Demand For Rental Housing At A Five Year High

The demand for private rented housing has reached a five year high according to new research released by the NRLA following the easing of COVID restrictions.  The survey of private landlords across England and Wales found that 39 per cent confirmed that demand for homes to rent had increased in the second quarter of 2021 – an eight per cent increase on the first quarter of the year. This data also reveals that demand has reached a five-year high, with demand only reaching a similar peak in in the first quarter of 2016. Demand has increased largely due to the relaxation of COVID restrictions and a more buoyant economic outlook. Read more on the NRLA website.

https://www.nrla.org.uk/news/demand-for-rental-housing-at-a-five-year-high

Government Must Tackle Rent Debt Crisis

Propertymark, along with other organisations, has called on the Government to complete and publish a full assessment on how its decision to freeze Local Housing Allowance and cut Universal Credit has impacted renters. During the pandemic, the Government took steps to prevent a housing debt crisis – which included the restoration of LHA rates and increasing the UC Personal Allowance. However, the number of private rented households in receipt of UC increased by almost 107 per cent between February 2020 and February 2021. Additionally, the Government confirmed that where households are struggling to make ends meet they have an average £100 per month gap between the housing support received and the rent they must pay. Read more on the NRLA website.

https://www.nrla.org.uk/news/warning-issued-over-impact-of-benefit-cuts-on-renters 

Most Councils Have Not Issued Any Penalties Against Private Landlords

Over half of local authorities in England have not issued any civil penalties against rogue or criminal landlords in the last three years according to a new survey. Since April 2017 councils across England have been able to issue civil penalties of up to £30,000 for a range of housing offences. Income received can be re-invested by local authorities to help finance further enforcement against criminal operators who cause harm to tenants and give private renting a bad name. Despite this, between 2018/19 and 2020/21, only 130 local authorities in England out of 275 replying to the survey (47 per cent) had issued any civil penalties. Read more on the NRLA website.

https://www.nrla.org.uk/news/most-councils-have-not-issued-any-penalties-against-private-landlords 

Private Rents Falling In Real Terms Says New Data

Rents paid by private tenants across the UK are falling in real terms according to official data. The figures from the Office for National Statistics show that private rents rose by 1.2% in the 12 months to June of this year. This increase remains well below all measurements of inflation with the smallest increase, CPI including housing costs, being 2.4 per cent. Private rents grew by 1.1 per cent in England. 1.5 per cent in Wales and 1.2 per cent in Scotland. Read more on the NRLA website.

https://www.nrla.org.uk/news/private-rents-falling-in-real-terms-says-new-data 

Rented Housing Laws "Not Fit For Purpose"

LAWS underpinning the private rented sector are not fit purpose as new research reveals that some date back to the 18^th century. According to the analysis, by the time the forthcoming Building Safety Bill is given royal assent, the number of statutory provisions applying to the sector in England will have risen by 40 per cent over the last decade to 168 pieces of legislation. This includes the Landlord and Tenant Act 1730 and the Distress for Rent Act 1737. The National Residential Landlords Association is warning that far from the private rented sector being under-regulated, the sheer number of laws means councils are unable to enforce them properly. Read more on the NRLA website.

https://www.nrla.org.uk/news/rented-housing-laws-not-fit-for-purpose-argue-landlords

Landlords Made Scapegoats For COVID Rent Debt Crisis

The Chancellor is making landlords the scapegoats for the COVID rent debt crisis as he turns his back on the support the sector needs. A new report published by the National Residential Landlords Association outlines the toll that COVID-19 has taken on the private rented sector. It warns that without financial support to tackle COVID-related rent arrears, the Chancellor is forcing landlords into a corner. They either have to accept continuing to receive no income or resort to repossessing their property with all the consequences this course of action entails for tenants. The NRLA is warning that the goodwill of landlords in the face of mounting rent debts cannot continue without support from the Treasury. Read more on the NRLA website.

https://www.nrla.org.uk/news/landlords-made-scapegoats-for-covid-rent-debt-crisis 

Covid Arrears Leaving Thousands Of Renters Unable To Move Home

Thousands of private renters who have built arrears during the pandemic are struggling to find a new home because of damage to their credit scores, according to a new survey. The research, from the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), found that approximately 210,000 tenants may face severe difficulties in getting landlords to let to them in future. Ahead of emergency restrictions easing in the private rented sector on 1st June, results from the survey show that 7% of renters have built arrears since lockdown began in March 2020. Read more on the Property Reporter website.

https://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/finance/covid-arrears-leaving-thousands-of-renters-unable-to-move-home.html

Government Urged To Step In And Pay Off Escalating Rent Debts

The latest analysis shows that there are an estimated 840,000 private tenants who have built rent arrears since lockdown measures began, with many likely to lose their homes in the long term as a result. A year on from the first ban on the repossession of rented homes, the latest research from the National Residential Landlords Association has revealed that with no action possible against them, these debts are increasing to the point where there is no hope of many being able to afford to pay them back. The outcome will be that most will have to leave their homes as emergency measures taper down from June. Read more on the Property Reporter website.

https://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/landlords/crisis-in-the-prs-government-urged-to-step-in-and-pay-off-escalating-rent-debts.html

Government Fails To Tackle Covid Rent Debt Crisis

The eviction ban in England has been extended for six weeks, in a move described as a ‘sticking plaster’ by landlords. Current restrictions were due to end on 4 January, following a month-long ban on bailiffs serving notices and enforcement in England over the Christmas period, a move which Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said would 'help protect the most vulnerable renters'. The NRLA says the move will do nothing to support landlords and tenants long term and what is needed is a comprehensive financial package, to allow tenants to continue to pay their rent without building unmanageable debt. Read more on the NRLA website.

https://www.nrla.org.uk/news-government-fails-tackle-Covid-rent-debt-crisis

More Than 800,000 Renters In Arrears Due To Covid

Over 800,000 private renters in England and Wales have built rent arrears since lockdown measures began according to estimates.  A survey of tenants for the National Residential Landlords Association suggests that 7 per cent of private renters have built arrears due to Covid. Applied across the sector that would amount to 840,000 tenants. Whilst the average arrears were between £251 and £500, the survey finds that of those in arrears, 18% now have rent debts of more than £1,000. This would equate to over 150,000 renters. The survey finds that younger people and the self-employed are most likely to have been affected. Read more on the NRLA website.

https://www.nrla.org.uk/news/over-eight-hundred-thousand-renters-in-arrears-due-to-covid 

Landlords Publish New Deal For Rented Housing

Private landlords are calling on the government to establish a new landlord and tenant conciliation service as part of its planned changes to the private rented sector. The call, being made by the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), comes as it publishes its proposals for the Renters’ Reform Bill. With the government committed to abolishing section 21, or ‘no fault’ evictions, the NRLA is calling for reforms to the rights of repossession that are fair to both tenants and landlords. The plans outline clear and comprehensive grounds upon which landlords should be able to regain possession of their properties. Read more on the Mortgage Introducer website.

https://www.mortgageintroducer.com/landlords-publish-new-deal-rented-housing/

Landlord Confidence Falls Amidst Covid Pandemic

Almost two thirds of private landlords in England and Wales expect their rental business to be negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic according to new research. The latest survey of just over 2,000 members of the NRLA found that 48 per cent felt they would face a ‘slightly’ negative impact to their business as a result of the pandemic and 18 per cent said they would face a ‘significant’ negative impact. This has caused landlord confidence to fall with 56 per cent saying that they were less, or much less, confident of being able to achieve their goals over the next year compared to three months ago. Read more on the NRLA website.

https://www.nrla.org.uk/news/landlord-confidence-falls-amidst-covid-pandemic

Government Urged To Step In As Almost A Quarter Of Landlords Lose Rent Due To Covid-19

 Newly released data from the National Residential Landlords Association has revealed the scale of the financial impact caused by Covid-19 on private landlords, with 22% saying they have lost rental income as a result of the pandemic. According to the research, 19% of those questioned had lost up to half of their usual rental income as a result of COVID-19. However, 3% had lost more than half. An analysis of the results by the NRLA suggests that among those landlords surveyed saying that they have faced a loss of rent, the average (median) loss was between £751 and £1,000.  Read more on the Property Reporter website.

https://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/landlords/government-urged-to-step-in-as-almost-a-quarter-of-landlords-lose-rent-due-to-covid-19.html

Tenant Survey Dispels Fears Of Eviction Surge

Over 95% of private tenants are paying their rent or have made an arrangement with their landlord to pay less rent or defer payment during the pandemic. Independent polling for the National Residential Landlords Association finds that 87 per cent of private tenants have paid their rent as normal throughout the pandemic. Ahead of the courts beginning to hear possession cases from 24th August, the survey shows that just over three per cent of tenants are building arrears and are unable or unwilling to repay these. Less than a third of all those with arrears have been served with a possession notice. Read more on the NRLA website.

https://www.nrla.org.uk/news/tenant-survey-dispels-fears-of-evictions-surge

Social Landlords Should Buy From ‘Over-Stretched’ Private Landlords

Social landlords should be supported to buy up homes from “overstretched” private landlords, the Affordable Housing Commission (AHC) has said. In an open letter Lord Richard Best, chair of the AHC, called for more investment in social housing to stimulate the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Housing associations and councils should be helped to build more, acquire unsold new builds and “buy from over-stretched buy-to-let landlords exiting the market”, he wrote. The National Residential Landlords Association has claimed that many private landlords will be forced to leave the market in the face of a five-month eviction ban imposed to protect renters during the coronavirus crisis. Read more on Inside Housing.

https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/social-landlords-should-buy-from-over-stretched-private-landlords-says-affordable-housing-commission-66970

Council Branded Irresponsible By Lettings Body For Ignoring Virus Guidance

Coventry council has been branded as irresponsible by a leading trade body for allegedly ignoring government advice on licensing schemes during the Coronavirus crisis.  The National Residential Lettings Agency says that despite guidance from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government - that the introduction of new, non-mandatory licensing schemes should be paused – the council went ahead with a new scheme starting earlier this week. Read more on the Letting Agent Today website.

https://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2020/5/council-branded-irresponsible-by-lettings-body-for-ignoring-virus-guidance

Landlords Slam Citizens Advice Report As Irresponsible

A recent report by Citizens Advice which claimed that as many as 2.6m private renters have missed a rent payment, or expect to do so, owing to coronavirus is potentially a long way wide of the mark and irresponsible, according to the NRLA. The association say that Citizens Advice appears to have extrapolated this figure from just 25 renters who said in a survey that they are behind on their rent because of coronavirus and 74 who say they expect to be behind. This comes from a generalised survey of just 2,016 adults across the whole of the UK. Read more on the Property Reporter website.

https://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/landlords/landlords-slam-citizens-advice-report-as-irresponsible.html