The government has stepped in to clear up misunderstandings emerging from the Housing White Paper following its high profile call for longer tenancies in the private rental sector. 

Housing minister Gavin Barwell has now told industry publication Inside Housing that government calls for longer tenancies – made in the White Paper and on TV and press appearances by ministers prior to the release of the document – that the longer tenancies will result from agreements with housing associations, local authorities and institutional investors developing homes in the Build To Rent sector, and would not apply to buy to let investors. 

“My hope is that when you get those players coming in, that will disrupt the market and will encourage other landlords to do so as well” Barwell has told Inside Housing.

“I think if you tried to force people to do it at the opposite end of the market [buy to let] I think history is very clear about what happened when you have rent controls – I don’t think that would be a good idea.”

A broad commitment to longer tenancies was included in one of 29 measures outlined in the White Paper on Tuesday.