Labour is likely to make rental sector reform and regulation a priority - at least partly because it will be low-cost and relatively quick to achieve.
That’s the view of political expert Simon Darby, from communications company PLMR, who was speaking at an election webinar for agents hosted by PropTech giant Reapit|PayProp.
Darby said: “Looking at the polls it seems likely that we’re looking at a Labour government with either a reasonable majority, or a very big majority. If they do come into post, they’ll be looking at reform and regulation because these are things that can be done that don’t cost the government an enormous amount of money. Tweaks to markets become quite powerful in that environment because they don’t cost billions and can be enacted relatively quickly.
“A government that comes in after 14 years in opposition wants to make headway, and that puts the housing market generally, and the private rented sector in particular, under the spotlight.”
Darby also addressed the claims that a Labour government would abolish Section 21 evictions on Sir Keir Starmer’s first day in office
“The government will still have to go through the entire process. Measures may be in the King’s Speech – there will have to be a period of consultation because it’s a new Bill and then it will have to go through Parliament again. It’s probably going to take a year, perhaps two years, potentially.”
Labour’s proposals to build 1.5 million homes and reform planning laws also can’t happen overnight, as Darby explained.
“This is not the first time that we’ve gone into a general election with something of an arms race on numbers in terms of the level of housing. To achieve the numbers being talked about, the government will need to get planning reforms right, to make it significantly easier to build. Equally, lots of factors remain outside the control of central government when it comes to delivery.”
Labour is committed to growth and sees the planning system as a hindrance to development, adds Darby, commenting: “I would see that area as being one where they are genuinely quite keen to have a fight and have real reform to try and make it easier to push these things through. Where the last government struggled because of grass-roots push-back or concerns from local government, Labour will find it slightly easier because they are willing to have the fight.
“But I can’t see those numbers stacking up without reforming the system and bringing back mandatory targets.”
Meanwhile Darby’s co-host of the webinar is urging agents to lobby their new MPs after tomorrow’s election, whatever the colour of the new government.
Politicians will be in ‘listening mode’ and property professionals will need to make themselves heard just as they did when they lobbied MPs to make changes to the Conservative’s Renters Reform Bill, suggests Neil Cobbold, commercial director of Reapit|PayProp.
You can watch the recording of the webinar in full here.
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Starmer has nothing to do with left politics. He is a copy of Tories' marmalade, with a different label. He can only continue the disasters they have made.....
Ian - The left of the Party will make sure we won’t be allowed to gain vacant possession in order to sell. We will be stuck with sitting tenants.
I agree they will work quickly to dismantle what remains of the PRS and trap us with nightmare tenants 😱
The conservatives have beaten all landlords half to death, the Lanour party will finish us off. Just wondering who they will blame when there are no PRS landlords left?
Obviously they wont accept the fact they drove us out.
It will be the fault of greedy landlords selling up to cash in on the increased value of property
Well, if they ‘lock us in’ with ‘emergency eviction bans’ rent caps and extortionate CGT rises, they will have a captive supply of comparatively cheap rental housing.
I think they will move to make exiting the sector all but impossible.
I have two questions: What will Labour do to the PRS & how quickly? I guess we'll find out soon!
Can’t see the Corporates standing for it!
The rules will not apply to corporates, just as some laws don’t apply to social housing.
As said… they will have a “ get out of jail free card”.
Well it wasn't on their list of priorities last week, so let's hope they stick with what they have said they will do.
"Unlike other parties, Labour’s manifesto did not promise to introduce any new housing legislation in the first 100 days. However, here are all the pledges that will affect letting agents and landlords:
Abolish Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions
Extending ‘Awaab’s Law’ to the private rental sector
Introduce a Warm homes plan, and create minimum energy efficiency standards by 2030
Empower tenants to challenge unreasonable rent increases (although few details have been provided on how they will do this)
Reforming leaseholds by banning new leasehold flats, and ensuring commonhold is the default tenure"
I do not understand the fervor for extending ‘Awaab’s Law’ to the private rental sector when all the cases, like Awaab, have been in the social housing sector.
Angela Rayner appointed deputy prime minister with responsibility for housing.
BAD NEWS for landlords.
Very bad news indeed.
Worse, she will be paid £164k of hard pressed taxpayers money.
AL. Awaab’s law is ridiculous nothing to do with the private rented sector and government making more laws affecting private landlords. Another unsafe Law to attack us, we seen the photos, the film clips and the papers where full of it, the place was a disgrace, so many blacked cooking pots saucepans it is a bit obvious what was going on, was it vented, was there a working extractor, more like a sealed room as I understand it when one room was destroyed move to another. Why wasn’t the Parent prosecuted for negligence especially when a child was at risk but no make another law for PRS that was not involved. No license Required for Social Housing but required for PRS properties that are in much better condition because we need to attract Tenants with quality property, appreciate they are paying guests and expect value for their money unlike many Social Tenants who couldn’t care less, the tax payer picks up the tab. Like the 2 new detached houses that I built in Croydon all them years ago but now occupied by Social housing families from over seas.
OI went by out of curiosity just to see, what a disgrace, over grown, rubbish, driveway forecourt covering moss just like a cows path track up to the door. Sorry I ever Built them I’am the only one that didn’t make money out of them, a Bank Manager bought one and sold it after a couple of years made £100k tax free then the second buyer that bought from him stayed 6/7 years and made £150k again tax free mainly because the way the market changed.
The sad death of Awaab was down to his lazy parents and no one else
If Labour are going to go for Net Zero , It is very likely Private Landlords will face the brunt of the costs.
In order to encourage investment The Government will no doubt bring in lots of regulations to force Landlords to install insulation measures etc that will be ridiculously expensive with little or no regard to the Pay back time.
I have read that in the Northwest only 25% of properties are a Grade C.
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