Housing Secretary hails rent reforms and issues warning to rogue landlords
Landlords will gain from a more professional rental market, Steve Reed claims, but tells those who break the rules: “We see you.”
Housing Secretary Steve Reed has hailed the Renters’ Rights Act as the “biggest shake-up” for tenants in a generation, and says it has brought an end to a system that was “stacked against working people who rent”.
He told LBC the changes would take away the fear of having “the roof over their heads ripped away for no good reason” and said the Government is now “calling time on rogue landlords”.
Security for tenants
“We’re giving tenants the security and dignity of a home they can count on. It’s about time.
“I’ve met so many families, young people, and others who have had their lives turned upside down, who have been too scared to challenge poor living conditions and spiralling rents.
“That changes now,” and added that the reforms would deliver “real change – real savings in costs and stress” and allow families to “put down roots” so “a child knows which school they’ll be at next year”.
He acknowledged “the vast majority of landlords do right by their tenants”, and said they would gain from “a more professional rental market” but promised a “crackdown on those who let everyone down.
These new rights have real teeth.”
“As for the landlords who tried to beat the ban by racing to evict tenants unnecessarily before today: we see you.
“This disgraceful behaviour stops now. It’s time to clean up your act.”
The Government, Reed warned, is “making sure these new rights have real teeth”, backing councils with £41 million to “hold bad landlords to account”, and that the reforms “finally” give renters “the protections and peace of mind of somewhere they can truly call home.”
Under the new act, tenants are now required to give two months notice to quit.
Also, as the renter rights information sheet says…
This document is only a summary of the
changes. The new rules may change or
impact your tenancy in a way not described
below. The new rules apply to your tenancy
automatically, even if your landlord does
not update your tenancy agreement.
So landlord, now receiving the standard one month deposit, can demand two and not refund deposit should the unit remain vacant, despot landlord and agents efforts to re let.
I think there is going to be a lot of angry tenants, expecting to move in one month and not getting their deposit back. Not sure if this rule was properly thought out and seems to be a clear advantage to the landlord, though I suppose the market will switch and properties usually advertise done month ahead will move to two
We own 29 rental properties in the one town for the last 30 years.
There has been our first attempt to “game the new system.”
The tenant, living in our first & second floor duplex apartment that we have owned for 19 years and never had a damp problem, miraculously has a damp problem.
We have given them dehumidifiers, that they do not use. The flat even has solar panels that reduce their electricity bills.
They gave notice before RRA came into force. Now they want to change their minds.
I smell trouble.
With such enormous Court backlogs they could live rent free for several months.
Steve Reid thinks all tenants are angels.
After 2029 he can think how foolish and arrogant he sounded whilst waiting to sign on at his local Job Centre.
No time at all for bad landlords but there are more bad tenants in my experience. Also so far Steve not one tenant I have explained the new rules to support them. They hate the fact they now will have to give more than two months notice and they really do not like the fact there is no fixed period.
In short so far the tenants do not really like this all that much.
Oh and just in case I forget you have reduced the rental pool of property dramatically cutting down choice and driving rents up. All round Baldrick doesn’t think much of your cunning plan.