Government PRS reforms report welcomed by NRLA

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.