NRLA chief calls on the next government to instigate a new Renters (Reform) Bill

NRLA chief calls on the next government to instigate a new Renters (Reform) Bill

9:24 AM, 4th June 2024, About 7 months ago 23

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After seeing five years of hard work in shaping the Renters (Reform) Bill for the private rented sector (PRS) evaporate when the general election was called, the next government must work ‘from scratch’ on a new law.

That’s the verdict of Ben Beadle, the chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) writing to members on the organisation’s website.

He says the Bill was the government’s masterplan to transform the PRS with more security for tenants, the abolition of section 21 and the end of fixed term tenancies.

The controversial Bill was first mooted in 2019 with the NRLA working with its members and Government to amend and hone the plans so they were fair to landlords.

The discussions also enabled Ministers to honour their commitments to tenants.

‘We believed was fair and workable’

Mr Beadle said: “While there’s no suggestion that what was on the table was the ‘perfect’ Bill as far as landlords, and arguably tenants were concerned, what we had was something that we believed was fair and workable.

“It came as a huge blow, therefore, that Rishi Sunak’s decision to call an election when he did, rendered it dead in the water.

“It is even more frustrating when we understand that the Labour party would have supported the Renters (Reform) Bill had it been selected for ‘wash-up’ – the process in which outstanding parliamentary business is completed ahead of Parliament being prorogued.”

Essentially, it is the ‘wash-up’ period that means that any parliamentary business not completed cannot become law and cannot be carried over to the next Parliament.

Next Government will need to start from scratch

Mr Beadle says the next Government will need to start from scratch and develop new legislation for the PRS.

He adds: “This, in turn, means even greater uncertainty for landlords who have already been waiting for five years for answers on how they must run their businesses going forward.

“The repercussions could be far-reaching – for landlords and tenants.”

Along with a cost-of-living and housing crisis, surveys show that growing numbers of landlords are considering what their future is in the PRS.

The issue is, he says, that the ‘crippling uncertainty’ means many landlords will decide to sell up.

Bad news for renters

Mr Beadle continues: “This in turn is bad news for renters looking to the sector for a home, with most recent figures from property platform Rightmove showing there are now 15 tenants competing for each property.

“Both the Conservatives and Labour have previously committed to abolishing Section 21, one of the cornerstones of the Renters (Reform) Bill, but it will be down to the new administration as to how they progress this – and what priority it is given.

“We may have more clarity on what approach the different parties may take once election manifestos are published in the coming weeks.”

He added: “Whatever happens we are committed to working constructively with them to ensure proposed changes are fair and workable for landlords and tenants alike.”


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Northampton Landlord

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6:51 AM, 9th June 2024, About 7 months ago

Great to read comments from 1999.
I held the position that Ben Beadle now holds.
We were much smaller in number, 2,000 against 105,000 today.
Sad that landlords working alone are carving their rabbid comments on the toilet door.
In case none of the "commentators" have noticed the politicians are in power.
They make the rules.
In case any of you recall your school days, taking your bat and ball home was the move of a spoilt child.
We must deal with those in power, of whatever political stripe.
This was the attitude I encountered 25 years ago.
The NFRL, the National Federation of Residential Landlords took the DSS (Department of Social Security) to Court.
6 cases, lost 5, won 1.
The DSS changed the rules the next day after pyric victory for landlords.
I stopped all the wasteful Court cases and used the funds to make the National Landlords Association more effective campaigning organisation.
Yes I am blowing my own trumpet, as nobody else will.
In 1999 we did not have the Internet.
I had to stand up to people who "Work alone" and complaining against an "unfair" system.
Both my parents were foreigners in this country.
Immigrants do not come to the UK for:
Our climate
Our food
Our less than generous benefits.
They are here to work and earn money.
The PRS deal with the 1,300,000 people who came to the UK legally in 2022-3.
We need to build more houses.
Not hard to work out.
John Socha
Chairman of The Small Landlords Association 1999-2002.

GlanACC

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8:53 AM, 9th June 2024, About 7 months ago

So NRLA has an income of nearly £9m and expenses of £8m - also has assets of £5m (includes £4m in cash at bank). That's a very long trough. NRLA is basically a money making company these days. 15 appointed officers, I wonder how much they take from the trough

Monty Bodkin

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10:19 AM, 9th June 2024, About 7 months ago

Reply to the comment left by John Socha at 09/06/2024 - 06:51
"In case any of you recall your school days, taking your bat and ball home was the move of a spoilt child."

In this case it’s more like sending the opening batsmen to the crease only for them to find that before the first ball is bowled, their bats have been broken by the team captain.

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