In February 2022 the government published a white paper which stated all landlords would be required to be listed on a register, that paper was a teaser for what came on the 16th of June in the ‘A fairer private rented sector’ white paper.
What arrived was different from initially proposed, with the register being replaced by a new ‘Property Portal’ which is designed to help landlords understand their obligations. This will include information on the rental process as well as requirements of the 'Decent Homes Standards' which will apply to private rental sector (PRS) landlords for the first time.
Many organisations in the private property market have been pushing for changes to the court system and in most cases that organisations were asking for their own housing court. This proposal was dismissed by the government saying in their white paper:
“We don’t think we need a separate housing court”
They will instead be introducing a ‘Housing Ombudsman’ to provide redress for tenants and have made significant changes to agreements and grounds for possession landlords can utilize. You can read more about that in our other article covering the AST & Section 21 removal.
A 21st century approach to the private rental market is what the government has set out to achieve and time will tell how the PRS will change.
Written by Toby Dawson