MPs urged to vote for measures to curb landlords

MPs urged to vote for measures to curb landlords

8:54 AM, 17th June 2011, About 14 years ago 3

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Government set to "not have time" for Landlord regulations

A proposal urging MPs to vote for tighter regulation of private landlords is likely to be booted out of Parliament due to lack of time.

The private member’s bill, promoted by the Labour MP for Sedgefield Phillip Wilson won 10 minutes of time, but is unlikely to win any further support.

The bill goes against the policy of the coalition government towards regulating the private rented sector – housing minister Grant Shapps stated that the current government would not introduce further regulation soon after taking office last year.

At that time, he also scrapped plans for a national landlord’s register in England and a ‘rate your landlord’ web site for tenants. Both were eagerly pushed by labour before they lost office.

Wilson’s Private Landlords (Register and Duties) Bill called for several measures to control landlords and private rented properties including:

  • A register of private landlords
  • Private landlords required to take action in the event of anti-social behaviour by their tenants
  • Extra powers to both landlords and local authorities to deal with anti-social behaviour
  • A community improvement war chest funded by a levy on landlords

Wilson told the House of Commons: “The buy-to-let sector includes more than 650,000 homes that could have been in the owner-occupier market, and the fact that they are not has helped to force up house prices.” He also blamed landlords for blighting neighbourhoods in Sedgefield by neglecting properties and tenants. “Private landlords have moved in to Sedgefield. In some streets, up to 40% or 50% of the properties are private lets. In others, half the landlords are absentees, with some even living abroad,” he said. “Over the past four years I have had numerous cases of private landlords who have neglected their properties and tenants. Anti-social behaviour has become a major problem in the affected areas, and some of the residents who have lived in the streets in question for years now do not feel part of the local community that they have known for a long time.”

The bill should go back to the House of Commons for a second reading in November, but lack of time in a busy schedule is likely to lead to no time being available.


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10:24 AM, 17th June 2011, About 14 years ago

I think the fact that this piece of nonsense was timed out says it all. For me, the most telling line is
"I have had numerous cases of private landlords who have neglected their properties and tenants..." So far as I am aware when a tenant enters into a tenancy agreement with the landlord their contract relates to the provision of living accommodation and there are two-way responsibilities. I have not yet seen an AST which also relates to personal, social and community welfare. I suspect Mr Wilson had the term 'landlord' muddled up with 'social worker' which is something entirely different is it not?
Oh, and a social worker is also a cost to the tax payer whereas landlords are private individuals running a business... um...

JOHN MORGAN

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18:46 PM, 25th June 2011, About 14 years ago

Totally agree with above. Tenants have to take responsability for their actions. Hard enough getting some one evicted for not paying the rent. I would like to see this MP take a tenant to court for having a neighbour dispute. Perhaps if MP's spent more time in their constituencies speaking with people and bonding communities, solving problems rather than in their second homes things wouldn't be so bad !

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18:09 PM, 2nd July 2011, About 14 years ago

Heck of a job there, it abslouelty helps me out.

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