Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, says: Responsible landlords need to be confident that when Section 21 ends, where they have a legitimate reason, they will be able to repossess their properties as quickly as possible.

The main landlord body wants more details behind the soundbite rhetoric of the Renters Reform Bill, launched today in Parliament.

“Without this assurance, the Bill will only exacerbate the rental housing supply crisis many tenants now face.

“Whilst we welcome the Government’s pledge to ensure landlords can effectively recover properties from anti-social tenants and those failing to pay rent, more detail is needed if the Bill is going to work as intended.

“Ministers must develop a plan to improve the speed and efficiency with which the courts process possession claims. Although the Government has accepted NRLA calls to digitise cases, staff numbers need to increase in the court system as well to meet the needs of these reforms.

“Likewise, the Government must recognise the serious concerns of landlords letting to students about open ended tenancies. Without the ability to plan around the academic year, students will have no certainty that properties will be available to rent when they need them.

“We will continue to work with the Government, MPs and Peers to ensure the Bill workable and fair to both responsible landlords and tenants.”

By way of context the NRLA sets out some facts about the private rental sector, rarely acknowledged by government or politicians.

According to the most recent English Housing Survey data tenants in the private rented sector are more satisfied with their accommodation than those in social housing. 

Some 80 per cent of private renters are satisfied with their current accommodation compared to 75 per cent of social renters.

The vast majority of private tenancies are ended by a tenant. Some 73 per cent of private renters left their last tenancy because they wanted to move, and 10 per cent said their tenancy ended because it was only for a fixed period.  

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