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Generation Rent needs lessons in lettings – not new laws

Britain’s 3.8m private renters need better education not new laws to protect them from rogue landlords and letting agents – that’s the view of one North East property expert.

Ajay Jagota of South Tyneside-based KIS Lettings is calling on the government to work with landlords and lettings agents to develop workshops in schools and colleges designed to make sure first-time renters have the skills they need to be good tenants and enjoy good tenancies – instead of making “kneejerk rule changes”.

Housing Minister Mark Prisk has recently promised new legislation aimed at raising standards in the private rented sector, while the Labour Party has this week pledged mandatory regulation of the lettings market aimed at tackling what Shadow Housing Minister Jack Dromey has called, “rip of fees and a lack of transparency”.

The Liberal Democrats are also expected to include a commitment to regulate the industry in their 2015 General Election Manifesto.

Ajay, whose company manages properties for over 700 landlords from branches in Sunderland, South Shields, North Shields and Welwyn Garden City is not convinced new laws are the answer.

He said: “No-one wants to see renters ripped off, but we have to remember that over 50 Acts of Parliament already exist governing the relationship between landlords, letting agents and tenants. The problem is not a lack of laws, but a lack of enforcement.

“Part of that problem is people leaving their family home with almost no idea what their rights and responsibilities are as renters – and what means of redress they have when things go wrong.

“If the UK is going to meet its growing need for housing the last thing it needs to do is burden the lettings market with kneejerk rule changes. It’s clear there is an emerging cross-party consensus that new regulation is required and as I’ve said before we as an industry have to get out house in order before it is put into order for us.

“If we offer to work with the government to make sure first time renters have the knowledge they need to be better tenants and enjoy better tenancies it would be a clear sign that we are a responsible industry which takes its obligations seriously.

“There are things wrong in the world of renting, but action like this would demonstrate that the industry wants to be part of the solution, not written off as the problem.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ajay Jagota .