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Select committee: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee

Government response to the Committee's Third Report: Pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Tenant Fees Bill

Published 3 May 2018

Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee Draft Tenant Fees Bill inquiry Report on parliament.uk ↗

At a glance

The government's response

This document responds to 3rd Report - Pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Tenant Fees Bill.

This is 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  • It will provide draft guidance ahead of introduction of the Bill to the House of Lords, and will explore deposit alternatives and reply to the Committee within six months.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

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