A coalition representing the property industry has sent a strongly-worded letter to the Government warning that unless more answers are forthcoming on many of its key renting reforms – including whether the courts will be ready – the Renters’ Rights Bill will be ‘unworkable’.

The British Property Federation, the National Residential Landlords Association and The Lettings Industry Council have written to Lords’ housing minister Baroness Taylor ahead of the bill’s next stage in parliament on 1^st July.

Despite Ministers pledging to ensure the courts were “ready” for the impact of the renting reforms, the Government has not explained how long the courts will take to consider and process legitimate possession claims.

This, the letter says, is a significant source of concern for landlords given the already considerable delays in the system.

The organisations also warn that plans which will make it easier for tenants to challenge ‘above market’ rent increases at a Tribunal are also unworkable.

Impossible

This is because there is no reliable single source of data to work out what ‘market rents’ are in any given area – making it impossible to assess whether a rent increase is above it or not.

Also, the Government has not explained how proposals to make it more difficult for landlords to repossess a property where rent arears are due to delayed benefit payments will work.

Private landlords are not allowed to be notified when a tenant is claiming benefits in the first place. This means they will not know if rent arrears are due to benefit payment delays unless and until a possession case goes to court.

There are also worries that the Government has not provided the sector with ‘clarity’

And there are also worries that the Government has not provided the sector with ‘clarity’ about when it expects changes to rental tenancies to take effect once the Bill receives Royal Assent. This is imperative if there is to be a smooth transition to the new systems and processes, the organisations say.

Theresa Wallace, Chair of The Lettings Industry Council, Melanie Leech, Chief Executive of the British Property Federation and Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association (all main image, LtoR) have released a join statement saying: “We remain extremely disappointed by the lack of substantive responses to the concerns we have consistently raised with ministers.

“We want the Bill to work in practice and enjoy the confidence of good landlords. However, unless clear answers to the issues we have raised are forthcoming from the Government, those very landlords have every reason to be concerned.”