Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to monitor (a) letting agent fees, (b) lease terms and (c) safety standards in rented properties.

The Government is committed to building a strong and safe private rented sector, which provides security and stability for both tenants and landlords. We announced at the 2016 Autumn Statement a ban on letting agent fees paid by tenants, to improve competition in the private rental market and give renters greater clarity and control over what they will pay. The Government will consult in the Spring on the detail of implementation.

The Housing White Paper outlines the Government’s intention to promote fairness and transparency for the growing number of leaseholders. We will consult on a range of measures to tackle all unfair and unreasonable abuses of leasehold and consider further reforms through the consultation to improve consumer choice and fairness for leaseholders.

An increasing number of private tenants are happy with their tenure and standards are improving. We are determined to ensure all sectors of the housing market provide decent homes.