Michael Gove praises landlords and rejects rent controls

Michael Gove praises landlords and rejects rent controls

10:26 AM, 26th October 2023, About 6 months ago 34

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Michael Gove, the Housing Secretary, has expressed his opposition to rent controls at the National Residential Landlords Association’s (NRLA) national conference.

The event was held on the day after MPs debated the Renters (Reform) Bill, which aims to end so-called ‘no-fault’ evictions by abolishing section 21 notices.

Mr Gove said that he recognised ‘the invaluable service’ that ‘the overwhelming majority of landlords’ provide and that he wanted to ensure a healthy and ‘critical’ part of the housing market.

He also reassured attendees that he would work to improve the efficiency of the courts in processing legitimate possession cases before section 21 ends.

Rent controls for the private rented sector

On the issue of rent controls for the private rented sector (PRS), he said that they were ‘not just an intervention too far, but completely the wrong approach’.

He pointed to the negative impact they have on the supply of homes to rent and the quality of available rental properties.

Mr Gove also agreed with the NRLA’s concerns about protecting the annual cycle of the student housing market when fixed term tenancies are abolished.

‘Ensure changes work for the sector as a whole’

The NRLA’s chief executive, Ben Beadle, said: “We were delighted to hear the Secretary of State set out how he will ensure changes work for the sector as a whole, and the recognition the NRLA‘s evidence-based research received from the Chair of the Select Committee.

“Most of all, the event was a reminder of why we do what we do, to ensure the rental market genuinely works for responsible landlords and tenants.”


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Comments

Easy rider

9:39 AM, 26th October 2023, About 6 months ago

Did the NRLA’s sycophants point out that Section 24 and other anti-landlord (and anti-tenant) legislation was ‘not just an intervention too far, but completely the wrong approach’ as well?
Or did it stop at rent controls?

Reluctant Landlord

9:49 AM, 26th October 2023, About 6 months ago

Gove just keeps petting the head of the NRLA. Good boy, well done..

All speak is a minor placatory nod to an organisation that is not upholding the true PRS feeling at all. There is no honesty with Gove and very little care of the PRS and small landlords.

The NRLA laps up the token attention and feels smug they have someone listening.

Note - the government is NOT listening!

Seething Landlord

11:01 AM, 26th October 2023, About 6 months ago

The fact that government does not respond in the way you would like does not mean that they are not listening. They are well aware of the issues but do not agree that S24 should be repealed. They have rejected all the concerted efforts by landlords over the past 8 years, including the attempted judicial review coordinated by P118. In his recent response to the Select Committee report Mr Gove once again confirmed that they believe it to be fair.

Voice of a landlord

11:23 AM, 26th October 2023, About 6 months ago

The issue with repealing s24 is that it was flagship Tory idea. If Ireland can repeal it goes a long way to demonstrate its a nonsense.

It would be good to had have Michael Gove, on stage, go through the numbers and explain how that is fair! Which I guess Ben Beadle too scared to put forward.

Easy rider

11:34 AM, 26th October 2023, About 6 months ago

The whole treatment of BTL properties is unfair.

If I own my property outright, I don’t get a tax credit at all.

My view is that rent should be VAT-able at, say, 10% regardless of how the property is funded. No further tax concessions. No VAT threshold. 10% (or other amount as seen fit).

Seething Landlord

11:57 AM, 26th October 2023, About 6 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Voice of a landlord at 26/10/2023 - 11:23
Voice of a landlord: fairness involves balancing the interests of all concerned, not just landlords. The original justification for S24 was that it leveled the playing field between owner occupiers and BTL investors. The effect has been what was always intended, to make it no longer viable for landlords to generate high rental income by borrowing large amounts of other people's money.

Seething Landlord

12:01 PM, 26th October 2023, About 6 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Easy rider at 26/10/2023 - 11:34
Ready rider: how would a 10% rent increase benefit anyone?

Freda Blogs

12:17 PM, 26th October 2023, About 6 months ago

Some moderately good news, but too little too late Mr Gove.

PRS landlords have left the building.

Stella

12:38 PM, 26th October 2023, About 6 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Easy rider at 26/10/2023 - 11:34
Osborne knew exactly what he was doing when he saddled us with section 24
He failed to understand that the PRS provided homes for so many and preferred to shower Build to Rent with the tax breaks.

Now Mr Gove is also in denial and appears blind to the shortages this policy has caused and to what the forthcoming RRB will cause.

If they binned the RRB tomorrow we would still have acute shortages (I advertised two properties in London during the summer and I had 75 replies for one and over 100 for the other)

Seething Landlord

12:51 PM, 26th October 2023, About 6 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Freda Blogs at 26/10/2023 - 12:17
Freda: it is obviously true that some landlords have left the building as you put it, but government are gambling that the current proposals and concessions will leave the market sufficiently attractive for enough existing investors to remain and for new ones to come in.

I dread to think what would be the impact on house prices of a mass exodus of landlords. Homelessness for tenants but massive negative equity problems for landlords trying to get out. All that lovely capital growth could disappear as quickly as an ill advised investment in a cryptocurrency scam.

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