Current Property News: NLA Chairman fights back, but legislation is still needed!

By Steve Roulstone

I was busy doing those Saturday morning chores this weekend, when I report on BBC Breakfast caught my attention. What I then heard was the BBC once again doing what they do best, trying to put a negative slant on a housing matter, this time the report was about the standard of rental property nationwide. Answering the main point that a large proportion of rental property in the private sector in the UK is in poor condition, was the Chairman of the National Landlords Association, Mr David Salusbury. Very calmly and with clear comments he put the presenter straight about the standard of the majority of rental property in the Country, to the extent, I thought of reducing the length of the report as I felt the presenter had very little left to pick at once David had made his point with such authority and presence!

Missed opportunity.

Of course what David could not do in any depth, was to get the conversation round to what should have been the made drive of the report, which the BBC report failed to do, namely that legislation recommended by the Rugg review and rejected by the current Government, is what is needed to address the issues that do exist with rogue Landlords.

Councils to look after us.

The Housing Minister Grant Shapps, has stuck to the line that Local Councils have the powers already, but two things struck me from what was stated that really have an effect on what is actually happening on the ground. Firstly and most importantly, Councils may have the powers, but there is no way they have the man power to carry out this role! I remember being advised when the HMO regulations came in, that it would take our Council several years to inspect the property they already knew was due for inspection, before they even got around to investigating the property they did NOT know about! (Therefore the property where real action was needed) because we all know that the property the Council are aware of is that owned by responsible Landlords (probable members of such organisations as the NLA or managed by professional agents!)

Let’s not forget the work carried out so far!

Secondly, what is not mentioned is how the market has improved greatly over the last ten years. I can remember being asked to look at some property in the past where I have wiped my feet on the way out not that long ago! Now Landlords listen to what we agents say, because they know they need to compete in this market and prepare in a way to ensure prospective Tenants want to live in their home, not the opposite.

Let’s catch the rest.

So what needs to happen is recognition that bad Landlords do not operate through professional Agents, we need as a profession, to keep making this blindingly obvious statement until bodies such as the BBC and more importantly the Government, listen to us. This is why the registration is so important, because it would catch everybody who does not operate in this way and if our industry could be self policing, which could be operated through a qualification needed to operate for both Landlords and Agents, then what problems do exist, would be dealt with very quickly.

Conclusion.

 This is why I keep stating the same point again and again! Stop emphasising the bad points, speak about the good, let’s get a balanced opinion of our industry, housing and the need for more and then we just might start to get positive ways forward. And for what it is worth, my way would be a simple qualification that all Landlords and Agents would need to qualify for, run within the industry, by the industry, which, when Landlord or Agent fall foul off, would remove the ability to trade in this way. (on a sliding scale which could include penalties dependent upon the severity of the offence, right up to dismissal from the scheme, removing the ability to Manage property themselves)

This would force bad Landlords to be Managed by professional Agents and would stop any bad Agent from trading at all.

Now, let’s consider what effect this would have on the quality of rental housing stock in the UK?