Evicted tenants let off final two months’ rent – politicians’ call

There’s been a critical response from the letting agents’ body Propertymark at the latest attack on the viability of the private rental sector.

Welsh Government housing secretary Jayne Bryant says her administration would support the option of allowing tenants to not bothering payment of their final two months’ rent as compensation when facing a so-called ‘no-fault’ eviction.

In Wales the term ‘no fault’ applies to a Section 173 possession notice which enables landlords to evict tenants six months after a tenancy starts.

The trade body says the move is “concerning” and believes it to be unnecessary as the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 already gives tenants with six months’ notice for evictions significantly greater protection than tenants in England who receive a similar Section 21 notice.

Propertymark says introducing extra financial penalties for landlords is counterproductive when they are already experiencing excessive costs from tax hikes, climbing mortgage rates, and repair costs, as it risks hindering the supply of rental homes, and will, therefore, cause rents to increase.

Instead Propertymark wants the Welsh Government to build more affordable housing as a way to ease the overall rental crisis – something advocated by the Welsh Parliament’s Local Government and Housing Committee. Read the full article > Letting Agent Today