Oral Answers to Questions

Karl Turner Excerpts

Monday 2nd February 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mike Gapes (Ilford South) (Lab/Co-op)]

8. What progress his Department has made in promoting longer-term tenancies in the private rented sector.

[Karl Turner (Kingston upon Hull East) (Lab)]

19. What progress his Department has made in promoting longer-term tenancies in the private rented sector.

[The Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Brandon Lewis)]

We are progressing longer tenancies by promoting a model tenancy agreement with bodies representing landlords, tenants, letting agents, mortgage lenders and local authorities. Recent figures show that tenancy lengths have increased to an average of just under four years.

--- Later in debate ---

[Brandon Lewis]

I am not sure exactly what the hon. Gentleman is asking us to do. As I said, we have published a model tenancy agreement to encourage longer tenancies. It is worth noting that, according to Savills, a majority of people, particularly younger people, do not want longer tenancies and that 81% of private renters who have moved in the last three years ended their last tenancy because they wished to move, predominantly for work reasons.

[Karl Turner]

Thousands of families in Hull are subjected to unfair, unsecured tenancies. Why can the Government not accept Labour’s plan for three-year secure tenancy agreements? What is wrong with it?

[Brandon Lewis]

Given that average tenancies have increased to almost four years, I think that we have already achieved what we needed to achieve and that the hon. Gentleman should be saying, “Well done!”