Government scraps plans to tighten regulations on private rented sector
The new Government has scrapped plans to impose tighter regulations on the private rented sector.
The previous Labour administration had intended to implement the proposals put forward in the Rugg review. That would have involved setting up a National Register of Landlords, making written tenancy agreements compulsory and introducing stricter regulation of letting and managing agents.
However, the new Housing Minister Grant Shapps believes that the current regulatory system is sufficient and strikes the right balance between the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants.
Mr Shapps said that rather than introduce new regulations, councils should make sure they use the powers they already have to crack down on the minority of rogue landlords who cause most of the problems.
Local authorities can already force landlords to remove hazards from their properties. If landlords resist, they can prohibit the use of the affected part of the property. They can also choose to make the improvements themselves and pass the cost on to the landlord.
Mr Shapps said: "With the vast majority of
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July 2010
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