Select committee: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Conclusion 13
Fifth Report - Reforming the Private Rented Sector
Published 9 Feb 2023
Paragraph 90
Addressed to Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee Reforming the Private Rented Sector All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
We are conscious, however, that the financial position of local authorities remains extremely precarious, that this partly explains the lack of enforcement activity, and that some of these proposals will place an additional burden on local authorities’ resources. The Government is yet to carry out the new burdens assessment it promised in the White Paper, but we are aware that many of the proposals are intended to be self-financing, either through fines on non-compliant landlords or fees paid by all landlords (for the ombudsman and the property portal). It appears, then, that the biggest new burden on local authorities will be enforcement of the DHS, particularly the inspection of properties, at least during the initial phase of the new regime, before it has had time to become self-financing.
From: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, Fifth Report - Reforming the Private Rented Sector (HC 624), paragraph 90, 9 February 2023
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 20 October 2023 (deadline 9 April 2023).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government welcomes "the thrust of the report" and accepts or reflects the Committee's aims in several areas, but declines a number of recommendations, including on student tenancies, a Housing Court and rent review clauses.
- On antisocial behaviour, it "fully agree[s] with the intent" of the recommendation but proposes a different approach: it will lower the threshold for Ground 14 and maintain judicial discretion instead of making the ground mandatory.
- On courts, it says "We do not agree that introducing a Housing Court is the best way", and it "would not be practical" to prioritise rent arrears cases. It will not proceed with the abolition of section 21 "until reforms to the justice system are in place".
- It does not support retaining fixed terms for students, saying it "would unfairly lock students into contracts". It will instead introduce a new ground for possession to facilitate the yearly cycle of student tenancies.
- On enforcement funding, it will ensure that "where necessary" new costs to local authorities "are fully funded", in accordance with the New Burdens Doctrine. It has "no current plans to criminalise non-payment of a civil penalty".