Propertymark says it will continue lobbying government for the implementation of the Regulation of Property Agents – even though the government has ruled this out.

In a statement over the weekend the trade body said: “Propertymark continue to promote the concept that agents must be expected by law to be fully qualified and operate within a framework that brings industry wide levels of protection for consumers.”

Last week the junior levelling up minister Baroness Swinburne told the House of Lords   that there was simply no Parliamentary time available to act on the 50 RoPA recommendations which were first published back in July 2019.

Propertymark has most recently urged the government to insert some elements of the RoPA recommendations into amendments to the controversial Renters Reform Bill, which tomorrow returns to the House of Commons for debate.

However the government has rejected such a move, concentrating instead on amendments strictly about renting.

These amendments are, in summary:

– Accepting a proposal by the cross-party housing select committee that when fixed term tenancy agreements end, “tenants be unable to give two months’ notice to leave until they have been in a property for at least four months”;

– Reviewing the operation of the courts before ending section 21 for existing tenancies to ensure the justice system can cope with the increased workload;

– Ensuring all types of student housing, including one and two bed properties, are covered by the planned ground for possession to protect the annual cycle of the student housing market. This will ensure landlords can guarantee to prospective students that properties will be available to rent from the start of each academic year;

– Reviewing the need for local authority licensing schemes in light of the proposed property portal, an idea contained in the original Renters Reform Bill.

Timothy Douglas, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Propertymark, comments on the Renters Reform legislation: “Throughout the passage of the Bill, Propertymark has worked hard to highlight the importance of retaining fixed-term tenancies and the need for improvements to the court system if the abolition of Section 21 is to work. 

“Whilst these amendments show that Ministers have listened to our concerns there are still areas that need further clarity.

“We are continuing to engage with officials at DLUHC, the Minister and Parliamentarians as the Bill moves to its next stage.”