Housing minister seeks to reassure landlords ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act

The housing minister has claimed, “responsible landlords have nothing to fear from the Renters’ Rights Act”.

Writing in the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) magazine in an effort to reassure landlords ahead of the act coming into force this week, Matthew Pennycook said the government “is committed to supporting landlords through the transition”.

Under the act, Section 21 evictions will be abolished and fixed-term tenancies will become periodic.

Changes of this magnitude are inherently unsettling

Mr Pennycook admitted to the NRLA magazine that for some landlords, the “magnitude of changes are inherently unsettling”.

He told the NRLA magazine: “I know from officials in my Department who attended the NRLA conference last November that some landlords had concerns around implementation. Longstanding concerns around issues such as court capacity were aired and new concerns were raised about the possibility of making inadvertent mistakes.

“I fully appreciate that changes of this magnitude are inherently unsettling. This is, after all, the most significant package of reforms to the sector in almost four decades.

“However, I want to reassure you that responsible landlords have nothing to fear from the changes we are making, and that we are committed to ensuring you have the required guidance and support needed to navigate the transition.”

He adds: “As they did in Liverpool last year, my officials continue to engage with landlords and landlord bodies to understand and respond to outstanding concerns and provide the information necessary for landlords to prepare. I am grateful to the efforts being made by the NRLA to proactively support their members as we move toward implementation.

“I am acutely aware, as I have been since we first introduced the bill to Parliament, that the measures in the act will place demands on parts of the state that the sector relies on. To ensure a smooth implementation of the act these must be ready. We continue to support the justice system with funding to make sure that the courts and tribunals have the resources and capacity they need to cope with any increased demand that results from the changes we are making.”

Simpler regulation and clear and expanded possession grounds

Mr Pennycook also claimed the act will provide landlords with “tangible benefits in the form of simpler regulation and clear and expanded possession grounds, so that landlords are able to regain their properties quickly when necessary.”

He adds that stronger council enforcement powers “will be brought to bear on the minority of unscrupulous landlords who exploit, mistreat or discriminate against renters, helping to improve the reputation of the sector as a whole.”

Mr Pennycook’s full interview with the NRLA can be found by clicking here.