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Government explains why lettings fee ban is still 15 months away
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Original Source: Letting Agent Today.
Original Author: Graham Norwood.
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The government has explained why the ban on letting agents’ fees on tenants will not be implemented until spring 2019 – because it will take a substantial period for the legislation to get through parliament.
Yesterday the National Approved Lettings Scheme revealed that it had tried to get to the bottom of when the long-awaited ban was going to start; it asked the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government for a start date, and was told it would not be before spring 2019.
Now the ministry has explained directly to Letting Agent Today that the all-party Communities and Local Government Select Committee of MPs is carrying out pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Tenant Fees Bill – the legislation containing the ban.
The ministry told us that it expects the ban to come into force after spring next year – 15 months or so from now – one the proposals have been fully scrutinised by Parliament and stakeholders.
A MHCLG spokesman told us: “This government is determined to make sure the housing market works for everyone. That’s why we’re delivering on our promise to ban tenant fees, alongside other measures, to make renting fairer and increase protection for people in the private rented sector.
“We announced our Tenant Fees Bill, which has been first published in draft so it can be fully scrutinised by everyone affected. As confirmed in our written evidence to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee, we expect the ban to come into force after spring 2019.”
