Rental sector group issues 21 demands for a ‘Tenant-Landlord Partnership’
The rental market has long been a source of debate and concern, with issues ranging from tenant protections to landlord responsibilities. Recently, iHowz, a prominent group in the rental sector, has presented a bold vision for reform through their briefing paper, advocating for what they term a “Tenant Landlord Partnership Bill.” This proposed overhaul aims to address existing inefficiencies and create a more balanced, transparent, and fair rental system. Here’s an in-depth look at the key proposals outlined by iHowz:
1. National Standard for All Rental Properties
iHowz calls for the establishment of a national standard applicable to all rental properties—whether private, social, or council-owned. This standard would ensure consistency in property quality, enhancing safety and liveability across the board.
2. Comprehensive Register for Rental Properties
To better monitor the rental market, iHowz proposes a comprehensive register for all rental properties. This register would provide transparency and help track property conditions, ownership, and compliance with regulations.
3. Enhanced training for landlords and tenants
Education plays a crucial role in fostering better relationships between landlords and tenants. iHowz suggests incentivising training programs for both parties to improve understanding and management of rental agreements and responsibilities.
4. Streamlined Eviction Processes
Efficient eviction processes are essential to protect both tenants and landlords. iHowz advocates for streamlining these procedures to balance speed with fairness, ensuring that evictions are handled properly without undue delays.
5. Enhanced tenant protections for no-fault evictions
In cases of no-fault evictions, iHowz proposes enhanced protections for tenants. This includes a new ground under Section 8, where tenants facing no-fault evictions would receive two months’ rent free as compensation.
6. Digitisation of the Court System
The digitisation of court systems is suggested to improve efficiency and accessibility. This move would streamline the resolution of disputes and reduce the burden on traditional court procedures.
7. Business Status for Landlords
Howz proposes allowing landlords to operate under a business status, potentially simplifying tax and legal obligations while providing a clearer structure for property management.
8. Fair Taxation for Landlords
Addressing taxation, iHowz calls for a fairer tax system for landlords. This includes reviewing current tax policies to ensure they are equitable and supportive of the rental market’s needs.
9. Tax Relief for Housing Homeless People
To encourage landlords to support social causes, iHowz suggests introducing tax relief for those who house homeless individuals, making it financially viable for landlords to contribute to solving homelessness.
10. Link Between Local Housing Allowance and CPIH
Reinstating the link between the Local Housing Allowance and the Consumer Prices Index Housing (CPIH) is proposed to ensure that housing benefits keep pace with inflation and rental costs.
11. Building Genuinely Affordable Housing
A key component of iHowz’s proposals is the push for genuinely affordable housing. This would involve increased investment in housing projects that are truly accessible to those in need.
12. Access to Rogue Landlord Registers
To tackle problematic landlords, iHowz suggests creating accessible registers that identify and track rogue landlords, enhancing transparency and accountability in the rental market.
13. Tenant Exchange Register
Similar to council house exchanges, a tenant exchange register would facilitate tenant mobility, allowing renters to easily find and swap with other tenants.
14. Written Agreements for All Tenancies
iHowz advocates for the requirement that all tenant agreements be in writing. This would help ensure clarity and protect both parties by formalising the terms of their rental arrangement.
15. Awaab’s Law
In line with Awaab’s Law, iHowz proposes that tenants take responsibility for using facilities correctly. This law would reinforce the importance of proper maintenance and usage of rental property amenities.
16. Publication of Updates on Housing Standards
iHowz calls for the regular publication of updates on critical housing standards, including HHSRS (Housing, Health, and Safety Rating System), EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) methodology, and MEES (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard).
17. Licenses and Registration
Rather than implementing broad licensing requirements, iHowz suggests that introducing the Decent Home Standard and property registration could make licensing unnecessary.
18. No-Fault Eviction Compensation
For no-fault evictions, iHowz proposes that tenants should be compensated with two months’ rent free. This new ground under Section 8 aims to balance eviction rights with tenant security.
19. Section 13 Notice for Rent Increases
The proposal includes using the Section 13 notice for rent increases, which would provide a clear, structured method for notifying tenants of changes in rent.
20. Phased Resources for the First Tier Tribunal
To avoid bottlenecks, iHowz suggests increasing resources for the First Tier Tribunal, ensuring that disputes are resolved in a timely manner without overburdening the system.
21. Retain Fixed-Term Tenancies
Finally, iHowz supports retaining fixed-term tenants to provide both landlords and tenants with greater stability and clarity regarding rental agreements.
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