In April, the House of Commons Committee released a report of their findings after investigating the regulation of the Private Rented Sector (PRS).
The report includes recommendations to the government on actions to take to improve the rental sector. The government has two months to respond to the report and to decide which actions they will undertake.
According to the report, the private rented sector in England has doubled in size in the last 20 years. Due to the demand, the sector is failing to provide safe homes, with nearly 13% of private rented properties posing a health or safety risk to its renters.
Moreover, it is difficult for tenants to realise their right to a safe home and access guidance or government assistance without the threat of eviction. The report suggests providing better support to renters to help them understand their rights.
The rest of the report focused mainly on support to local authorities. It argued that authorities do not have the capacity to ensure safe housing for all tenants and outlined ways to provide resources and support for authorities to regulate effectively. We will keep you updated on any developments.
August 2nd, 2022
