Propertymark CEO Nathan Emerson (pictured) has warned against any delays to the Government’s renting reforms following the current government crisis.

Emerson said that if new housing ministers were not appointed until the autumn then the changes would be rushed and may not work well.

The long-awaited Renters Reform White Paper was finally published last month, with some radical measures including an end to blanket bans on benefit tenants, and more restrictions on landlords’ ability to evict.

“We’ve already seen delays to the renters reform paper since discussion started a few years ago, and although the industry has had mixed reactions, we were at least moving toward clarity,” Emerson (pictured) said.

“At the end of the day, agents want to know how they might need to adapt, and any further delays or confusion will be met with frustration.”

Uncertainty

He said there will be uncertainty while we wait to see who the new housing ministers are, and some caution while we see if they last long in post.

“If, under the worst case scenario, we have no one in post until Autumn 2022, the time pressures of drafting and publishing a Bill by Spring 2023, which is what we were working towards, will be considerable.

“We have waited a long time for this and what don’t want to be lumped with rushed legislation that has not been properly formulated,” he added.

Other measures in the Renters Reform White Paper included a right for tenants to keep pets, and a new private renters ombudsman.

More reports on the Renters Reforms