The Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC) has called for amendments to the Housing and Planning Bill, to address the issue of problem tenants.
With the ‘Bill already including features to tackle rogue landlords and letting agents, the AIIC is now calling for measures aimed at rooting out rogue tenants to be included.
Alterations
Proposals already existing in the Bill include those to both ban and fine criminal landlords and letting agents. What’s more, there are also proposals to introduce rent repayments orders and create a database of blacklisted agents and landlords.
It has been mooted than this blacklist will be created and maintained by local authorities, with them also having to apply for offenders to be included on this register.
Currently at the report stage, the Bill will have to pass through a third reading and consideration of amendments before finally reaching Royal Assent and becoming law.
Put rogue tenant list in Housing and Planning Bill-AIIC
Work to be done
Despite welcoming the measures aimed at rooting out so called rogue landlords, the AIIC said there is much more to be done to underline the problem of rogue tenants.
Patricia Barber, chair of the AIIC, stated, ‘we’re well aware that there are criminal landlords and letting agents out there and blacklisting them and banning them from letting property is a necessary step. That said, the measures in the Housing Bill are very one-sided and suggest that it is only landlords and agents that cause problems during tenancies. We know from experience that this is not true and I personally have come across many horror stories in my time where tenants have trashed a landlord’s property or refused to pay rent for long periods of time.’[1]
‘It would only be fair if troublesome tenants who repeatedly offend could be blacklisted in the same way as landlords or agents. The threat of being blacklisted or a fine would hopefully discourage a minority of tenants from misbehaving and help to improve the relationship between landlords, agents and tenants.’[1]
[1] https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2016/4/housing-bill-should-also-include-rogue-tenants-list-says-aiic