The Letting Advisory Board, which was set up by property portal Zoopla, has written to the government outlining recommendations to help to raise standards in the private rented sector (PRS).
These build on proposals set out in the new Renters Rights Bill outlined in the King’s Speech.
The group is made up of leading industry figures from estate agencies and the wider private rental market, including Zoopla and the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA).
The board has drawn up recommendations for the new government that would:
*Raise standards by levelling the playing field for those letting and managing rented homes
*Safeguard the quality of private rented accommodation
*Help tenants know the property they are renting is safe
The board believes that training and education and the setting of minimum property standards should be key areas of focus to improve the quality of property available and the experience of renting homes.
The letter is accompanied by a detailed appendix setting out how these proposals could be established and evolve as they are rolled out.
Nicola Thivessen, chair of Zoopla’s Lettings Advisory Board, said:
“We are encouraged to see that improving the PRS remains a core priority of the new government.
“Particularly the introduction of a new database that, with the correct implementation, is an opportunity to create transparency of property safety.
“The board remains keen to see the introduction of mandatory qualifications for those operating in the PRS and we encourage the government to review and prioritise this in future legislation, to ensure a minimum standard of knowledge and support for tenants.”
