MP calls for landlords register
The government should establish and maintain a register of all private landlords in the country, an MP has said.
Phil Wilson of Sedgefield constituency insisted that the rental sector needed to be "professionalised" and landlords needed to be encouraged to maintain their properties.
Increases in buy-to-let properties in recent years have led to more individuals becoming landlords, he explained, with many people not aware of the legal issues surrounding tenancy arrangements.
"Many have little or no experience, knowledge or understanding of their responsibilities or the complex legal framework needed for renting," Mr Wilson said.
"There are many good landlords but the vast majority are amateurs without the skills or where-with-all to do with being a private landlord."
According to the politician, half of private rented homes in the UK are currently failing to meet decent homes standards even though, by 2020, one in three properties in the country will be private lets.
Setting up a register would stop landlords from allowing their homes to fall into disrepair, he claimed.
Local authorities could maintain the register and keep track of how many private rented properties there are in a given area. If the number reaches a certain level, councils could charge additional fees for public services.
Properties that fail to meet basic standards would be struck off and landlords would be required to pay a fine for administration.
"The whole sector needs to be professionalised," Mr Wilson insisted. "The private rented sector is the only sector which is expanding at present. The sector is necessary but also needs to live up to its own responsibilities."
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