Labour’s predicted landslide means that the new government is more than likely going to turn their immediate attention to reforming the rental sector which is down to being ‘cheap’ and being able to be fast-tracked through the parliamentary process.

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This claim was made by a political expert Simon Darby of a communications company when speaking at an agent’s election webinar hosted by a leading PropTech company.

He said: “Looking at the polls it seems likely that we’re looking at a Labour government with either a reasonable majority, or a very big majority. If they do come into post, they’ll be looking at reform and regulation because these are things that can be done that don’t cost the government an enormous amount of money. Tweaks to markets become quite powerful in that environment because they don’t cost billions and can be enacted relatively quickly.

“A government that comes in after 14 years in opposition wants to make headway, and that puts the housing market generally, and the private rented sector in particular, under the spotlight.”

Darby also tackled claims that the Labour government will ban Section 21 evictions on Sir Keir Starmer’s and Angela Rayner’s first day in Number 10.

“The government will still have to go through the entire process. Measures may be in the King’s Speech – there will have to be a period of consultation because it’s a new Bill and then it will have to go through Parliament again. It’s probably going to take a year, perhaps two years, potentially.”

Darby also explained how Labour’s proposals to build 1.5 million homes and change planning laws cannot be fast-tracked, he said: “This is not the first time that we’ve gone into a general election with something of an arms race on numbers in terms of the level of housing. To achieve the numbers being talked about, the government will need to get planning reforms right, to make it significantly easier to build. Equally, lots of factors remain outside the control of central government when it comes to delivery.”

Darby states that Labour sees the current planning system as holding back its commitment to build 1.5 million homes, and said: “I would see that area as being one where they are genuinely quite keen to have a fight and have real reform to try and make it easier to push these things through. Where the last government struggled because of grass-roots push-back or concerns from local government, Labour will find it slightly easier because they are willing to have the fight.

“But I can’t see those numbers stacking up without reforming the system and bringing back mandatory targets.”

A council has prosecuted a landlord for letting out two HMOs without a licence and failing to comply with HMO Management Regulations.

Mohammed Ammar Hussain of Hemel Hempstead pleaded guilty to offences relating to two separate properties for failure to apply for an HMO licence, plus three offences of failing to comply with management duties in relation to property conditions - this included a lack of working fire alarms. 

Now Hussain has been ordered to pay fines of £13,450, a victim surcharge of £2,000 and £29,856 prosecution costs - a total of £45,306.

The properties in Hemel Hempstead were first discovered in September 2022, when the council found the properties to be operating illegally as HMOs with multiple hazards to residents. 

The council says: “We returned in January 2023 due to the landlord’s failure to submit licence applications. We discovered that two of the properties were still operating as unlicensed HMOs and the landlord had failed to put right all of the hazards.”

A spokesperson adds: “We recognise that most landlords are responsible and law abiding, caring deeply about providing the highest standards in their home.

"However, there is a small minority of landlords who choose not to comply with the law and their tenants suffer as a result. I’m very proud of the team for achieving this excellent result on behalf of our residents.