Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to require landlords and agents to accept rental payment history as proof of affordability.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to determining whether any given tenancy will be sustainable and good landlords already assess tenant suitability on the basis of individual’s circumstances.

Landlords and agents remain free to undertake referencing and affordability checks with a view to ascertaining whether a tenancy is sustainable. This may include a history of rental payments, but other available referencing criteria can also be taken into account.

Where a private landlord or agent is not satisfied by the outcome of pre-tenancy checks, there remain options available to provide further reassurance such as requiring a tenant to provide a guarantor. Professional guarantor services are also available and can help prospective tenants acquire a guarantor in circumstances where they otherwise would not have been able to do so. Local authorities may also offer guarantee schemes or assistance with rent payments to help people on low incomes or at risk of homelessness to secure a property.

The government has no current plans to legislate to require social or private landlords and agents to accept rental payment history as proof of affordability.