Renting reforms ‘unlikely’ until much later this year, hints Minister
Rachel Maclean was unable to confirm when her Government's Renters (Reform) Bill would make progress through Parliament.
The Government’s Renters Reform Bill has hit problems after housing minister Rachel Maclean yesterday declined to confirm when its second reading in Parliament will happen.
She made the comments during questioning by MPs from the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities committee which is tasked with examining Government policy and performance within the sector.
Asked by chairman Clive Betts about the bill’s slow progress through parliament, Maclean hinted that it was unlikely that the legislation would get a second reading until after the Summer recess – which finishes on 4th September.
The Minister said her hands were tied by parliamentary business managers who decide when bills pass through parliament, and the ‘what’s on’ website for the Commons and Lords shows no time allocated for the bill before the house rises.
Unsurprising
Michael Cook (pictured), Group MD of Leaders Romans Group, says: “Despite some big announcements recently from Government, it’s unsurprising that the second reading of the Renters Reform Bill is delayed until at least the Autumn.
“As an industry we are concerned that a number of the elements of the Bill are unclear and need amending to make it workable.
“Giving MPs and the Select Committee a bit more time to liaise and engage with all parts of the sector is probably not a bad thing.
“Specifically, and from both the landlords’ and tenants’ point of view, we are concerned about the impact of removing fixed terms. We also question how effective the new housing courts will be, given that we have heard of no clear plan.
“We suspect many MPs will share these concerns. This has possibly been sensed by Government and hence the brakes applied to allow for some of these issues to be addressed.”
Read more about the Renters (Reform) Bill.
When is The Government going to realise the mess that they have made to The PRS?! Did they not learn with The Tenant Fees Act?
We are a small independent in West Yorkshire. We only have 12 properties that are listed ‘for sale’, 8 of which were previously rented out. Despite our efforts to pacify the Landlords to remain in The PRS, they are selling up because they are fearful of what lies ahead. They are not retiring Landlords as some would speculate. If you factor in this ratio across the industry (because presumably other Agents are experiencing the same pattern), then WE HAVE A REAL PROBLEM!
The reform bill should delete all the changes made since the tenant fees act joke and just say “We admit we messed again, because that’s what we do with almost everything we meddle with.” Rt Hon Clowns.