Following on from the first consultation paper back in April, the Labour Party has released details of a further policy review. Labour’s aim is to improve the private rented sector and provide good quality homes for all.
Hilary Benn MP, Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary:
“Wherever we live, we all want a safe and secure home for ourselves and our families. The private rented sector is playing an increasingly important role in providing homes for people, and the majority of landlords are responsible and do the right thing. But there are also bad landlords whose properties are poor quality, hard to heat and who charge high rents. And that’s why we are considering practical steps to deal with them and ensure that all homes are of the right standard.“
Main Features of the Policy Review
Landlord register – designed to improve the standard of private rented properties, Labour believe that a landlord register will help local authorities to identify landlords in their local area. It will also assist HMRC in tracing landlord tax evaders, who are thought to owe millions of pounds in unpaid tax on their rental income.
Selective licensing – licensing schemes have already been rolled out in some parts of the UK, but if Labour has its way, red tape will be relaxed and local authorities will find it easier to introduce selective licensing schemes.
Sanctions on rogue landlords – Labour wants to make it non-profitable for rogue landlords to operate. They also want to remove landlords with criminal convictions from a landlord database, thus making it impossible for them to stay in business.
Minimum property standard – Labour plans on setting minimum legal standards for energy efficiency and deposit protection.
