As part of the Overcoming the Barriers to Longer Tenancies consultation in August 2018, ARLA Propertymark responded with views such as there not being any appetite from tenants for landlords to provide longer initial tenancies. We highlighted that the flexible tenancies enjoyed by the AST regime, and rent prices driven by market forces have led to the success of the private rented sector across the UK. Despite this, landlords and agents want long, well maintained tenancies as they are the most efficient way of generating rented income for landlords and fees for agents but we also believe that the current regime provides for this.
In July 2019, the Government opened its A new deal for renting: resetting the balance of rights and responsibilities between landlords and tenants consultation which seeks views on the reform of AST which is due to close on 12 October. This includes the proposal to abolish Section 21 eviction notices, and therefore, the AST regime as without Section 21ASTs will be indistinguishable from assured tenancies.
The consultation also asks letting agents, tenants and landlords to comment once more on whether a minimum tenancy length should be defined in statute after the previous consultation was deemed inconclusive.
Esther McVey gave a written parliamentary reply on health and well-being for renters:
View our consultation response
Overcoming Barriers to Longer-Term Tenancies
We responded to the Government’s consultation on 'Overcoming the barriers to longer tenancies in the private rented sector' stating that there are no benefits to offering longer initial tenancies because flexible tenancies and rent prices driven by market forces have led to the success of the private rented sector across the UK.