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Select committee: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee

Draft Tenant Fees Bill inquiry

Closed Opened 9 Nov 2017 Closed 21 Oct 2019

Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗

Inquiry scope (the committee's words)
The Communities and Local Government Committee conducted pre-legislative scrutiny of the Government's proposals to ban letting fees imposed by landlords and letting agents on tenants. The draft Tenant Fees Bill (PDF 716 KB) was published on 1 November and according to the Secretary of State aims to deliver 'a fairer, more competitive, and more affordable lettings market where tenants have greater clarity and control over what they will pay and where the landlord is the primary customer of the letting agent'. The Committee scrutinised the policy objectives, key provisions and likely impact of the draft Bill .

Where it stands

The inquiry is closed, opened 9 November 2017.

The committee has published 1 report, most recently 3rd Report - Pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Tenant Fees Bill on 29 March 2018.

The government's response

Published 3 May 2018.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government states that the majority of the Committee's recommendations on the draft Tenant Fees Bill have been accepted and have informed the final Bill.

  • It accepts that a landlord should not recover possession through the Section 21 process while unlawfully required fees remain unrepaid, and that tenants may recover prohibited fees in the First-tier Tribunal.
  • It is "not accepting" the recommendation to cut the security deposit cap to five weeks' rent, saying six weeks "could better support both landlords and tenants".
  • It does not accept an anti-retaliation provision, giving "practical difficulties of implementation" and the risk of abuse as its reasons.
  • It will provide draft guidance ahead of introduction of the Bill to the House of Lords, and will explore deposit alternatives and reply to the Committee within six months.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error

Reports

All reports

Evidence

  • 5 oral evidence sessionsLatest 26 February 2018
All evidence

Recent activity

Reports

1 report

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions

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Date Session and witnesses Source
26 Feb 2018
Oral evidence session
No witnesses recorded 		View ↗
21 Feb 2018
Oral evidence session
No witnesses recorded 		View ↗
29 Jan 2018
Oral evidence session
No witnesses recorded 		View ↗
22 Jan 2018
Oral evidence session
No witnesses recorded 		View ↗
8 Jan 2018
Oral evidence session
No witnesses recorded 		View ↗