Matthew Pennycook appointed as Labour’s Housing Minister

Matthew Pennycook appointed as Labour’s Housing Minister

9:14 AM, 8th July 2024, About 5 months ago 22

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Matthew Pennycook is Labour’s new housing minister, following Angela Rayner’s appointment as Housing Secretary and deputy leader.

He is the MP who tabled an amendment to the Renters (Reform) Bill which would have prevented landlords from selling for two years after a tenancy had started.

The MP for Greenwich and Woolwich said: “It is a real honour to have been appointed Minister of State at the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).

“Tackling the housing crisis and boosting economic growth is integral to national renewal. Time to get to work.”

Propertymark welcomes Mr Pennycook’s appointment

Nathan Emerson, the chief executive of Propertymark, said the organisation welcomes Mr Pennycook’s appointment.

He added: “Housing must play a pivotal role for the government moving forwards and in real terms, delivering over 1,100 new homes every single working day for the next five years will take immense planning and enormous stakeholder engagement to achieve.

“There needs to be a long-term cross-party approach with continuity built in as standard – we should never be looking at a housing plan as an insular five-year government term, in case of any change down the line.

“There must be a broad mix of sustainably built homes that brings much needed stock to both buyers and renters. The plan must be delivered with precision and in a way that is connected with wider government planning to ensure key infrastructure is provisioned for as the population further grows.”

Proposals to alter planning rules

Meanwhile, Labour has asked former Conservative minister Nick Boles to help deliver proposals to alter planning rules to ‘get Britain building’.

An announcement is expected in the next few days about how the government will deliver millions of promised new homes.

Mr Boles was the planning minister in David Cameron’s coalition government and his job is to make it to build new homes to ease the housing crisis and deliver gigafactories and laboratories.

The new rules could see mandatory home-building targets for local authorities being reintroduced and making it easier to build on green belt land.

Labour says it will be selecting building sites by the end of the year.


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David

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10:00 AM, 8th July 2024, About 5 months ago

The first step in completely destroying BTL for landlords as predicted.

Simon Williams

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10:32 AM, 8th July 2024, About 5 months ago

So, if I want to sell in future, how do I run an HMO with individual room tenancies if I can't get possession until 2 years after every tenancy has started? Do I just freeze recruitment and keep only those tenants at or close to 2 years, while keeping all other rooms empty?? Oh, what fun to be a landlord...

Stella

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10:41 AM, 8th July 2024, About 5 months ago

It does not bode well for the PRS appointing Matthew Pennycook.

I get the impression he is anti Landlord just like Karen Buck who he used to work for.

Rocky road ahead!

Stella

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10:51 AM, 8th July 2024, About 5 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Simon Williams at 08/07/2024 - 10:32Simon you may not be able to sell at all even if Labour were to run with the RRB that was agreed before the election.
At the last minute we learned that to get possession if we need to sell would have been a discretionary ground so it would be virtually impossible.
If the Judge was left leaning it would never happen!

Dylan Morris

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11:24 AM, 8th July 2024, About 5 months ago

Would the two year rule still apply if you were selling to another landlord who was going to keep the tenant in place ?

Hamish McLay

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11:29 AM, 8th July 2024, About 5 months ago

I feel we are entering a difficult time. After what has happened in housing, we all welcome some kind of change; so much requires a fresh look.
It saddens me that incoming members of parliament in important positions have already made statements before discussing consultation.
Should this be the case, there will be adverse consequences. This will have a direct impact on Landlords. However, the significant damage will be imposed mostly on the residents, who most Landlords work hard to support.
Disasters could be looming; we have had enough of those under the last government because of the lack of consultation.
Actions have consequences. Let us trust that any changes brought in, benefit residents and do not further damage the work that Landlords put in. Any consequences have to be fully investigated; not just some.

Dylan Morris

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11:29 AM, 8th July 2024, About 5 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Stella at 08/07/2024 - 10:51
I can see Labour simply saying a landlord selling is not a valid reason for eviction. It won’t even be discretionary. Labour commissioned a report recently from some organisation which recommended exactly this. It will be a nightmare if this happens. Lenders will not grant interest only mortgages only capital repayment. The value of rental properties will fall by up to 50%. And the rental market will be decimated for tenants, as landlords will sell as soon as they hit lucky and a tenant leaves.

Cider Drinker

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11:38 AM, 8th July 2024, About 5 months ago

This will mean that when a property owner needs to work abroad for a year or two, they won’t let their property and it will remain empty.

Tenancies already have a minimum term of 6 months which can be followed for a year or more of legal costs to regain possession.

I don’t think the two year thing is the biggest risk here.

Dylan Morris

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11:45 AM, 8th July 2024, About 5 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Cider Drinker at 08/07/2024 - 11:38
Regardless of the two year rule if you were going overseas it would be crazy to let your property out as Section 21 is being scrapped. You will need to go to Court and it will take years for your case to be heard as the current backlogs will only get much worse. Plus there are Court fees to pay and you’d likely want to use an eviction specialist. So you’ll be looking at around £2,000 in fees. And where are you going to live in the meantime ? Another crazy idea which only reduces the supply of rental properties.

Dylan Morris

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11:47 AM, 8th July 2024, About 5 months ago

I don’t actually have a problem with the two year rule it’s not ideal, but the least of our worries.

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