Do landlords really need a new Ombudsman?

Do landlords really need an Ombudsman to regulate them?

The Government announced a new Ombudsman for the PRS in its Renter’s Reform Bill last month.

Whilst there are many great landlords with some amazing rental properties in the UK, it is well documented that tenants do have bad experiences with letting agents, landlords, and the properties they live in.

Things such as leaks, disturbances in the neighbourhood they live in, heating & electricity problems, other maintenance issues not being solved swiftly or at all, tenants being overcharged at the end of their tenancy for minor damages, and landlords not abiding to the laws of when and how they can access their property whilst tenants are living there are all issues that have come to the forefront of the public eye time and time again for years.

With a new Ombudsman being created to regulate the private rented sector, the Government hopes that it can stay on top of any issues such as the above, and maintain a high standard of renting in the UK - for both landlords and tenants.

For example, new minimum standards are being brought in for privately rented properties.

The Decent Homes Standard (DHS) is currently used in social housing schemes only, but will now be more widely applied to all rented properties in the UK, including privately rented ones.

Any landlords found to breach this minimum standard of accommodation can be reported to the Ombudsman, and could face fines of up to £25,000.

The Ombudsman is also being planned to work alongside local councils, so they will know which landlords & properties are compliant and which ones aren’t, giving them the power to take action against landlords and issue a banning order alongside the Ombudsman.

If you are a good landlord who remains up to date with regulations and keeps your properties well maintained, however, you have nothing to worry about.

The Ombudsman has been discussed and outlined as a way to hold bad landlords accountable and ensure they do not become a problem for their tenants and local councils.

If you would like to know more about how these changes could affect you and your properties, or simply make sure you are up to date with all the changes, click below to request a call back with your local letting agent.