NRLA Chief Executive at Gove roundtable

Michael Gove invited NRLA Chief Executive Ben Beadle to attend a special meeting where the Housing Secretary outlined his vision for the future of the PRS and rental reform.

The association was one of 10 organisations from across the property industry invited to the roundtable at the Home Office today where Ben addressed the Housing Secretary on landlords’ concerns.

Ben said: “While Government reporting restrictions mean I can’t go into detail about exactly what was said, myself and other landlord and agent representatives, including NRLA legal counsel David Smith, made clear the challenges landlords are facing and the potentially devastating impact this could have on the provision of much-needed homes to rent.

“Today’s roundtable follows a one-to-one meeting between Michael Gove and I just last month, where we covered everything from reform to standards and investment.

“The NRLA’s tireless campaigning has already seen significant success, with the announcement that the Government is to take a hard line on anti-social behaviour and increase the powers available to landlords to tackle the issue.

“Ahead of the publication of the Renters’ Reform Bill, which I expect to be published in the coming months we will continue to lobby on behalf of members for positive reform that supports the rights of both landlords and tenants to maintain a robust private sector that works for all.

What is the NRLA calling for?

The NRLA has welcomed a Government commitment to ensure landlords are able to regain possession of their properties in legitimate circumstances and has a number of other key asks which it believes will help support landlords and encourage them to continue to invest in the sector.

It wants the Government to:

• End the anti-landlord rhetoric and back the majority of landlords providing good quality home to rent
• Address issues that will arise in the student market as a result of plans to introduce indefinite tenancies
• Come up with firm principles as to how councils and police can support landlords to tackle anti-social tenants quickly and effectively – something there has already been movement on
• Reform the courts BEFORE Section 21 powers are removed to tackle lengthy waits for possession
• Abolish local licensing once the new property portal is introduced.

The association believes that unless these issues are resolved now - while proposed legislation is still under development - they will lead to major problems in the future.

The Government has already published a Rental Reform White Paper, a set of proposals put forward for consultation, but not set in stone. Since this was published the NRLA has produced its own alternative white paper A New Deal for the Private Rented Sector.

Ben has also given evidence to Government Select Committees and attended specialist roundtables on the proposals for reform, with the influential Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee throwing its weight behind the NRLA’s plans on everything from court reform, a review of landlord tax and student tenancies.

For all the latest on rental reform keep an eye on out news pages and social media channels.