The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has welcomed, in principle, the proposals for a ban on section 21 evictions and introduction of a new property portal but believes that the platform will not remove the need for the UK government to make it easier for councils in England to use selective licensing schemes to improve housing conditions.
The CIEH supported one of its expert members to give oral evidence to a committee of MPs scrutinising the Renters (Reform) Bill yesterday.
Dr Henry Dawson, a member of the CIEH Housing Advisory Panel who is also a senior lecturer in Housing and Public Health at Cardiff Metropolitan University, offers his views on the proposed bill.
It was argued that selective licensing schemes involve designated areas where privately rented properties have to be licensed with the local authority.
A private rented property portal which will enable councils to target enforcement against a minority of unscrupulous landlords will form part of the Renters Reform Bill, and this is a good move, according to Dr Dawson
The portal is to include a database of properties and will require landlords to demonstrate compliance. It will also bring together key information for tenants and councils such as when landlords are subject to banning orders and other relevant civil penalties and offences.
Dr Dawson highlighted to the committee the shortage of environmental health professionals to enforce housing standards in the private rented sector and the need for consistency in funding of the profession.
He also emphasised the role played by licensing in providing sustainable and predictable funding for enforcement.
The oral evidence session can be viewed here.
Louise Hosking, executive director of environmental health at the CIEH, said: “We are delighted that one of our advisory panel members has had the opportunity to provide evidence to MPs on this crucial piece of primary legislation.
The oral evidence session has also provided us with an excellent platform to promote the work of the profession to a wider audience.
“This is a tangible example of how we are making the voice of the profession heard at national level.”
Who are these experts?
Cause they’ve not been to ask my tenants what they want.
The role played by Licensing signals the end of cheap rents trying to look after tenants.
These experts han’t got a clue. I can charge 30% below market rent or full rent & triple glazing-Ask tenants what they want.
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You will get your wish. S21 will be abolished and small landlords will sell up. You will get what you wished for and live to regret it.
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The removal of S21 itself is not the issue, the issue is that the processes to allow Landlords to reliably get THEIR PROPERTY back in a reasonable timeframe have to be in place first. Ideally, the Govt need to get it to the point where S21 is obsolete and phase it out then, because it is no longer needed.
As so many have said, good landlords do not get rid of good tenants for no reason. And as long as those reasons are on the improved S8 that is guaranteed a court date within 2/4/8/12 weeks depending on the reason, then I don’t see the issue. But that “2 months rent arrears” loophole has to be closed.
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