Are landlords being underestimated?

On the eve of the first phase of the Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) coming in, I joined a panel of experts to discuss the changes faced by landlords. On the panel with me were Ben Beadle, CEO of NRLA and Jessica Leader, Co-Founder of SureStay Group.

Getting ready for the Renters’ Rights Act

Lots of our time was focused on what landlords need to do now, how they will operate differently, what opportunities are presenting themselves, and what “good” looks like under the new legislation. All very important topics and areas the Good Landlord Charter has covered in our Get Renters’ Rights Act Ready blog.

But we closed on one question which has stuck with me because I don’t see many people sharing my answer – “What do you think a lot of people in the sector are still underestimating right now?”

The headlines around the Renters' Rights Act

The news cycle, podcasts, webinars, forums and panels like last night aren’t underestimating a lot. The sector is aware of the court digitalisation that will be required to speed up the process and the additional resources that will be required. We were pleased to see the additional funds allocated to local authorities for the enforcement of the Renters' Rights Act after lobbying from NRLA and TDS.

This is significant as new laws are as strong as their enforcement. Just as tenants are only empowered if they know their rights. My colleagues in the sector all recognise and campaign for the government to meaningfully support the reforms coming our way, and we are ready for what comes next.

I don’t think we’re underestimating the potential challenges for tenants and landlords. Our political climate at home and abroad is driving up costs in nearly every corner of everyday life. Rents, energy, and other household bills are not excluded from this. The sector is aware of the risks, and various services are already preparing to support people facing these challenges.

What are we underestimating?

So, what are we underestimating? What are people getting wrong about RRA?

Landlords.

I think the sector is underestimating the resilience and adaptability of landlords, and I think that’s exactly what we’ll see throughout the phases of the Renters’ Rights Act. The legislation will make it more difficult for those on the edges of compliance to operate. Research from TDS Charitable Foundation cites ‘increases in regulation’ as a growing reason for landlords leaving the market. But it’s thought these properties are being bought by professional operators, increasing their portfolios.

Good landlords and the Charter

At the Good Landlord Charter, we are deeply aware of how landlords are underestimated. I point to our Supporter Spotlight series. This is a regular blog where we highlight the landlords already going above and beyond to improve rental standards. You’ll see stories of landlords adapting to legislation and exceeding standards that span decades. This isn’t anything new for the sector and shouldn’t be seen as scary. But with the changes comes an increased need for landlords to access support and training to professionalise the industry.

We’re coming up to the first anniversary of our launch. In a short amount of time, I’ve met landlords who have:

• been invited to their tenant’s wedding

• acquired a property with tenants in situ and then renovated the property to the tenant’s specifications

• acquired a property specifically to meet the needs of a growing family

• understood that life can change, and breathing space and repayment plans can prevent homelessness

Then there are the countless conversations I’ve shared with landlords where it was clear the landlord understood the responsibility of providing a home and spoke with dignity and respect for the household.

But with anything new, any change, anxieties and worries will rise. We expect to see that, and that’s what the Charter is here for. For some landlords who already go beyond legal minimums in practice, we have supported them to document what they are doing more routinely and to communicate this with tenants. For some landlords, we’ve worked with them to understand the benefits of providing a high-level service to tenants.

We hold monthly Moving to Membership workshops where we explore the Charter membership criteria, how this relates to the Renters' Rights Act and how landlords can be prepared.

The Good Landlord Charter is a GMCA-funded scheme, meaning landlords can register for free to access the Charter’s benefits. We provide training, support, guidance and advice to help landlords go beyond their legal minimum requirements.

Join today to access the benefits available for raising rental standards.

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