The Welsh Government has introduced a White Paper on Housing Adequacy and Fair Rents, which is designed to introduce a right to adequate housing and fair rents in Wales – including a host of recommendations from agent trade body Propertymark.
Their report has concluded that, once sufficient evidence is available, the appropriate Cabinet Secretary issues an update to the Senedd stressing the impact of the measures that have been implemented to dissuade landlords from transferring properties to the holiday lets market.
Additionally, the Committee believes that the Welsh Government should examine the feasibility of developing a statutory ratings scheme for letting agents to encourage improvements in housing standards and guide tenants’ choices, and that the Welsh Government should not depend upon data from Rent Smart Wales to provide an up-to-date picture of the Welsh Private Rented Sector due to accuracy issues.
In line with enhancing data insights, the Committee promotes the benefits of introducing a household conditions survey to improve the data available on Welsh housing stock.
Finally, they believe that the Welsh Government should issue an update on its ambitions regarding Rent Smart Wales’s role in collecting Private Rented Sector rent data.
IMPROVED KNOWLEDGE
As part of its evidence, Propertymark suggested that improved knowledge about housing stock availability across the social rented and the private rented sectors can be provided via a database that would assist local councils in identifying better and faster solutions for older people. They added that there should be a greater emphasis on communication between local authorities and the Private Rented Sector.
The professional body also expressed a preference for a tailored approach for different property types regarding energy efficiency rather than a standardised EPC C across the whole of the Private Rented Sector.
They also advised that the Welsh Government should provide landlords with grants and loans via the Development Bank of Wales to help them make energy efficiency improvements, especially at a time when they are dealing with increased costs in general due to the end of mortgage tax relief.
They also referenced Scotland’s rent cap, which was ‘forcing landlords to put up rents between tenancies to cover any future cost implications’. Propertymark also stressed that the complexity of regulatory changes was forcing landlords out of the Private Rented Sector altogether.
ONE SIZE DANGERS
Tim Thomas, Policy and Campaigns Officer at Propertymark, says: “Propertymark used its opportunity to issue evidence to the Senedd’s Local Government and Housing Committee’s inquiry into the Private Rented Sector to warn them of the dangers of a one size fits all approach to energy efficiency, as well as the issues with implementing rent controls in Wales.
“On the positive side, some progress has been made as we were delighted that the Committee has recommended our long-term policy call for local authorities to administer a database of accessible property for both older and disabled people.
“Equally, we were pleased to see that the Committee recommended the Welsh Government should set out how it will increase local authority inspection capacity to improve housing standards in the Private Rented Sector.
“Despite this, we are concerned that the Committee also supported the prospect of the Welsh Government exploring the feasibility of enabling tenants who are subject to no-fault evictions to retain the last two months’ rent as compensation.
“We will continue to advise the Welsh Government on the positive impact boosting the supply of homes to rent will have on reducing costs for tenants.”
