A landlords options with their rental property might be reducing…
October 22, 2014
Labour, if they come to power, have confirmed once again they intend to suggest reforms to the lettings industry.
This is despite massive disapproval from the lettings industry – the experts you would have thought.
Although far from perfect, it isn’t as bad as people seem to think. But in an environment where 40% of lettings agents are not regulated, and therefore the public run the risk of being let down, financially, legally and morally, would that not be the focus? You’d have hoped so.
But no, the plan is thus;
1. Three-year tenancy agreements beginning with a six-month probationary period allowing landlords to evict a tenant if they are in breach of their contract. This would then be followed by a two-and-a half-year term in which tenants would be able, as they are now, to terminate contracts after the first six months with one month’s notice.
2. A ban on what Miliband calls “excessive rental increases”. Labour says it will be guided by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, which is examining options for a new rent benchmark. This could be linked to average rent rises or inflation or a combination of the two.
3. A ban on letting agents charging tenants fees for low level services, such as simply signing a tenancy agreement. They will instead have to ask landlords for fees.
Completely unworkable, unmanageable, and unnecessary.
Why do they bother, are there not more pressing needs, in lettings/estate agency and elsewhere?
You May Also Enjoy
Rent and run? Agents warn of new ‘Stopover Tenant’ epidemic
Nearly 1 in 3 letting agents report tenants walking away from 6–12 month tenancies – some after just a few months Experts warn rental reforms are fueling relocation-style, short-term renting Almost half of agents now advising landlords on how to manage early exits A new trend is sweeping the rental market and it’s leaving landlords…
Read More 
Breaking Property News 11/09/25
Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X. A ‘workplace companion that’s not just about managing buildings’ Smart Spaces has launched Space Agent, its new agentic AI-driven workplace concierge designed to transform how people manage and engage with buildings and their workplaces. Space Agent – introduced through its friendly persona, Max – is fully…
Read More 
Where can you still buy a home for under £150k?
Zoopla reveals Great Britain’s property bargain hotspots Just 12 per cent of all homes for sale across Great Britain are priced under £150,000 making location key for home buyers looking for a bargain In the North East, a remarkable 41 per cent of all homes for sale fall within this price range, followed by Scotland…
Read More 
Landlord repossessions soar as Renters’ Rights Bill looms
Landlord repossessions soar as Renters’ Rights Bill looms, with some areas seeing increase of over 2,500% The latest analysis from Dwelly, one of the UK’s leading lettings acquisition and success planning experts, shows that landlord repossessions have increased by 6.8% across England and Wales. However, in some areas of the country they have soared by…
Read More 
These are Britain’s most active housing markets
New research from The Property DriveBuy reveals that the busiest homebuying postcodes in Britain right now are found in Croydon, Buckinghamshire and Waltham Forest, however, for those hopeful homebuyers facing tough competition, shifting to a neighbouring postcode could see them secure a property. The Property DriveBuy analysed latest housing market data to discover which of…
Read More 
Downsizers can bag 2 for 1 on property purchases
The latest research from over-50s property specialists, Regency Living, reveals that downsizing retirees could own two homes for the price of one, combining a comfortable home in England with a sunny escape in Europe. According to Regency Living’s latest analysis, retirees who sell a traditional bricks and mortar house and purchase a park home can…
Read More