NRLA gives evidence to Senedd
Our Head of Regional Business, Steven Bletsoe gave evidence to the Senedd housing committee last week in a session focussing on how the nation’s 23,000 long term empty homes can be brought back into use. Mia Sowerbutts from our policy and public affairs team explains more.
‘More carrots for good landlords and more sticks for bad ones’, was the overarching message from our head of regional business Steve Bletsoe, giving evidence to the Senedd’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee this month.
After submitting written evidence to the committee on the issue of empty homes, the evidence session, including stakeholders from across the housing sector, looked at what can be done to bring these homes back into use.
Steve told the committee the Welsh PRS is in crisis, losing 4,000 rented homes during the last Senedd as landlords lost confidence in the sector and sold off properties.
Confidence also fell to the lowest on record post-election, a situation set to be exacerbated by additional legislative burdens planned by the Welsh Government, including rumours of rent controls – and moves to follow England by removing the ‘no fault’ eviction.
Steve told the committee that if it wants to reverse this trend and see proactive work to bring properties back into use it needs to provide positive incentives for landlords to do so.
Steve drove this point home and emphasised that if the Committee wants to help tackle the issue of empty properties, it needs to provide landlords with the confidence to continue to invest in bringing these properties into use - including financial incentives.
What we want to see
Steve outlined our key calls of the Welsh Government, including:
- The need for a dedicated Welsh Housing Survey: A Welsh Housing Survey is vital if the Government is to develop evidence-based policy. Steve argued council tax records are not enough to ensure that the minority of criminal landlords operating under the radar are held to account, and that responsible, registered landlords should not be penalised.
- Clarity on the Leasing Scheme Wales: Steve highlighted the role this scheme – set to end in the new year – played in bringing empty properties back into use, with the Welsh Government’s own evaluation showing over 300 of around 440 properties on the scheme, previously being classed as long-term empty. With many of landlords registered with the scheme, signing contracts of up to 20 years with their local authority, Steve called for clarity from the Government on what happens next.
- Properly resourced local authorities: This is essential when it comes to enforcing standards in the sector and ensuring that good landlord are not undercut by bad ones. Too often, new legislation is brought in to tackle issues in the PRS, however simply enforcing current standards effectively against bad landlords could significantly improve the sector without the need for new laws.
We will continue working in Wales to ensure your voices are represented in policy discussions and will be updating you should any major changes occur.
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