NLA slams government rental plans as unworkable
Share
Government proposals aimed at offering more protection for tenants in rented accommodation have been slammed by the National Landlords Association.
The government’s package of measures to reform the private rented sector outlined today include a ’Trip Adviser’ style website that would allow tenants to give feedback on both their landlord and their accommodation.
The government is also pressing ahead with its plans to introduce a National Landlords Register that would show tenants how good landlords are at maintaining and repairing their properties.
John Healey, housing minister, says: “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.”
But the NLA says these proposals only serve to penalise the majority of professional landlords.
It says a ’Trip Adviser’ style feedback website would require “such intensive management and scrutiny so as to make it unworkable and ineffective.”
“Where is the incentive for landlords to develop their housing provision in today’s proposals?”
David Salusbury, chairman of NLA
The trade body also argues that a National Landlords Register would simply drive the worst landlords under the radar.
David Salusbury, chairman of NLA, says: “At the same time as having to provide more accommodation in order to plug the housing gap, landlords are also now expected to be on a register, declare the addresses of their rental properties and also have feedback (whether true or false) posted about them on the internet.
“And how exactly do these administrative functions actually improve the quality of rental property?”
The NLA says that the latest measures from the government amount to little more than “landlord-bashing.”
Most popular
Most commented
-
Automated lending systems are holding back housing market
-
Action taken against two brokers for mortgage fraud
-
Star Letter - Unless lenders start to act prudently funds will continue to be limited and expensive
-
Intermediaries must fight for themselves
-
Seven in 10 keep banks in the dark over financial problems
Readers' comments (5)
London Landlord | 4 Feb 2010 0:28 am
True. I agree with NLA. I think the government is being stupid. Look at the way housing benefit works now, they got LHA, which is a good idea, but the payment made to tenant is not being paid to landlords. So what option does that leaves to the landlord, if the rent is not paid, what can a landlord do?
The government lives in a fairyland, they dont realise a lot of unemployed tenant have finance problems and many are also on drugs or have gambling addiction. Government need to wake up. Some of the tenants are claiming housing benefit and not paying the rent, shouldn't that be seen as benefit fraud?
Secondly the register for landlord will not work. Best thing to do is have a ombudsman to work by resolving issues for tenants and landlord. And the deposit protection scheme should be scrapped, the deposit protection scheme is not working and its very unlikely the landlord register will work.
Just open a ombudsman for tenants and landlords to resolve issues, scrap the deposit protection scheme, scrap paying housing benefit paid directly to the tenant, pay the housing benefit direct to the landlord, this will reduce the fraud.
Create a database for all non UK citizens. The database to contain all European Union national as well as all foreign nationals to ensure they dont cheat the housing benefit system. I know there are lots of fraud due to the government paying housing benefit to the tenant, now the tenant dont pay the rent, and secondly once they get tenancy agreement then they stop paying the rent and claim housing benefit, so the landlord evicts them, however the tenant use mail redirection letter with the post office services to redirect all housing benefit cheques to other address and they cash the cheque, when the innocent landlords have no idea whats going on as he have already evicted the tenant and knows nothing about the housing benefit claim as the landlord is not informed the tenant is claiming the housing benefit. Now why should the landlords get punished???
Look at the tenant, the tenant offers no security, they just run away with rent, furnitures, and appliances, now when these tenants steal and leaves without paying rent then the landlord have to be very worried next time s/he rents out as they dont want same things happening again. So get the tenant sorted, get the law sorted to protect landlords too just like there is law overprotecting the tenants then see whether the landlord follows and works ethically.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 4 Feb 2010 9:23 am
I don't know about a "Trip Adviser" web site for tenants to give feedback on landlords, we landlords need a "Trip Adviser" site to give feedback on tenants. I mean, have you ever read the Landlord and Tenant Act? it should be renamed the Tenant & Tenant Act! this is just one more example of a riduclous policy idea from a dying marxist government, it won't happen.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 4 Feb 2010 10:32 am
This government is not fit for purpose, rather than meddling in areas which bring no benefit to either party how about focusing on reversing the absurd legislation which requires Housing Benefit Offices to pay the rent direct to Landlords as opposed to the tenants,in my experience too may HB offices do not even adhere to current legislation only being prepared to pay rent to the landlord when the tenant is 8 weeks in arrears even if at the outset one can demonstrate a history by the tenant of poor financial management.
Please Mr Healey listen to those involved in owning and managing property in the private sector, it is their opinions which have greater validity those those being expoused by your government.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Yorkshire Landlord | 4 Feb 2010 12:27 pm
Here's just one example of the incompetency of this government and our local authority leaders; When a tenant on LHA stops paying their rent and runs up arrears, ultimately the landlord will gain possession (after much cost in time and money by the way). That same tenant can move to a different authority, apply for LHA and once aging receive it. Authorities do not check the state of the previous tenancy with the previous authority nor are there records kept to that effect. These are the same same authorities who are now telling us how to run our businesses!
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 8 Feb 2010 1:18 am
We have had a lot of anti-landlords legistlation from this government.
They speak of this ’Trip Adviser’ style website. How can landlords be assured that any comments will be fair?. I had a tenant whose fridge was not working, she called to complain and was shouting at me. I asked her when did the fridge break down? She replied two weeks ago. So I aksed her why she did not tell me two weeks ago?. So what do you think this tenant will write on this web site?.
Where is the legistlation to protect landlords from bad tenants?. I had a tenant that trashed my property and it took 6 month to take her to Court and get her evicted. Why does the law take so long?. I heard the local Council housed her in a sea-side resort town. Nice reward for bad behaviour. It cost me £12k to make the property habitable. But the government does not relalise that such people are vandalising the housing stock....
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment