The Renters Reform Bill consultation response, which is expected to be published this autumn, is rumoured to cover tenancy rights, deposits, standards of accommodation and social housing.
The changes that are set to strengthen protection for tenants include banning ‘no fault’ evictions, the introduction of lifetime tenancy deposits, crackdowns on criminal landlords and implementing the charter for social housing residents.
Flatshare site SpareRoom polled over 6,000 of its users to find out what renters want to see changed.
The results were as follows:
· Make the rogue landlord database public - 16%
· Better enforcement on criminal landlords - 15%
· Make it easier to rent with pets - 13%
· Introduction of a national landlord register - 13%
· Make open ended tenancies the norm - 13%
· Make it easier to rent if you receive a housing benefit - 10%
· Introduction of 'lifetime deposits’ - 10%
· Ban on 'no fault’ evictions - 10%
Matt Hutchinson, SpareRoom Director, commented: “The government has promised reform of the rental market, with lifetime deposits one of their stated intentions. That will definitely make a material difference to renters, but it’s clear from our research that landlord regulation is top of the list in terms of what renters really want to see from government.
On top of that, making it easier to rent with pets and making open ended tenancies more common were popular choices. It’s great that renters’ rights are back on the agenda but, as always, cracking down on the worst offenders has to be a priority for the sector as a whole to benefit.”
