1st
May 2014
A recently published report from a national private landlords' association has been slated by an organisation that has been established to "represent" all private tenants as apparently it unsuccessfully defends deregulation of private renting.
The campaign group states that the report strengthens the case for a national landlords register.
The association's report commented on - 'The impact of regulation on the private rented sector' - that the current rules have not been successful in accomplishing their goals.
The Campaign group ,Generation Rent, of course "sides" with this one particular finding that existing regulations are not working and subsequently calls for a national register for landlords to become mandatory. .
Alex Hilton, GR director, said that the landlords' association: “ wants you to pity poor, over-regulated landlords but the reality is that it’s harder to open a commercial kennel than to let a house to humans. The evidence is that private renting is one of the most profitable businesses that you can run and it’s about time there was a fair balance between the rights of renters and landlords.
"Research held by homelessness charities shows that the very poorest tenants often have the worst landlords – the ones who won't protect your deposit or who would rather evict you than fix your boiler.
"We want a national register of landlords that includes mandatory membership of a landlord body so that they can run their businesses better for tenants and more successfully for themselves.
"At the same time, a register would allow councils to focus their enforcement resources (paid for through your council taxes) on unregistered, exploitative landlords, meaning a vast improvement for the most vulnerable tenants.
"A national register would benefit decent landlords, tenants and taxpayers. The only landlords who have something to lose are those who are willing to profiteer from housing vulnerable people in conditions of misery."
Richard Merrick of PIMS said: " All of our members are in fact landlords and letting agents that strive to keep standards high for their tenants. The media as usual is attempting to represent landlords as a pariah and campaign groups will always jump on the bandwagon.
"From the report one comment has been blown taken out of context and blown out of all proportion.
"Besides this, when was the last time that a National newspaper actually covered a story about a landlord who honours their commitment to a private tenant ?"
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