The National Residential Landlords Association has taken the unusual step of extending an olive branch to the activists who run the Generation Rent ginger group.
The association concedes a major point to the activists in the debate over the Renters Reform Bill: however, so far this appears to have been brushed off by the activists.
Speaking ahead of the final stages of the Bill in the House of Commons today, NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle says: “This Bill delivers a fair deal for tenants and responsible landlords. In the interests of certainty for the sector it is now time to ensure the Bill passes through Parliament.
“For renters, the Bill will abolish section 21 repossessions and fixed term tenancies, introduce a Decent Homes Standard for the sector, a new Ombudsman and Property Portal which landlords will have to join as well as measures to protect families and those in receipt of benefits from discrimination.
“Going forward, it will always be for the courts to decide if landlords have met the threshold to repossess a property based on a series of legitimate reasons. This includes tenant anti-social behaviour, serious rent arrears or where a landlord plans to sell a property.
“That said, the tenant group, Generation Rent, has rightly warned that landlords selling properties is ‘a leading cause of homelessness.’ The only answer to this is ensuring responsible landlords feel confident enough to stay in the market. Greater security for tenants will mean nothing if the rental homes are not there in the first place.
“A number of the amendments proposed to the Bill enact recommendations by the cross-party housing select committee. Taken together they would ensure a balanced Bill that protects tenants and ensures it is viable for responsible landlords to continuing renting properties out.”
There are over 200 amendments to the Renters Reform Bill having its Third Reading in the Commons today. However, even before hearing the debate, Generation Rent has spoken out against them.
Ben Twomey, chief executive. comments: "Everyone deserves to feel secure in their own home, which is why the government committed to end section 21 no fault evictions over five years ago. The Renters Reform Bill does not deliver the original promise that landlords will 'no longer be able to unexpectedly evict families with only eight weeks notice'.
"Renters were promised once-in-a-generation change but if this Bill passes in its current form, we could still be just a couple of months away from homelessness, even if we play by all the rules set by landlords. That's why as a bare minimum we're calling on the government to double eviction notice periods to four months, while increasing the time tenants can spend in their home without fear of eviction from six months to two years.”
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