Hundreds welcomed to NRLA national conference
Property professionals from across the UK were in Liverpool this week for the NRLA’s UK Housing Conference – just over a week after the Renters’ Right Act became law.
The new legislation, marking the biggest changes to renting homes in almost 40 years, was front and centre at Wednesday’s event, with Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, the MHCLG Minister responsible for steering the Renters' Rights Act through the House of Lords, addressing delegates and thanking us for our ‘vital role’ in shaping the Act.
Describing the passing of the new legislation as a ‘crucial moment’ for the sector, she recognised the vast majority of you are provide good quality homes and services for your tenants, offering assurances you have ‘nothing to fear’ from reforms.
Getting ahead of the game
Presented by award-winning business journalist Steph McGovern, the annual event welcomed more than 900 delegates, all keen to get ahead of the game and hear more about the new Act, along with other changes currently in the pipeline.
TV property guru and veteran developer Sarah Beeny joined our chief executive Ben Beadle for a one-on-one chat, reflecting on the challenges being faced by landlords, against a backdrop of widespread legislative change.
Of course, reform is not just limited to the impact of the new Renters’ Rights Act, with proposed changes to minimum energy efficiency standards also looming on the horizon, potentially impacting 2.5 million homes across England and Wales – another key talking point.
New for this year, our programme of breakout sessions on everything from tax and finance to pets and proptech, were hugely popular, offering a bespoke experience for delegates keen to find out more about specific aspects of letting.
Our sold-out exhibition hall, offering a range of innovative products and services to support landlords with everything from mortgages and insurance to fixtures and fittings, was also packed out.
Commitment
Closing the event our chief executive Ben Beadle reflected on the past year and looked forward to 2026, stressing it is those of you who engage and prepare early for the new system that will be most likely to succeed under the new regime.
He also reiterated his commitment to working with the Government to ensure landlords have time to make the necessary changes ahead of commencement, telling delegates: “Alongside being your voice to policy makers, the NRLA has got your back.
“In an increasingly complex environment in which even some MPs have struggled to work out what they need to do, we’ll ensure you know as quickly as possible what you need to do and when.”
Speaking after the conference – our fourth annual event – he said that, while there are challenges up ahead, the overall atmosphere in the auditorium was one of optimism.
He said: “Our conference has proven, once again, to be the highlight of the property year. It was a pleasure to meet with so many of you at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool.
“While we are facing a raft of legislative change the vast majority of you were feeling positive about the future, and committed to getting educated on everything you need to do to comply with the new rules.
“We were delighted to hear Baroness Taylor acknowledge our hard work in ensuring the Renters’ Rights Act works for landlords and tenants alike.
“Most of all, the event was a reminder of why we do what we do — to ensure the rental market works efficiently for responsible landlords and tenants.
“I would like to say a huge thank you to all of you who came along and urge you to keep an eye on our events pages for all the latest dates for our regional NRLA Connect programme.”
