Housing Minister announces intention to Regulate the Property Sector
Ahead of the BBC’s ‘Leasehold Day’ on the 22nd November 2024, the Housing Minister, Matthew Pennycook, unveiled the government’s plan to transform the property sector by abolishing the leasehold system and replacing it with commonhold as the default tenure.
This pivotal reform is set to be implemented within the current parliamentary term, possibly alongside the long-awaited introduction of the Regulation of Property Agents (ROPA).
The ROPA report, published in 2019, with Lord Best chairing the working group, highlighted the necessity for property agents to possess formal qualifications, ensuring they have the requisite knowledge and skills to serve clients effectively.
Renters Reform Bill to return to the Commons after Easter Recess
On the 27th March 2024, Jacob Young MP wrote to Conservative MPs regarding the Renters Reform Bill. He stated that the Conservatives are committed to “creating a fairer private rental sector” – standing on the promise that: - “if you’re a tenant, you will be protected from revenge evictions and rogue landlords, and if you are one of the many good landlords, we will strengthen your rights of possession”.
During her time as Housing Minister, Rachel Maclean MP made amendments to the Bill to bolster landlord protections which included making it clear that legislation would not be implemented until sufficient progress has been made improving courts, and scrapping proposals that would have both forced landlords to make expensive energy efficiency upgrades to their homes.
The Commons Committee reviewed concerns that have been put forward and as such, Government will bring forward further improvements at Commons Report Stage.
Chartered Institute of Housing 2020: Housing Minister's speech
Today’s speech from the Housing Minister at the Chartered Institute’s Housing 2020 Festival
Homelessness and evictions ban
Nearly 15,000 vulnerable people, including rough sleepers and the homeless, were housed in emergency accommodation at the start of this pandemic.
And we are building on these achievements through funding longer-term accommodation – 3,300 homes this year alone – along with tailored support so as few people as possible return to life on the streets.
Last month, we also announced additional protections for renters with a further stay on all housing possession proceedings in court.
That means that no action to progress new or existing claims for possession can be progressed for several weeks.
Thanks to new legislation we brought forward in August, landlords are also required to give 6 months’ notice to evict any tenant (private or social) – up from the 3 months required by the original provisions in the Coronavirus Act – except in the most serious of cases.
We also recognise that there are some occasions in which it is right that landlords should be able to start progressing cases quicker.