At the start of the year, HM Treasury invited interest groups, individuals and representative bodies to comment on government policy and suggest new policies for inclusion in the upcoming Budget.
There are six key areas that we are focusing on to support our members:
- Provide a financial support package for the private rented sector
- Raise local housing allowance
- Ensure universal credit is adequate and more effective
- Reopen courts to deal with the backlog of housing cases
- Support investment in the private rented sector
- Build more social housing
Financial support for rental market
Propertymark recognises that there has been support from the UK Government for many tenants, but this has not always met the full cost of rent and has not reached all of them. To date there has been no direct financial support for the rental market, with individual landlords unable to access small business grants or bounce back loans.
Our Private Rented Sector Report for September 2020 showed an increase in the number of landlords selling their buy-to-let properties; the figures are the highest we have on record for the month of September.
The survey figures in October also revealed that most letting agents (53 per cent) thought that support from the UK Government in helping with rent arrears and preventing evictions has not been effective, with only 12 per cent thinking it had been very effective.
The nature of the COVID-19 pandemic requires a one-off intervention to address specifically COVID-19 related arrears. This will enable both tenants and landlords to continue the tenancy and support tenants to remain in their homes.
Cross-sector collaboration
We are part of a cross-sector group including NRLA, Shelter, Crisis, Generation Rent, Citizens Advice, Step Change, Nationwide, The Big Issue, Money Advice Trust and Joseph Roundtree Foundation calling for more action and working to find solutions to support renters.
Shaping the profession
We stand up for property agents and ensure their voice is heard. We work with our members to interpret key policy developments, lobby for change and represent their views.
