Number of regulations have increased by 32% since 2010

Number of regulations have increased by 32% since 2010

0:01 AM, 4th November 2019, About 5 years ago 2

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The number of laws creating an obligation on private landlords has increased by 32% since 2010. According to a new analysis by the Residential Landlords Association, the total number of regulations affecting landlords has increased to 156, up from 118 when the Conservative-led coalition government came to power.

The RLA is warning that the increase in legislation has not led to an improvement in enforcement action against criminal landlords and many councils are failing to properly use the powers they already have.

Previous research by the RLA has found that in 2017/18, two thirds of councils had not commenced any prosecutions against private landlords. In the same year, 89% of councils told the RLA they had not used new powers to issues Civil Penalties of up to £30,000 against private landlords for a range of offences. Over half, 53%, did not have a policy in place to properly use the power.

Against a rising tide of regulation and poor levels of enforcement the RLA is calling on all political parties in the election to commit to improving enforcement of the powers already available rather than introduce new legislation which councils will be unable to use to root out the crooks.

In its manifesto for the General Election the RLA proposes scrapping licensing schemes which serve only to penalise good landlords whilst enabling the criminals to operate under the radar. Instead, councils should use the wide range of data already available to them, including council tax, benefits, tenancy deposit and electoral roll information to identify landlords. This needs to be backed up by central government providing a multi-year funding settlement to properly resource enforcement.

David Smith, Policy Director for the Residential Landlords Association: “Removing criminal landlords from the sector will only be achieved if councils have the resources and the will to properly use the wide range of powers they already have. Piling more regulations onto the sector which will continue not to be properly enforced is meaningless and serves only to put off good landlords from providing the homes to rent we need.

“It is time for smarter enforcement, not more regulation.”


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Comments

Monty Bodkin

9:24 AM, 4th November 2019, About 5 years ago

"the RLA proposes scrapping licensing schemes which serve only to penalise good landlords whilst enabling the criminals to operate under the radar."

Hmmm....

https://liverpool.rla.org.uk/

Welcome to the RLA Co-Regulation Scheme (Liverpool)

Liverpool City Council has authorised the RLA to be an official Co-regulation partner, offering all RLA Co-regulation members up to 50% off all license fees

Mick Roberts

11:13 AM, 4th November 2019, About 5 years ago

I'll keep putting this in if anyone thinks it's worth spreading elsewhere as it relates to this post of too much regulation:
Every policy the Councils & Govt brings to what they think will help tenants, ends up hurting them, they han't got a clue.
U let Landlords do what they want as long as it's legal, stop all the Govt and Council and Univesral Credit calamaties & Licensing attacks etc. Loads more people would buy to rent out. More choice for tenants, they'd say Not having your house not good enough and they go down the road to get the next one.
But now there is no choice for them, yet we get the blame. So Govt attacks us again, we charge the tenant to pay for these attacks, tenant goes to Govt again moaning, Govt attacks us again and the circle carries on.
For example, u have a Newsreader on 150k salary. He has 100k in the bank doing 1% interest & he's miffed. You tell him he can put this 100k in a house, leave it with a letting agent, as long as he does what the agent asks in terms of making sure he pays for the boiler certificate, electrical certificate etc., make the house legal, safe, not dangerous. That agent will then get 6% return for that house on your money, maybe 4% after all your repairs, fees etc.
You han't got to go on any silly accreditation courses to prove u can add 2+2, u han't got fill Licensing forms in for hours upon end, the Letting Agent is already checked out as being responsible, u won't go to prison if tenant takes batteries out smoke alarm, as we don't pass all the buck onto the Landlord now where the tenant has clearly been irresponsible etc. etc.
The Newsreader & all those with some cash in the bank & also those with deposits for a mortgage will think Well, much better return for me money PLUS I alleviate the homeless problem if I have a conscience too, it's a win win.
And that is how u bring rents down. Us Landlords that's still here, know tenants in most areas are queuing for houses, they can't get anywhere, Rogue Landlords can leave house dangerous, cause tenant has no choice.
Give tenant a choice, next Landlord has to improve his house or it will be empty & he will also have to be competitive.

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