The National Residential Landlords Association has given a cautious response to the government’s private rental database initiative.
As part of the second phase of the Renters Rights Act implementation, landlords of assured or regulated tenancies will be required to register themselves and each property.
Registration will be introduced region by region, with the following deadlines:
Regional registration deadlines
Within the new database, landlords will be expected to provide key details, such as personal information, property specifications, tenancy information, rental details and health and safety information, including gas and electrical safety certificates and EPC data, to demonstrate compliance with minimum energy efficiency standards moving forward.
Ben Beadle, NRLA chief executive, says: “Whilst the timetable provides some much-needed certainty, we remain concerned that the private rented sector database will become little more than a national directory for councils, missing a major opportunity to deliver a system which will help raise standards across the market.
“Rather than just a list of local landlords, the database should be a genuine compliance tool that helps tenants and councils check that homes meet required standards, while enabling responsible landlords to demonstrate that they are meeting their obligations.
“Instead of simply requiring landlords to upload documents, the database should make intelligent use of existing data to verify compliance and ownership. Done properly, it could give tenants confidence, help councils target enforcement and make landlord compliance easier to verify.
“In rushing to launch a stripped-back minimum viable product, the Government risks building the database quickly rather than building it properly.
“There is also a real risk of duplication. In many parts of the country landlords already pay for local licensing schemes which collect much of the same information. The Government needs to explain how these systems will work together – compliant landlords should not have to pay twice to provide the same information.
In addition, HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC’s) Valuation Office will become responsible for decisions on challenges to rent increases in England.
While the government develops these reforms, renters who want to challenge a rent increase must still apply to the First-tier Tribunal.
If they do, they will not have to pay the higher rent until the Tribunal has made its final decision.
And in response to that, Beadle adds: “We strongly welcome the decision for HM Revenue and Customs’ Valuation Office (VO) to take responsibility for determining challenges to rent increases.
“During the passage of the Renters Rights Act, the NRLA repeatedly called for the Government to make use of the VO’s expertise on local market rents to help prevent the Tribunal system becoming overwhelmed.
“A quicker, specialist rent determination service should benefit both tenants and landlords while easing pressure on an already stretched Tribunal system.”
This article is taken from Landlord Today