Knowledge Centre
5th May 2009
The swelling ranks of private landlords in England and Wales could be forced to join a register, under Government plans revealed by the Times newspaper.
According to the paper, the scheme would require landlords to pay around £50 for a licence before they could let a property.
The number of people letting property has grown to around one million in recent months. The group was initially swollen by the boom in buy-to-let investment when house prices were still rising, and has more recently been augmented by an increase in 'reluctant landlords' - sellers taking their properties off the market while prices fall and letting them instead.
The Times claims that a national register would aim to keep landlords up to date with important repairs and discourage intimidation of tenants. The paper says the plans are set to be written up in a green paper - the first step in the legislative process - within the next few days.
One suggested possibility for enforcement of the standards would see a driving-licence-style 'penalty points' scheme.
Meanwhile, the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) today announced its own optional register for its members, with a range of measures to ensure professional standards for letting agents and safeguard tenants.
The group has welcomed the Government proposals for the national scheme.
Operations manager Ian Potter told the Guardian newspaper that ARLA had been calling on the Government for regulation for ten years.
"We are fully supportive of these plans," he added.
IMAGE PA
National landlord register revealed
According to the paper, the scheme would require landlords to pay around £50 for a licence before they could let a property.
The number of people letting property has grown to around one million in recent months. The group was initially swollen by the boom in buy-to-let investment when house prices were still rising, and has more recently been augmented by an increase in 'reluctant landlords' - sellers taking their properties off the market while prices fall and letting them instead.
The Times claims that a national register would aim to keep landlords up to date with important repairs and discourage intimidation of tenants. The paper says the plans are set to be written up in a green paper - the first step in the legislative process - within the next few days.
One suggested possibility for enforcement of the standards would see a driving-licence-style 'penalty points' scheme.
Meanwhile, the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) today announced its own optional register for its members, with a range of measures to ensure professional standards for letting agents and safeguard tenants.
The group has welcomed the Government proposals for the national scheme.
Operations manager Ian Potter told the Guardian newspaper that ARLA had been calling on the Government for regulation for ten years.
"We are fully supportive of these plans," he added.
IMAGE PA
Tags: Landlord
Post to:
What are these?
- 20th January 2011 Unemployment figures hit 2.5 million
- 14th January 2011 Government 'must introduce fuel duty stabiliser'
- 7th January 2011 FSB call 'to reverse VAT rise'
Site by Acknowledgement
The Government looks to waste further tax payer pounds.
Posted: 8 May 2009 15:10Join our petition against the introduction of landlord licenses - http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/landlord-licence/
We believe in strict legislation to protect tenants and not further Government bureaucracy.