Landlords won’t be facing increased regulation due to too much red tape, the government housing minister has announced.
Following recommendations from the Rugg Review which looked at the state of the private rented sector, the previous government wanted to introduce various forms of increased regulation. Regulation ideas included a national register of landlords, compulsory written tenancy agreements and better regulation of letting and management agents. But Grant Shapps, the new Housing Minister, has revealed that he is rejecting the proposals as they would involve far too much red tape.
Speaking in parliament, Grant Shapps said, “With the vast majority of England’s 3 million private tenants happy with the service they receive, I am satisfied that the current system strikes the right balance between the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords.”
“Today I make a promise to good landlords across the country - the government has no plans to create any burdensome red tape and bureaucracy, so you are able to continue providing a service to your tenants.”
Instead, it’s expected that local councils will have to use their powers to tackle any rogue landlords or landlord issues that arise.
Organisations such as the Association of Residential Lettings Agents were quick to announce their disappointment at this move, claiming that the lack of regulation could hamper standards in the private rental sector. If you’re a landlord, what do you think?
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