Levelling-Up Committee begins Private renters inquiry, Monday 5 September at 4pm

• Watch Parliament TV: Reforming the Private Rented Sector
• Inquiry: Reforming the Private Rented Sector
• Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee

The LUHC Committee will question witnesses from residents, renters and landlords’ groups and also local government representatives.

The cross-party group of MPs will examine the current state of the private rented sector and the Government’s proposals and the likely impact of the Government’s reforms on private rental market.

The evidence session is also likely to examine plans for reform of evictions, tenancies and grounds for possession and also explore issues around proposals to protect tenants from unjustified rent increases.

The Committee’s inquiry will scrutinise the Government’s plans to, among other things: introduce a decent homes standard for the private rented sector; reform the system of tenancies and abolish no-fault evictions; reform the grounds on which landlords can take possession of their properties; and better protect tenants from unfair rent increases. According to the White Paper, nearly 11,000 householders in the private rented sector (in 2019-2020) had to move because the landlord put up their rent.

The inquiry is also likely to explore the Government’s proposals to set up a new ombudsman covering all private landlords, to speed up the court process and to clamp down on landlords who refuse to let to benefit claimants, and the ability of local councils to enforce both existing standards and the proposed new DHS

The full inquiry terms of reference are available here.

Witnesses

Monday 5 September in Committee Room 16, Palace of Westminster

At 4pm

• Ben Beadle, CEO, National Residential Landlords Association
• Theo Plowman, Assistant Director (Real Estate), British Property Federation
• Nikita Quarshie, Policy Officer, Shelter
• The Baroness Kennedy of Cradley, Director, Generation Rent

At 5pm

• Cllr Tom Renhard, Cabinet Member for Housing, Bristol Council
• Cllr Matt Noble, Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Regeneration and Renters, Westminster Council
• Cllr Darren Rodwell, Vice-Chair, Environment, Economy, Housing and Transport Board, Local Government Association
• Elly Shepherd, Strategic Lead - Housing and Planning, London Councils

Further information

• About Parliament: Select committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees

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