Oral Answers to Questions

Steve Reed Excerpts

Monday 2nd February 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Pickles]

The hon. Lady makes a reasonable point: sign languages in English should be available. I shall look into the matter very carefully and, because she has made a reasonable point, respond to her.

[Mr Steve Reed (Croydon North) (Lab)]

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

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

8. 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.

[Mr Reed]

A survey conducted in Croydon North showed some letting agents charging registration fees as high as £500, and hundreds more in finder’s fees and for simply handling the deposit. Of course, short tenancies make this rip-off even worse. Why are the Government not standing up for hard-pressed renters against rip-off letting agents?

[Brandon Lewis]

Actually, we are. The new provisions in the Consumer Rights Bill will require all letting agents to publish their full tariff of fees, both on their websites and prominently in their offices, regardless of whether they are a member of a protection scheme and of which redress scheme they have signed. This will protect tenants from the small minority of agents who charge unreasonable hidden fees and will raise awareness of safe agents and the right of redress.