Labour MP suggests landlords are now ‘cherry picking’ least risky tenants

Labour appears to be implying that landlords and agents are seeking less risky tenants, after pledging to introduce a new renters’ charter.

Following shadow housing secretary Lisa Nandy’s pledge to end automatic repossessions for rent arrears and increase notice periods in her conference speech, Rachael Maskell MP (pictured) asked the Housing Secretary if he would be making an “assessment of the equity of requirements for prospective tenants to demonstrate a level income to landlords and letting agents that is significantly in excess of the monthly rent required”.

New Housing Minister Andrew Stephenson replied that the government continued to encourage private landlords and letting agents to assess the suitability of potential and existing tenants on an individual basis. 

Fair deal

He added: “A fair deal for renters remains a priority, and I am currently reviewing next steps following the publication of the A Fairer Private Rented Sector white paper and will update Parliament in due course.”

The NRLA’s Ben Beadle has criticised Labour’s announcement for demonising all landlords, while some legal experts have voiced concerns that the Fairer Renting white paper – which includes the scrapping of Section 21 eviction powers, reform to possession grounds, open-ended tenancies, a landlord register and a property portal – tars investors with the same brush, by assuming that they abuse their position.

An NRLA spokesman tells LandlordZONE: “Every tenant should be treated on a case-by-case basis and assessed on their ability to sustain a tenancy.

“With tenants and landlords facing a cost-of-living squeeze, the government needs to do much more to help vulnerable tenants to pay their rent in full and on time.

“This should include unfreezing housing benefit rates and developing pro-growth tax plans to boost the supply of rental properties which remains the biggest factor determining rents.”