NRLA and Crisis team up to demand Renters (Reform) Bill update

NRLA and Crisis team up to demand Renters (Reform) Bill update

11:45 AM, 15th March 2024, About 2 months ago 32

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The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has teamed up with the homelessness charity Crisis to urge clarification on the future of the Renters (Reform) Bill.

The call comes after media speculation that the Bill is ‘on the brink of collapse’ and that backbench MPs have forced various amendments.

In a letter to Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the organisations express concern about ‘rumour, speculation and a litany of off-the-record briefings’ surrounding potential amendments to the Bill.

The Bill, which is described as the biggest shake-up of the private rented sector in more than 30 years, aims to improve security for tenants.

Uncertainty for both renters and responsible landlords

However, the lack of concrete details about proposed changes is causing ‘a huge amount of concern and uncertainty’ for both renters and responsible landlords, the NRLA and Crisis say.

The letter urges the government to publish any amendments under consideration ‘as a matter of urgency and in full’.

This transparency would allow all parties involved to analyse the proposals and participate in a productive public debate.

Highlighting the destabilising impact of the ongoing uncertainty, the NRLA and Crisis argue that ‘time is running out’ for proper Parliamentary scrutiny of the Bill.

They call for an end to the current situation, emphasising the need for clarity in the public interest.

The letter is published below:

Dear Secretary of State,

The Renters (Reform) Bill represents the biggest set of changes to the private rented sector for over 30 years. It is vital that it supports tenants and responsible landlords and prevents homelessness.

Over recent weeks a number of media reports have suggested that the Government is considering amendments to the Bill.

The rumour, speculation and a litany of off-the record briefings are causing a huge amount of concern and uncertainty for tenants and responsible landlords.

We therefore call on the Government to publish, as a matter of urgency and in full, any amendments it might now be considering so that all parties can judge for themselves what is on the table and debate the substance in public. Time is running out to ensure that this Bill can complete its passage through Parliament with the proper consideration it deserves.

The lack of progress and uncertainty about the future is destabilising and damaging for those living and working in the private-rented sector. This has to end. In light of the public interest in this matter we plan to make this letter public.

Yours sincerely,

Ben Beadle, Chief Executive, National Residential Landlords Association

Matt Downie, Chief Executive, Crisis


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Comments

Steve O'Dell

11:51 AM, 15th March 2024, About 2 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Clint at 15/03/2024 - 11:00
Just cancel and state why - I have, many others have, do not wait, just do it.

Niknak Harris

11:56 AM, 15th March 2024, About 2 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 15/03/2024 - 11:08We are LL with flats with long term tenants in. This RRB has made us pivot to moving in/selling. We are responsible landlords and have been renting them since 1997. We have happy tenants. Now this ill thought out bill could change what would have been a harmonious relationship with our tenants, now that this bill is so pro tenant. All bad landlords have tarred all of the good ones. Why they could not have had a register and a good home's standards list before I don't know, could have solved a lot of problems, to weed out the bad LL. Most LL wants reliable good tenants and would not serve a section 21 if the tenants are paying rent and looking after the property. The bad LL, yes need to be weeded out but not at the expense of the good landlords. This bill is totally one sided to the tenant and will cause more problems them it claims to solve. The private landlord has filled a gap that consecutive governments could not fill by not building enough homes. What this bill is doing is ethically and morally wrong in terms of the affect it will have the Homeowner.

Stella

12:01 PM, 15th March 2024, About 2 months ago

Reply to the comment left by TheBiggerPicture at 15/03/2024 - 10:13
If the conseratives pass something the Labour party will just add amendments to the bill.

Cider Drinker

12:31 PM, 15th March 2024, About 2 months ago

Reply to the comment left by GlanACC at 15/03/2024 - 11:02
I want to make plans too. The more I feel threatened, the more I want to do whatever I can to make the housing crisis worse. Maybe a memorial garden where one of my rental properties once stood would be the way to go. How much to hire a bulldozer? 🙂

I won’t help councils because they bully landlords. I won’t help the government because they bully landlords. I won’t support NRLA because they do nothing to stop the bullying.

Stella

12:42 PM, 15th March 2024, About 2 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Property Flipper at 15/03/2024 - 10:19
It seems odd to join forces with Crisis.

I used to regularly donate to Crisis that was until I heard some of the comments they were putting out about the PRS.

GlanACC

12:55 PM, 15th March 2024, About 2 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Stella at 15/03/2024 - 12:42
A lot of landlords donate (indirectly) to Generation Rent. 0.25% of Nationwides (The Mortgage Works) pretax profits are given to the Nationwide Foundation which supports GR

Chris @ Possession Friend

12:59 PM, 15th March 2024, About 2 months ago

Reply to the comment left by GlanACC at 15/03/2024 - 12:55Oh and many other examples Glan.
M&S, B&Q ( used to ? ) along with a number of other corporates, donate to Shelter.
( and you can't get more Anti-Landlord than that ! )

Rob Crawford

14:27 PM, 15th March 2024, About 2 months ago

Oh great, let's rush it through! We will end up with no section 21 and no improved Court / Tribunal or other eviction system! It will be impossible to repossess a property within an acceptable timescale. Why should the Conservatives care anyway? They've already stated they don't want landlords, despite saying earlier that landlords are valued! NRLA (NLA & RLA at the time) messed up some time ago when they didn't object to loosing section 21 in the first place. It's damage mitigation now!

GlanACC

14:39 PM, 15th March 2024, About 2 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Rob Crawford at 15/03/2024 - 14:27
Labour will rush it through, they have as much said that and without improvements to the court system

Lordship

15:25 PM, 15th March 2024, About 2 months ago

Reply to the comment left by GlanACC at 15/03/2024 - 14:39
Ben Beadles and the NRLA's thoughts are, that it's better to agree something with the conservatives now regarding S21 than not having anything. Otherwise S21 would be scrapped by a Labour government.

I and many others disagree, but that's the thinking. Not debated or consulted on with members.

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