NRLA in talks with Number 10
NRLA policy director Chris Norris writes about a recent visit to Downing Street for talks with Number 10 housing advisers.
Even after 20 years in public affairs there is still something special about getting invited to Number 10; and not just because they throw infamous parties.
I frequent a lot of government offices, but the experience of arriving at Downing Street is unlike any other government building in the UK that I have visited.
There is something very special about turning the corner as you enter the street and being presented with that iconic grey brickwork, greeted by the relatively recent addition of the media pen and finally the big black door, opened seemingly automatically as you approach.
That is the point that everything changes.
There’s a reason why they close the door swiftly when the PM exits to make a pronouncement on the steps. Unless you’re lucky enough to be attending an event in one of the dining rooms, which are indeed very grand, the focus is all business and dare I say, the surroundings a little shabby. In the parlance of our industry, it has kerb appeal but would benefit from a freshen-up.
Of course, the state of the décor is completely unimportant.
On this occasion I had been invited into No.10 to discuss the Government’s programme for the third session of parliament announced the day prior to my visit. In particular, I was meeting housing advisors to the PM to talk about the Renters’ Reform Bill and a few other pressing matters of importance to NRLA members.
The expected white paper and bill are yet to be published, or fully drafted, so it is incredibly important for organisations like ours to get in early, understand the thinking behind proposals and get members views across.
My team and I do this day in day out with officials and ministers in the various government departments, but it is useful to speak first hand with the policy unit as they are guaranteed to have the PM’s ear on such matters.
It was clear that the team behind the programme were well aware of the NRLA, it’s position, and proposals. The strength of a membership nudging 100,000 landlords is apparent and it goes to demonstrate the importance of the polling and feedback with which so many NRLA members assist. It is this membership clout and credibility that provides access to policy makers and the opportunity to contribute to the policy making process early enough to make a difference.
Of course, the Renters’ Reform Bill is not new, this was a re-announcement, and we are yet to see a draft, but the thinking is constantly evolving. At this meeting I was able to restate our positions concerning possession reform, emphasising the importance of strengthened grounds to deal with antisocial behaviour and rent arrears. I was also able to make the case for student landlords worried about the impact that the removal of section 21 will have on their ability to arrange tenancies well-ahead of the new academic year.
We also spent some time debating how a decent homes standard could be applied to the private sector, meaning I was able to explain the differences between stock and the variety of challenges facing private landlords. I got the impression that the powers that be are worried about the impact of too dramatic an intervention and that the implementation of any standard is likely to be more cautious than some new reports would imply.
Advisors were particularly keen to hear the NRLA’s views on reforming the court system to speed up access to justice, and what use might be made of the accelerated process in a post-no-fault world. There are definitely still lots of decisions to be made before the bill arrives in Parliament and NRLA members’ experiences will be essential in informing them.
Above all it was reassuring to understand that there is ongoing debate in government about balancing the desire to deliver on manifesto commitments to reshape renting with the traditional Conservative ambition to reduce regulatory burden. I’m not suggesting that we will be universally happy with the balance that is achieved, but it is clear that our arguments have hit home at the very top of government.
We will continue to meet with policy makers over coming weeks, ahead of the white paper’s expected publication date. In the next two weeks we have discussions diarised with HM Treasury, DLUHC, BEIS, the judiciary, and MPs at a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the PRS. Each of these will be another opportunity to make sure private landlords’ concerns and experiences are listened to ahead of important decisions.
It is dangerous to predict the outcome of these discussions in advance, but there can be no doubt that ministers will be unable to dismiss the voice of private landlords when legislation finally makes it to Parliament in the near future.
- Read more about the NRLA's campaigning on rental reform.
