Rent stabilisation measures and London market

October 2, 2015

The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) has  submitted written views to the London Assembly Housing Committee investigation into the impact that rent stabilisation measures would have on London’s housing market.

ARLA has comprehensively replied to a total of 9  questions which can be seen by visiting their website: http://www.arla.co.uk/news/october-2015/arla-respond-to-rent-stabilisation-measures/

Commenting, David Cox, Managing Director of ARLA, reportedly said: “Fundamentally ARLA is not in favour of introducing rent stabilisation measures in London.  In March we surveyed our members and nearly three quarters of them said that rent control, longer tenancies and less freedom to evict tenants will not benefit tenants in reality.

“We’ve looked at Germany which is often viewed as one of the best examples of rent stabilisation in the world, but there are large costs involved for tenants as most properties are let bare without a kitchen or bathroom. In addition, in Belgium they have longer minimum tenancies lasting between three to five years which simply wouldn’t work in London where the fluidity of people coming and going for short periods is a common occurrence.

“The challenge in London remains to find new, imaginative and additional ways of delivering good homes in safe and friendly neighbourhoods for prices people can afford. We think that the stamp duty raised from London property sales should be kept in London to invest in more housing and we would like to see the London Rental Standard become mandatory across the Private Rented Sector.”

 

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

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