With the Government in chaos, what next for rental reform?
NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle shares his thoughts on what’s next for rental reform following the sacking of the housing secretary, resignation of the housing minister and announcement that Boris Johnson will stand down as Prime Minister.
With the political situation changing on a minute-by-minute basis at present it is challenging to write something that isn’t immediately out of date, but what we do know so far is that there will be a dramatic change in personnel at the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
But what does this mean for the Government’s plans for rental reform, recently outlined in its long-awaited white paper A Fairer Private Sector?
Housing Secretary Michael Gove has been sacked, with housing minister Stuart Andrew quitting his post in protest over the integrity of the Prime Minister just five months after being appointed, replacing Chris Pincher.
He is the 11th minister to leave the post in a decade. Marcus Jones, MP for Nuneaton, Arley and Hartshill, has since been appointed as his successor.
Lord Greenhalgh has also resigned as a Minister at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with his replacment yet to be announced.
At the time of writing Eddie Hughes MP was still minister for rough sleeping and housing, with Greg Clark appointed the new Housing Secretary on an interim basis until a new leader is elected who will decide which ministers they want.
Whatever happens next, the Government has made a manifesto commitment to bring forward rental reform plans, so whoever takes over as party leader will be expected to honour that commitment.
Delays
This process will inevitably take time, so we are expecting any date for a bill to be tabled to be pushed back.
On a positive note this means we will have time to lobby Government to make changes we believe are vital for the success of its rental reform plans.
A new Government provides an opportunity to reset the relationship with private landlords and change the narrative around their role in providing the rental housing that the country so desperately needs at a time of increasing demand.
As we move forward, it is important that whoever takes responsibility for the rental reform agenda recognises the importance of a strong and vibrant private rented sector.
That means policies to boost the supply of rental housing to meet ever growing tenant demand and providing certainty for landlords and tenants.
We continue to push for changes to the white paper to prevent chaos in the student market, ensure swift action against nightmare tenants and speed up the court system where landlords have good reason to repossess a property.
Get involved
The NRLA is asking members to get involved in the campaign by writing to their MPs outlining ways in which the Government's proposed changes will affect them and their businesses. There are a number of ways to do this, by writing a letter, sending an email or contacting them via social media. The NRLA has a handy tool allowing you to identify and contact your MP, which can be accessed here.
