Welcome to our weekly Newsround, let’s see what has been happening in the housing news this week.

Does renting age you faster?

The Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health has carried out research that they claim the tenants who rent privately age twice as fast than homeowners. This is due to the fact that they are renting, falling into arrears, exposure to pollution and moving expectations.

The researchers did further add that the aging can be reversed with the right housing policies in place. They say

Policies to reduce the stress and uncertainty associated with private renting, such as ending ‘no-fault’ (Section 21) evictions, limiting rent increases, and improving conditions (some of which have happened in parts of the UK since these data were collected) may go some way to reducing the negative impacts of private renting.

They call for the Renters Reform Bill to be passed, which they claim will stop landlords from evicting tenants without reason.

Blackpool consults on its largest licensing scheme

Blackpool Council is about to launch a consultation for a selective licensing scheme that would affect more than 11,000 privately rented properties. The current scheme only covers around 2,000 properties which ends in March 2024.

If it is approved, the consultation will begin on 23rd October 2023 for 10 weeks.

A report has identified that they have an increased private rented sector that is of poor quality; one in every three private rentals inspected contains at least one category 1 hazard, such as excessive damp, cold and mould, dangerous electrics and stairs. Councillor Mark Smith, who is a cabinet member for Levelling Up Place says

 We recognise that many landlords provide accommodation far above and beyond the minimum standards required by law in Blackpool but unfortunately, there are many properties that fall below acceptable standards.

We hope that this will be a positive move for responsible landlords, as ensuring more properties are up to these standards should improve the attractiveness of their property and help them to find better tenants.

Labour commits to regulation of estate agents

During Labour’s conference party this week, shadow minister Matthew Pennycook confirmed that they would commit to regulating estate agents following the recommendations of the RoPA report (regulation of Property Agents).  Something Propertymark CEO Nathan Emerson in particular, has been pushing for.

Saying that having qualifications, a statutory code of practice, a fit and proper person test and membership of a professional body should be mandatory. This is in contrast to our current conservative government which just keeps saying that these recommendations are being ‘considered’.

Estate agents are the only body within the home buying and selling industry that are not regulated, and they do not need to be qualified.

Timothy Douglas, head of policy and campaigns at Propertymark, says

The UK Government and policy makers appreciate the need for qualifications for property managers in the social rented sector.

It is now positive to hear Labour acknowledge that regulatory oversight and protections should be extended to all tenants and consumers regardless of the housing tenure they live in.

Landlords warned of new online letting scam

The Property Redress Scheme has highlighted a new letting scam arising where sex workers are targeting private rented properties to carry out their business. The scam arises by the sex worker hiding their true source of income when applying for a tenancy and then operating the property as a brothel.

Obviously, once they have moved in, their activity is quickly noticed by neighbours and reported. This happened to one landlord who then tried to claim compensation from the letting agent for not referencing the tenant correctly. The tenancy excluded any home business working, so the landlord claimed the tenant was in breach of her tenancy agreement along with running an illegal brothel.

Quite often, when referencing a self-employed potential tenant, only their monthly income is revealed and not what type of work they do. Furthermore, it is difficult to pick up this type of work when carrying out inspections as notice has to be given, which gives the tenant enough time to hide the evidence. Thus not giving the agent any ‘red flags’.

The Property Redress Scheme give the following points of advice

• Landlords and letting agents should be more diligent than normal when referencing self-employed tenants with profiles that might suggest they are sex workers.
• Proper referencing should be carried out for each tenant, however, if they have no cause for concern and the agent has done all that is reasonable to verify the tenant, then their duty to their landlord client has been fulfilled.
• Remember that the only clause that applies here is that a tenancy agreement will make it clear running a business of any sort from the property is a breach.

Snippets

Tenancy deposit disputes on the rise as cost of living crisis bites
Warwick latest town to reveal borough-wide big HMO licencing
Council slammed for eviction blunder after ‘own goal’ banning order
Nottingham homelessness crisis won’t change without help, says charity
NRLA urges Government to end LHA freeze
The Big Sell Off – huge number of landlords set to quit

Newsround will be back next week.

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