A consultation on introducing a set of standards that private rent landlords will have to abide by for the first time has been launched and landlords have called on Government to simplify the laws governing the sector.
With some 170 laws governing the rental market landlords are asking for more clarity on what is expected from them.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) is proposing to introduce a Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector (PRS), which would mean landlords are legally bound to make sure their properties meet a reasonable standard.
It has been claimed that more than a fifth of the 4.4 million privately rented homes in England are in a poor condition.
Housing Secretary Greg Clark (pictured) said: “I want to see a thriving private rented sector, but that does not mean that tenants should have to suffer homes that are not of decent standard.
“This consultation asks what the minimum standard for privately rented homes should be.”
But Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said he expects tenants to be mostly satisfied with their properties as standards are already on the rise.
As such he has called on Government to make it easier for all to understand what is required of them.
He said: “Standards in the private rented sector are improving. That is why private renters are more likely to be satisfied with their accommodation than those in the social rented sector.
“The Government’s plans should focus on making it easier for private landlords, tenants and councils to understand what is expected of them by simplifying the almost 170 laws already affecting the sector.
“The plans need to also recognise crucial differences between private and social rented housing, including in the age and types of properties in each.
“In the end, all the laws in the world will do nothing without improved enforcement against the minority of landlords who tarnish the reputation of the responsible, law-abiding majority.
That requires properly resourced councils tackling the criminals and rogues, whilst allowing the responsible majority to easily prove their home is safe and compliant.”
