Politicians at last accept landlords in Wales need more help

Propertymark says members of the Welsh Parliament's housing committee have agreed with many of its recommendations for the PRS.

Senedd

Politicians in Wales are backing agents’ calls for a more supportive approach to landlords, it has been claimed.

The Welsh Senedd or Parliament’s Local Government and Housing Committee accepts that landlords are being forced from the PRS, or may switch to short-term lets, Propertymark has revealed.

And in a new report, the committee also says it understands how landlords need help if the PRS is to provide enough housing for tenants.

Agents ratings scheme

The committee was responding to a new Welsh Government white paper on housing and fair rents.

It believes the Welsh Government should examine the feasibility of a statutory ratings scheme for letting agents to encourage improvements in housing standards. Propertymark wants a tailored approach for different property types rather than a standardised EPC C rating across the whole of the PRS.

It also advised that the Welsh Government should provide landlords with grants and loans to help them make energy efficiency improvements.

Warned against rent controls

And they warned against rent controls, saying the rent cap in Scotland had “forced landlords to put up rents between tenancies to cover any future cost implications”.

Tim Thomas - Propertymark
Tim Thomas

Tim Thomas, Policy and Campaigns Officer at Propertymark, says: “Propertymark used its opportunity to issue evidence to the Senedd’s Local Government and Housing Committee’s inquiry into the Private Rented Sector to warn them of the dangers of a one size fits all approach to energy efficiency, as well as the issues with implementing rent controls in Wales.

“We are concerned that the Committee also supported the prospect of the Welsh Government exploring the feasibility of enabling tenants who are subject to no-fault evictions to retain the last two months’ rent as compensation.”

Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, welcomed the findings of the committee’s report that more needs to be done to address the need for pet-friendly housing in Wales.


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