An announcement this month from Margaret Beckett, the Minister for Housing and Planning, brought landlord licensing one step closer
The statement was part of the Government response to the 2008 independent review of the private rented sector. The ‘Rugg Review’ outlined proposals designed to raise standards and professionalism in the sector and to tackle bad landlords.
The introduction of the register would require landlords to pay to register their properties’ and their own details.
Two other key proposals have emerged from the report. First is the call to make all tenancies written agreements. Makeurmove particularly welcomes this suggestion and free tenancy agreement forms can be downloaded for nothing from our website.
Also proposed is an increase in the threshold on Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) agreements from £25,000 to £100,000, meaning that higher rental value properties will benefit from the protections of AST.
The full report ‘The private rented sector: professionalism and quality - The Government response to the Rugg Review Consultation’ can be downloaded here. The consultation period continues until August and we’ll keep you posted on developments in our newsletter and on our website.
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/responseruggreview
