Government PRS reforms report welcomed by NRLA

Government PRS reforms report welcomed by NRLA

11:00 AM, 9th February 2023, About A year ago 11

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The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has welcomed reform recommendations in a report from MPs for the private rented sector (PRS).

Among the recommendations, the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee’s report calls for the development of a specialist housing court to tackle anti-social behaviour and rent arrears cases.

Other recommendations include introducing tax reforms to attract landlords to the PRS, the unfreezing of housing benefit rates and making anti-social behaviour a mandatory ground for possession – even if there is no criminal conviction.

The issue of introducing periodic tenancies for the student accommodation sector should also be ditched, MPs say.

In its report, the Committee warns that: “It is not clear whether the Government fully appreciates the extent to which an unreformed courts system could undermine its tenancy reforms.”

‘Biggest challenge faced by many renters is that there are not enough homes to rent.’

Chris Norris, the NRLA’s policy director, said: “The NRLA has never been against reform of the sector, but it has to be fair and workable for both tenants and landlords.

“That is why the Committee is right to call for court reform to underpin the ending of Section 21, changes in plans for student tenancies and ensuring cases of anti-social behaviour are prioritised by the courts.”

He added: “The Committee rightly notes, the biggest challenge faced by many renters is that there are not enough homes to rent. All the protections in the world will mean nothing for tenants if the homes are not there in the first place.

“That’s why the Government should accept the Committee and the NRLA’s call for a full review of the impact of recent tax changes in the sector.”

Committee report on the PRS

The committee report on the PRS recommends:

  • All forms of anti-social behaviour by tenants should be a mandatory ground for possession even if a criminal conviction has not been made. Suitable guidance for the courts should be developed to ensure such cases are dealt with swiftly and with certainty about the outcome.
  • Student tenancies should be exempt from plans to make every tenancy open-ended.
  • The most serious challenge facing private renters is the high cost of renting caused by the housing crisis. The Committee recognises the value of private landlords by calling on the Government to: ‘review the impact of recent tax changes in the buy-to-let market with a view to making changes that make it more financially attractive to smaller landlords.’
  • The Committee calls on the Government to unfreeze housing benefit rates to ensure they cover average rents.

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Comments

Mr.A

13:05 PM, 9th February 2023, About A year ago

Compared to what the Scottish Nationalist have introduced in Scotland and has caused havoc in the student sector ,especially that student accommodation should not be open ended but for a fixed term usually 12 months ,no Landlord evicts a good tenant ,the English version seems well thought out .
The PBSA are allowed fixed term tenancy but not the PRS in
Scotland.

Mr.A

13:15 PM, 9th February 2023, About A year ago

In Scotland students have open ended tenancies in the PRS but PBSA can have fixed tenancies.
Thank your lucky stars its not wee Nicola Sturgeon and her wee pet Harvey's idiocy you have to deal with down south .

Luke P

14:19 PM, 9th February 2023, About A year ago

NRLA is, in my opinion, 'controlled opposition'.

Voice of a landlord

22:31 PM, 9th February 2023, About A year ago

Why on earth NLRA have the gall to present information to this forum amazes me.

Completely teethless to combating any government policies whilst pretending they do a good job advocating for us.

They haven't even signed the Section 24 petition that has now reached 34000 signatures nor even mention it on their website. Utter disgrace. Their Members should leave en mass.

Old Mrs Landlord

10:49 AM, 10th February 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Voice of a landlord at 09/02/2023 - 22:31The NRLA's response was brought to this forum by the 118 News Team, because it is news which is of interest to private landlords. Your comment that the NRLA had the gall to post this is therefore inaccurate. The fact is that it is the government which makes the laws and the NRLA only have powers to lobby the "powers that be", pointing out the inevitable consequences of proposed legislation in the hope of persuading them to reconsider or at least moderate the legislation before it comes into effect. The Committee Report featured above shows that the representations of NRLA and Property Mark amongst others have been taken on board by the Select Committee. I, for one, am with the NRLA in welcoming this and if its recommendations are followed through they will significantly mitigate the adverse effects of the coming Rental Reform Act for both landlords and tenants.

Alexandra

15:22 PM, 12th February 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Old Mrs Landlord at 10/02/2023 - 10:49OK so if the NRLA are supposed to lobby on our behalves then why do the NRLA keep saying that they are OK with the abolishment of S21 as I and every Landlord I speak to are absolutely against this.
MOJ figures today show landlord repossessions for Oct to Dec 22 up 98% on the same quarter last year. Perhaps the NRLA might respond to why they think this is the case? Duh!

The proposed new legislation talks about the removal of the clause that allows Landlords to impose a rent increase of their choice (and btw I rarely increase my rents and never within the first year as do most of the Landlords I know!). Not heard a twitter from the NRLA on this! In addition the proposed new legislations says hey you have to accept pets and families but you cannot ask more than a 5 week deposit. I have just spent 3 months of my time refurbing a house after a tenant moved out - lost a year's income sorting the damage - why would I want a dog or cat owner in there?

It is naïve to think it will all be ok - the govenment are taking us back to assured tenancies. The next move will be to remove the "you can evict if you want to sell" clause and if you look at the history of the PRS this takes us back to Assured tenancies and plummeting rented house values!

I do not think the NRLA represent Landlords at all. Mr Beadle only lobbies about student lets because he has them. I have personally contacted the NRLA on these matters and received absolutely no response. The NRLA are all about the NRLA and not Landlords.

I agree with many of the commentators when they call the NRLA toothless - actually I think it is worse than that - Mr Beadle is building is own career at our expense

Old Mrs Landlord

20:07 PM, 12th February 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Alexandra at 12/02/2023 - 15:22Neither Mr Beadle or as far as I know any other NRLA officer have ever said that they are OK with the abolition of S.21, but rather that the government have made it clear that this is their firm intention and there is no pont anyone trying to dissuade them. Both the NRLA and various letting agency bodies have put the case for keeping this legislation and forcibly pointed out all the negatve and unintended consequences but to no avail,their mind is made up, They are therefore focusing their efforts on mitigating the worst consequences for landlords and ensuring that the amended S.8 will cover all legitimate cases where landlords may need or wish to evict a tenant. There are certainly many aspects of NRLA function which I would like to see toughened up, but when they are the only landlords' representative with the government's ear they obviously have to temper their approach to keep them talking and listening or risk losing what limited leverage they have.

Alexandra

20:26 PM, 12th February 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Old Mrs Landlord at 12/02/2023 - 20:07
I watched Mr Beadle contributing to a panel - I would have to go back and remind myself exactly what it was - it may even have been the levelling up committee but he absolutely said the NRLA supported the abolishment of S21

Alexandra

20:31 PM, 12th February 2023, About A year ago

And I would like to add he should be outright fighting for us - he is happy to stand up against the changes to student lets because it will affect his personal investment. I do not buy that he is mitigating - I think he is only out for himself

Voice of a landlord

21:01 PM, 12th February 2023, About A year ago

I do not buy the argument that NRLA are persuading from the inside.
There are other associations or bodies doing the same but better and certainly the government are not saying they the most influential voice out there, nor even quoting them on their impact, so what is their purpose?

I totally agree Mr Beadle is a supplicant not an Advocate.

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