-0.6 per cent) and Scotland (-0.3 per cent) are also seeing a decline. London has also seen some of the largest
increases in landlord numbers at local authority level. Te City of London has seen a 37 per cent increase in the number of landlords since 2016/17, with Barking and Dagenham home to the second
12 | HMMOctober/November 2022 |
www.housingmmonline.co.uk
highest increase at 20 per cent. Outside of London, Slough has seen the largest
increase, up by 20 per cent. Newham (16 per cent) and Turrock (16 per cent) also rank within the top five where the largest increase in landlord number is concerned. However, in Pembrokeshire, the number of
operational landlords has declined by -13 per cent since 2016/17, along with Allerdare and Gwynedd. Ceredigion (-12 per cent) and Scarborough (-12 per cent) have also endured some of the largest declines in landlord numbers. Steve Barnes, Associate Director at Total
Landlord Insurance, commented: “In recent years, the nation’s landlords have been served up an unsavoury cocktail of restrictions to income tax relief, buy-to-let stamp duty increases and changes to capital gains tax. “Despite this, the number of landlords has
not only remained robust across Britain, but we’ve actually seen an increase which is proof, if it were ever needed, that property remains a very attractive investment. “Of course, this hasn’t been the case completely
across the board and some areas have seen a notable decline. Unfortunately for tenants in those areas, this decline in rental investment will only limit the options available to them, driving up the cost of renting in the process.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
