Housing and Planning Bill
Debate between Baroness Gardner of Parkes and Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville
Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville
My Lords, I will also speak to Amendment 28. We heard from the Minister in Committee that the Government’s aim is to move tenants out of local authority housing and housing association accommodation and into the private rented sector. It follows that the private rented sector must be fit for purpose so that tenants are not disadvantaged by being moved from public sector housing into the private market.
The Secretary of State has an obligation to ensure that private landlords step up to the mark and provide accommodation that tenants would wish to move into. A code of practice for letting and management of the private rented sector is now essential to provide protection for tenants, some of whom will be vulnerable. Homes must be of good quality, have consistent management and provide choice for the consumer. It would not be unreasonable for the Secretary of State to consult with a number of professional bodies in drawing up the code of practice to ensure it is fit for purpose. The list in the amendment, from proposed new paragraphs 3(a) to 3(j), would ensure that all necessary views are obtained and have input into the code. This should help guarantee that tenants, as well as landlords, are protected.
Amendment 28 is consequential on Amendment 27. As we all know, both landlords and tenants make use of letting agents. These are an essential part of renting in the private sector. Letting agents bring the two sides of the equation together, helping landlords to find suitable tenants and tenants to find suitable homes and accommodation. However, regulation is also needed for this sector to provide security for both the landlord and the tenant. A nationally held register of letting agents, available for all interested bodies to view, should be an essential element of the Government’s policy in moving tenants into the private sector. The register in the form of a database should be clear, have all relevant information required as listed in the amendment and be easy to access and use by both landlords and tenants.
Many of us will have seen the story of the housing association in Walthamstow that sold off whole streets of its properties to an investor but did not inform its tenants of the change of ownership and hence the change of their landlord. The housing association had employed a company to do all routine repairs and maintenance. It was only when tenants rang up this company to report faults that they discovered they were no longer covered by the contract as their landlord had changed. It later transpired that the new landlord was likely to give all tenants notice to quit as they wished to sell the properties on the open market.
If the Government wish tenants to seek accommodation in the private sector, they must assist in ensuring that correct and relevant information is available to aid tenants in their choice of move. Moving home is one of the most stressful events in any person’s life, and to be moving often and unnecessarily is unlikely to ensure that tenants maintain their employment and their children have access to a continued education. Both a code of practice for the private rented sector and a register of letting agents readily accessible by tenants are essential to achieving the Government’s aim. I look forward to a positive response from the Minister. I beg to move.
Baroness Gardner of Parkes
My Lords, I have mixed views on this because I recall the great victory of the noble Baroness, Lady Hayter, which ensured that all residential letting agents were obliged to be registered. I think that measure, which has been in force for a few years, is working very well. It seems to me that this is far too belt and braces and that the proposed measure would be so onerous and costly that it would end up costing tenants who want to rent these properties extra money. Is the noble Baroness aware of the Association of Residential Letting Agents and the registrations that are now applicable? I well remember the noble Baroness, Lady Hayter, arguing at the time that there was no way of getting the bad agents to register. However, when the relevant amendment was passed and they had to be members of the relevant body, the situation changed.
I am slightly puzzled when I see glossy magazine advertisements letting properties which give the name of the agent and add in brackets “Fees apply”. I am not sure whether that means an extra fee is being levied on people when it should not be. It might be worth investigating that. However, I believe that tenants are good judges of whether a property looks reasonable and the cost suits their needs. We should be more concerned about the cases featured in newspapers in the last couple of weeks in which people are paying £70 a night to sleep in three-tier beds and all the rubbish in the world ends up outside because there are no proper toilet facilities. That is a different field which requires very careful consideration and attention. However, the everyday letting process used by ordinary tenants and agents seems to work reasonably well.