Housing secretary Michael Gove has held a roundtable meeting with key representatives from the private rental sector to discuss his department’s looming renting reforms, which are expected to enter parliament after the King’s speech this Autumn.
The ten groups attending the meeting included the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), The Lettings Industry Council, David Smith from JMW, the British Property Federation, Generation Rent, Shelter, Citizens Advice, the Local Government Association, the Renters Reform Coalition and National Housing Federation.
Although the meeting’s detailed discussions have been kept under wraps, it is understood that Gove wanted to share his ‘vision’ for the private rented sector and explain more details about his reforms.
Challenges
The NRLA’s Ben Beadle (pictured), who attended the meeting, says: “While Government reporting restrictions mean I can’t go into detail about exactly what was said, myself and other landlord and agent representatives, made clear the challenges landlords are facing and the potentially devastating impact this could have on the provision of much-needed homes to rent.
“Today’s roundtable follows a one-to-one meeting between Michael Gove and I had last month, where we covered everything from reform to standards and investment.
“The NRLA’s tireless campaigning has already seen significant success, with the announcement that the Government is to take a hard line on anti-social behaviour and increase the powers available to landlords to tackle the issue.
“Ahead of the publication of the Renters’ Reform Bill…we will continue to lobby on behalf of members for positive reform that supports the rights of both landlords and tenants to maintain a robust private sector that works for all.”
