RLA : RPI : Most in need will pay price of Bill

News from the Residential Property Investor, the bi-monthly magazine for RLA members

other artilces from the December 03 / January 04 issue

Most in need will pay price of Bill - December 2003 / January 2004

There was little to cheer landlords in the Queen's Speech setting out the Government's legislative agenda for the next session of Parliament. There was even less to cheer tenants.

Promising to go ahead with its controversial Housing Bill, the Government said it will give local authorities powers to license landlords in areas of low demand and introduce mandatory licensing for houses in multiple occupation.

These measures will hit the very people most in need of affordable housing.

The primary reason is that even limited licensing will certainly drive landlords from the market. They will not want to become involved in the extra bureaucracy associated with licensing, or the extra costs involved. There will be fewer rental properties available and higher costs to recover.

There are also suspicions that the involvement of local authorities in licensing will make the situation even worse.

If we are to have licensing, would it not be much better to build on the example of other trades and professions, and to allow the private rented sector to operate its own accreditation arrangements?

Schemes such as the RLA accreditation scheme enable tenants to identify not just people who have passed the licensing standard on one day, but landlords who are committed to providing a continuing quality service through letting high standard property. They allow tenants to make mature and informed decisions about renting, which is no more than should be the case in a mature culture such as our own.

other artilces from the December 2003 / January 2004 issue

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