The UK Government has committed to banning the sale of new flats on a leasehold basis and reforming the legal framework for commonhold, so it becomes the default and preferred tenure. It will also become easier for existing leaseholders to convert to commonhold, although the complexities of this may take longer to work out. Few agents in England and Wales have experience with commonhold, as less than 20 developments currently exist, so Propertymark has broken down some key parts of the proposals to help members understand the change.

Officers at Portsmouth Council investigated the unnamed business when concerns were raised that a significant number of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) under their management were unlicensed and overcrowded.

The English Private Landlord Survey 2024, published by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), provides a detailed picture of the private rented sector (PRS) in England, capturing the state of play for landlords and tenants alike. This vital report sheds light on the evolving dynamics of a sector that houses nearly one in five households across England with new costs squeezing landlords and increases in diversity noted across age, gender and ethnicity since 2021.

A report, commissioned by the NIHE (Northern Ireland Housing Executive) and supported by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) on letting agent regulation and fees, focuses on developing a new regulatory framework, and spotlights mandatory registration, a fit and proper person test, minimum qualifications, a code of practice and strict enforcement.

Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook MP candidly admitted that the current Act contains flaws requiring further legislative action and has unveiled a series of consultations and measures. He has also committed to strengthening the regulation of managing agents, including as a minimum, mandatory professional qualifications.

With all eyes on the Renters’ Rights Bill, discussion around the regulation of property agents (RoPA) has taken a back seat. However, responding to a question in Parliament, Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook MP stated that reforming the sector included raising professional standards amongst agents to protect consumers and defend the reputation of good agents from the actions of rogue operatives.

Regulation offers the potential to professionalise the industry, stamp out bad practice, create transparency and give consumers more control over who manages their property. Minimum qualification requirements and statutory Code of Practices to be adhered to by all letting and managing agents in England and sales agents across the UK should be introduced.

Jas Athwal, MP, has endured a weekend of backlash after reports revealed his tenants were living in flats containing black mould and an infestation of ants. It was also discovered that Mr Athwal, previously the leader of Redbridge Council who introduced the scheme, had not correctly renewed the selective licences for his properties.

The Chair of the Industry and Regulators Committee in the House of Lords, Baroness Taylor of Bolton, has written to the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), expressing disappointment at the UK Government’s response to findings of the Committee’s inquiry into the need for the regulation of property agents.

A report commissioned by the Labour Party states that the opportunity to live in a secure, affordable and accessible home is out of reach for many people, and this is set to remain the case unless the system is changed significantly. They state that landlords and agents should be registered and accredited, recommend rent stabilisation measures, and support longer term tenancies based on the model of Rent Smart Wales.

The Leader of the House of Commons has confirmed the remaining stages of the Renters (Reform) Bill will take place on Wednesday 24 April 2024 with some key changes to the Bill brought forward. Whilst the UK Government has listened and reacted to some industry concerns, another chance has been wasted to effectively regulate property agents.

The Department for Communities (DfC) is refreshing it's proposals for reform of the Private Rented Sector (PRS) which were first published in 2017. In response to their stakeholder survey, Propertymark has urged the DfC to prioritise increasing housing supply, regulating property agents, and taking a carefully considered approach to energy efficiency targets.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities intends to boost standards in social housing by requiring senior managers and executives to have, or be working towards, a relevant qualification. Propertymark has strongly challenged the decision not to extend this requirement to all property agents in the UK, and questioned why private tenants should not expect the same protections as those in the social sector.

Following a short inquiry, at which Propertymark gave evidence, the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee has bluntly asked the UK Government why it has not yet established a regulator of property agents, four years after it committed to doing so.

Propertymark has long called for the regulation and today, 5 March 2024, gave evidence at a House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee Inquiry which examined whether there should be a new regulator as recommended by the report of the Regulation of Property Agents working group in 2019.

The Devolved Government has been restored after 24 months of no activity. Whilst the Civil Service moved ahead with some actions, there are issues for the housing sector which have been on hold. Ministers must now act to make key improvements to address supply, implement the rest of the Private Tenancies Act, and rule out rent controls to protect the private rented sector.