Recommendations & Conclusions
8 items
2
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Reforming the Private Re…
Accepted in Part
The one exception is the general student PRS market. The abolition of fixed-term contracts could make letting to students considerably less attractive to private landlords and so ultimately push up rents or reduce the availability of student rental properties, at a time when the market in many university towns and …
Government response. The government will introduce a ground for possession that will facilitate the yearly cycle of short-term student tenancies, but rejects retaining fixed terms as it unfairly locks students into contracts. It will not introduce codes which cover all student housing.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
3
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Reforming the Private Re…
Accepted in Part
We recognise that the majority of private landlords are responsible and have no desire or financial incentive to evict tenants without good reason, and that for these landlords section 21 feels like an indispensable means of evicting bad tenants, but the blight of unfair eviction and insecurity of tenure experienced …
Government response. The government is retaining the two-month notice period and will mitigate misuse of the sales/occupation grounds by restricting landlords from remarketing/reletting within three months of using those grounds.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
4
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Reforming the Private Re…
Accepted in Part
We recommend that the Government: • increase from six months to one year the period at the start of a tenancy during which the landlord may not use either ground; • increase the notice period from two months to four months, to give tenants time to save up for moving …
Government response. The government has declined to increase the initial period where landlords cannot use grounds for possession to one year or increase the notice period to four months, but will maintain the current six-month restriction and two-month notice period. The government …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
6
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Reforming the Private Re…
Accepted in Part
We strongly recommend that the Government introduce a specialist housing court as the surest way of unblocking the housing court process. Whether it does this or not, it is absolutely essential that the Government significantly increase the courts’ ability to process possession claims quickly and efficiently and in a way …
Government response. The government is working with the Ministry of Justice and HM Courts and Tribunal Service to improve the court possession process, including digitizing more of the process, exploring prioritization of certain cases like antisocial behavior, improving bailiff recruitment, and providing …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
7
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Reforming the Private Re…
Accepted in Part
A properly functioning courts system should resolve most of the issues with the process of seeking possession under section 8, but further adjustments to the discretionary ground for possession in respect of antisocial behaviour are also necessary. As currently designed, the discretionary nature of this ground will make it more …
Government response. The government agrees with the intent to ensure landlords can act more quickly to evict antisocial tenants and will make grounds for possession faster and easier to prove, while maintaining judicial discretion in antisocial behaviour cases and will reduce the …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
27
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Reforming the Private Re…
Accepted in Part
Currently, letting agents are required to belong to one of two government-approved ombudsman schemes, the Property Redress Scheme or the Property Ombudsman, but membership for landlords is voluntary. The White Paper proposes the introduction of an ombudsman for all private landlords, regardless of whether they use an agent. The Government …
Government response. The government recognises the value of consolidating the housing redress system, but will address it through the Landlord Ombudsman service and does not think it is necessary to bring different elements of housing redress under a single legal framework.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
28
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Reforming the Private Re…
Accepted in Part
The Government says it will make it illegal for landlords to have blanket bans on letting to benefit recipients. If this is a commitment to preventing landlords from discriminating against benefit recipients, it is unrealistic. If it is a commitment to preventing landlords from stating explicitly that they will not …
Government response. The government will prohibit blanket bans on benefit recipients, but landlords can still make final decisions based on referencing checks. They will work with the insurance sector, explore improvements to welfare support information, and raise awareness of services provided by …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
30
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Reforming the Private Re…
Accepted in Part
The success of the Government’s reforms depends to a great extent on tenants knowing their rights, and on landlords knowing that they know them. For this 64 Reforming the Private Rented Sector reason, the Government should update the How to Rent Guide to include details of tenants’ and landlords’ rights …
Government response. The government plans to update the 'How to Rent' guide and modernize the way it communicates tenants' rights and responsibilities. They will work with various groups to maximize access to advice and report back to the Select Committee, though the …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government