I appreciate the difficulties many renters face in dealing with landlords and letting agents. I would like to assure you that action is being taken to help households in the private rented sector by protecting them from rogue landlords, banning unfair fees, and ensuring they have access to longer-term tenancies.

While rogue landlords account for a minority of private rented sector proprietors, I am assured that action has been taken to put rogue landlords on notice. In 2018, a national database of rogue landlords was brought in, with landlords convicted of a range of criminal offences included so that councils can keep a closer eye on those with a poor track record. Landlords convicted of offences may also be given banning orders preventing them from leasing accommodation for a period of time, ranging from 12 months to life.

In recent years, almost £7 million in grant funding has been awarded to local authorities to boost their enforcement work in tackling rogue landlords, fostering innovative approaches and sharing best practice to tackle the minority of landlords who deliberately flout the law. I understand that the Government plans to strengthen local councils’ enforcement powers and introduce a new requirement for councils to report on enforcement activity to help target criminal landlords.

The Renters (Reform) Bill has been introduced to Parliament to help drive up standards in the private rented sector. The legislation will abolish Section 21 'no fault' evictions, move to a simpler tenancy structure and strengthen landlords' possession grounds to ensure they can regain their property where they have a valid cause. Reforms will also see the creation of a Private Rented Property Ombudsman to give landlords and tenants access to fair, impartial, and binding resolutions to many issues in the sector. 

The Tenant Fees Act, which came into force in 2019, reduces costs at the outset for tenants and improves transparency in the private rented sector. The Act abolished letting agent fees for renters and caps tenancy deposits at five weeks’ rent, saving tenants between £25 and £70 per year. 

The Government has also taken steps to improve private renters’ access to longer-term, family-friendly tenancies, publishing a Model Tenancy Agreement which landlords and tenants can use as the basis for longer tenancies.