Housing Solicitors

Labour MP Teresa Pearce is calling for more regulation in private sector rental accommodation to prevent unscrupulous private landlords exploiting tenants.

Many rental tenants feel insecure in their rented homes – although Ms Pearce points out that a home is not just bricks and mortar but “security, a place of safety, a sense of belonging”.

Research for Shelter last November found, however, that many families in rented accommodation were living in poor quality housing and were afraid to bring maintenance and repair issues to the attention of their landlord in case they were evicted. The research found some tenants in rented accommodation paid for repairs to their property themselves rather than risk a confrontation with their landlord.

Local councils can help rental tenants take action against private landlords for disrepair – but owner-occupiers whose freeholder fails to carry out repairs under a lease have to finance court action themselves, something which can be prohibitively expensive.

Legal Aid funding for owner-occupier disrepair cases was reformed from 1 April 2013, meaning owner-occupiers are now no longer eligible for Legal Aid to fight disrepair cases.

Theresa Pearce’s fight against unscrupulous landlords in the private rental sector is partly fuelled by the number of families who are now renting rather than buy a home because of escalating property prices across the UK.

In London, the number of families renting homes has increased to one in four families from one in 10 families just 10 years ago. If population growth is taken into account, the increase represents a 119% rise in the number of families renting homes.

Ms Pearce also points out that the rental sector can be unstable, with tenants mainly having leases of between three and six months – increased competition for rental property may mean that private landlords may actually prefer short-term rental leases. Assured shorthold tenancy (AST) agreements offer six months’ protection from eviction – with certain exceptions. After six months, however, landlords are legally allowed to increase rents by any sum at just two months’ notice.

Ms Pearce said that in London poor housing for private rental tenants is leading to an increase in mental health conditions and physical illness as a result of cold and damp homes which may also be overcrowded – while tenants are paying “exorbitant” rents to private landlords.

Ms Pearce is calling for a national landlord accreditation scheme to protect private rental tenants and sift out rogue landlords who charge extortionate rents for poor quality housing and fail to carry out housing repairs.

Ms Pearce is also calling for Local Authorities to assess properties being rented out in the private rental sector – and carry out regular inspections of rented properties in their borough.

Ms Pearce said:

“We must prioritise raising standards across the industry so that children can grow up in decent, stable homes, which will benefit all of us.”

Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of housing solicitors and can advise on:

• Debt
• Disrepair of rental property
• Housing benefit
• Housing possession
• Landlord & Tenant issues
• Local Authority housing
• Mortgage repossession
• Unlawful eviction.

Duncan Lewis is also a leading provider of Legal Aid services.

For expert help with housing law contact Duncan Lewis housing solicitors on 020 7923 4020.