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Mandatory Registration Scheme for Landlords, Lettings and Management Agents
Monday, May 28, 2012
The Welsh Government has
published its housing White Paper, entitled 'A
White Paper for Better Lives and Communities'. According
to Housing Minister, Huw Lewis AM, the paper "sets out a
bold and ambitious programme of legislative and non-legislative
action to tackle homelessness, to improve conditions in the private
rented sector and to deliver more homes, as well as proposals for
tenancy reform, which will benefit tenants and landlords
alike", and further that "the action set out in
the White Paper aims to tackle issues within housing sector as a
whole, rather than adopting the piecemeal approach that has been
taken in the past, in which traditional social housing has
dominated. While social housing remains a major commitment, a more
comprehensive approach is also outlined."
Proposals set out in the White Paper include:
- Strengthening the strategic role of local authorities to
identify and address local housing needs;
- Tackling the waste and blight of empty properties by giving
local authorities discretionary power to increase council tax on
properties empty for longer than one year;
- Increased focus on tackling empty homes through the national
"Houses into Homes" programme and other programmes;
- Withdrawal from the Housing Revenue Account Subsidy after
concluding negotiations with HM Treasury;
- Effective regional collaboration on housing functions and
services, including the Supporting People programme;
- Improving the conditions for individuals and families who rent
their home from private landlords by improving the practices of
landlords, lettings agents and managing agents. Good private sector
landlords will benefit from these changes as it will not allow bad
practice to continue.
The paper also states that that the Welsh Government
will: "Legislate for a national, mandatory, registration
and accreditation scheme for private landlords, lettings and
management agents based on agreed Codes of Practice, and ensure
every tenant has a written tenancy agreement."
The White Paper is open for
consultation until 17 August 2012. The Welsh
Government then aims to introduce a Bill "in Autumn
2013".