NLA slates proposed tenant feedback website

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by Gill Montia

The National Landlords’ Association (NLA) has declared that recently unveiled government plans for the private-rented sector remain “unworkable”.

The body is commenting on the proposed development of a “Trip Adviser” type website that would allow tenants to post views on rental accommodation and landlords.

The NLA makes its point by saying the website would require such intensive management and scrutiny so as to make it unworkable, adding that with all subjective feedback sites “negative experiences considerably outweigh the positive”.

The Government is also working on the idea of a new housing hotline that could provide free help and advice for private tenants.

In addition, ministers want to introduce a requirement for written tenancy agreements in all tenancies; an increase in the limit for Assured Shorthold Tenancies from £25,000 to £100,000 per year, and full regulation of letting and managing agents.

Finally, the National Register for Landlords is due to come into force later this year and the NLA has restated its view that the register will fail to root out rogue operators by driving the worst landlords “under the radar”.

Chairman, David Salusbury, comments: “Where is the incentive for landlords to develop their housing provision in today’s proposals? And how exactly do these administrative functions actually improve the quality of rental property?”

The NLA’s latest outpouring omits comment on government proposals to limit the spread of high concentrations of Houses in Multiple Occupation in England’s towns and cities.

New measures announced in January by Housing and Planning Minister, John Healey, are aimed at tackling “pockets of unsafe and substandard accommodation run by bad landlords”.