Letting agents urged to contact MPs over Bill

Lettings agents are being urged to contact their MPs over the Renters (Reform) Bill since it appears that the upcoming Parliamentary recess means there is no time to debate it until the autumn.

The call is being made by payment platform PayProp after fears that some issues that aren’t in the current Bill will be added as amendments.

They include outlawing discrimination against tenants on benefits and those with children and extending the Decent Home Standard to the private rented sector.

However, concern is growing in the PRS that there will not be proper Parliamentary scrutiny of these amendments.

‘Gives agents the summer to get organised’

PayProp’s managing director, Neil Cobbold, said: “A lot of the important details are still up in the air and with the Bill not getting its second reading until at least September, this gives agents the summer to get organised and share their views with their MPs.”

He adds: “We’ve already seen the government make changes based on feedback from the industry, so the more voices we have, the better the chance lettings professionals will be consulted on this bill and future changes to the industry.”

However, the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee (DLUHC) has questioned Housing Minister Rachel Maclean and her team on the details of the Bill.

There has been some movement on the Bill

Mr Cobbold says there has been some movement on the Bill such as a tenant challenging a Section 13 rent increase in court would have it decreased or be ordered to pay the new rent.

Now tenants face the prospect of the court putting the rent up – which would help reduce court case numbers and put off spurious challenges.

The DLUHC team gave details on the proposed Ombudsman which would operate as a non-profit and it could yet be a combined agent/tenant/landlord redress scheme.

PayProp is now urging agents to take part in a survey with the results being presented to MPs and the government.