Welsh Government | Chance for landlords and lettings agents to have their say

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Chance for landlords and lettings agents to have their say

Housing, Regeneration and Housing Minister Huw Lewis has today called on landlords and residential property lettings and management agents, as well as private rented sector tenants, to have their say about proposals for a better private rented sector in Wales.

Friday 06 July 2012

As part of the ongoing consultation on the Welsh Government’s White Paper for Better Lives and Communities that will lead to the Housing Bill in 2013, the Minister has issued a consultation paper about the specific elements that seek to modernise the private rented sector.

Proposals include the mandatory registration and licensing of private landlords, as well as letting and managing agents in the private rented housing sector. The licensing arrangements will also include a compulsory code of conduct for anyone who is involved in the letting and / or management of a residential property.

The Minister said,

"Private rented accommodation is a vital part of housing provision, providing a home for a significant number of people, and helping to prevent homelessness. However, there are issues with the quality of some private rented accommodation, coupled with the unscrupulous practices of a minority of landlords and letting agents that mean that, sometimes, the sector is not seen as a good option.

“Our proposals seek to address these issues and improve the “bottom end” of the sector so that all tenants can enjoy good quality accommodation, and don’t have to suffer the practices currently employed by the rogue minority.

“There are many very good landlords and lettings agents in Wales and we hope that they will welcome these proposals, as, in the main, they are already working to the standards we expect. By taking action to bring everyone else up to the same standard we will create a level playing field across the whole private rented sector. I would therefore urge anyone involved in the letting, management or rental of residential properties in Wales to have their say on our proposals.”