Housing Minister
John Healey today announced new practical help and protection for
tenants in privately rented homes. The moves will help tenants
find safer and better homes for rent and offer extra support if
they face problems with their landlords or accommodation.
A new housing hotline will open for business by the summer to
offer private tenants free practical advice when problems occur
and a new ‘tripadvisor’ style feedback website could allow tenants
to post views on their accommodation and landlord.
Plans laid in parliament today to make written agreements a legal
requirement for all tenancies will mean tenants are clear about
their rights from the outset and information on the track record
of prospective landlords in how they keep their properties up to
scratch or how quickly they fix any faults will be available
through a new National Landlords Register.
Tenancy rights will be extended to more people living in shared
homes on short term lets – giving extra protection to around
150,000 more people including many students and seasonal workers.
Privately rented homes provide a flexible housing option to three
million households in England. But while the vast majority – three
quarters – of tenants say they are satisfied with their rented
home many tenants can face difficulties.
Today’s package of measures outlined in The Private Rented
Sector: Professionalism and Quality: consultation responses and
next steps, following on from the Rugg Review published in 2008,
will ensure tenants have the information and help they need to
make informed decisions about the homes they rent, legal
protection and certainty about their rights and extra support to
help them deal with any disputes.
Mr Healey confirmed the Government’s intention to bring in
legislation to introduce the National Landlords Register and a
tougher regulatory regime for managing letting agents to drive out
the rogue elements that can sometimes tarnish the image of the
sector and those who play by the rules.
The Minister also pledged to explore more ways of lending
practical support to organisations who represent the interests of
private sector tenants in the same way as for public housing.
The package includes:
• A new housing hotline offering free help and advice for private
tenants
• a ‘tripadvisor’ style word-of-mouth website
comparing landlords
• A requirement for written tenancy
agreements in all tenancies that will strengthen the hand of
tenants should they face a dispute
• Boosting the number of
tenants protected under the most commonly used tenancy
agreement
• A National Register for Landlords to help tenants
make basic checks on their prospective landlords
• Better
regulation of letting and managing agents, which will help tackle
the rogue agents who can drag the reputation of the Private Rented
Sector down.
Housing Minister John Healey said:
“Over three million families live in private rented housing and
while the majority of tenants say they’re happy with their homes
and landlords many do face problems with their landlord and should
have better help and protection on hand.
“Every tenant should be confident in their decision to rent as
well as be clear what to expect before they sign on the dotted
line. That’s why I’m making information about the track record of
landlords available to everyone and written tenancy agreements
will mean all tenants are clear about their rights from the
outset. Extending protections to more shared homes an estimated
150,000 more people on short term lets will also have tenancy
rights for the first time. But if things do go wrong a new housing
hotline will mean tenants have somewhere to turn for help and advice.
” Creating Local Letting Agencies, where councils and good
landlords work together to help local people find better-quality
homes in the private rented sector will help to side-line the
cowboys across the country.”
The Minister also wants to see the standards of the best spread
more widely, and he’s backing work underway with councils across
England to encourage best practice in taking a more
business-friendly approach to working with the best landlords and
agents in their area.
Notes to Editors
1. Today’s package of measures, The Private Rented Sector:
Professionalism and Quality: consultation responses and next
steps, can be found at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/prsconsultresponse
2. Government will now work closely with landlord and tenant
groups to finalise a detailed package for legislation.
3. Today’s measures include:
• Funding for a new housing hotline offering free help and advice
for private tenants should things go wrong.
• An online word-of-mouth directory of landlords similar to
tripadvisor or mumsnet. Consumer Focus is currently undertaking
work to establish better ways for tenants to provide and access
information about landlords’ track records.
• A requirement for written tenancy agreements that will
strengthen the hand of tenants should they face a dispute and
ensure all tenants and landlords are clear of their rights and
responsibilities.
• Boosting the number of tenants protected under the most
commonly used tenancy agreement. An increase of the short-term
rental threshold to £100,000 a year will mean that many shared
households, most often those of students or seasonal workers, will
have their rights strengthened and protected by legislation should
they face a dispute.
• A National Register for Landlords to help tenants make basic
checks on their prospective landlords. Councils will be able to
identify local landlords more easily, making enforcement of
letting rules easier, and registered landlords will gain access to
the latest advice and information on what their role entails and
how best to fulfil their responsibilities
• Better regulation of letting and managing agents, which will
help tackle the rogue agents who can drag the reputation of the
Private Rented Sector down. Full legislation will drive out the
worst practices such as wrongful eviction, raise standards and
provide greater protection for both tenants and landlords in cases
of dispute.
• Work is also currently underway with councils across England to
encourage best practice in taking a more business-friendly
approach to working with the best landlords and agents in their
area. Creating Local Letting Agencies, where councils and good
landlords work together to help local people find better-quality
homes in the private rented sector will help to effectively
side-line the cowboys across the country.
Contacts:
Communities and Local Government Press Office
Phone: 0303 44 41137
press.office@communities.gsi.gov.uk