RLA host fringe event at Conservative Party Conference 2019

1 Oct 2019 02:16 PM

This week the Conservative Party Conference is taking place in Manchester and on Monday evening the RLA hosted a fringe event.

Speakers on the panel included Chair Kevin Hollinrake MP, Bob Blackman, MP, Guy Campbell, senior research fellow at the research institue Onward, and the RLA’s policy manager John Stewart.

One of the first discussions of the fringe event was around legislation relating to the private rented sector. Indeed, there are currently more than 150 Acts of 400 regulations affecting private landlords.

The discussion then turned to the Government’s consultation on plans to reform the way landlords currently gain possession of their property-specifically plans the abolish Section 21.

On this topic, Bob Blackman MP, who also sits on the House of Commons Housing Select Committee, expressed his concern that the abolition of Section 21 could have ‘unintended consequences’ for both landlords and tenants.

Earlier this year, the RLA carried out its largest ever survey of landlords on possession reform. More than 6500 people responded. The research found that:

• 96% of those who supply homes to private rented sector tenants feel very strongly that Section 21 is important to their business.
• 79% of landlords who had experience of using the courts to gain possession reported being satisfied-delays were reported at every stage of the process
• 40% of landlords said they may sell up if Section 21 were to go altogether, while 45% of landlords said that the would be more choosy about the types of tenants who they rent to.

Click here for the full press release