There is a lot of talk about whether agents should be regulated – but should private landlords also be regulated?
Yes, says industry expert Sarah Rushbrook.
She says that there are too many cases of ‘the blind leading the blind’ – inexperienced agents and novice landlords.
Some landlords are naïve, others are greedy – and many, of course, are excellent.
But why should the many good, responsible landlords fear regulation which could help landlords genuinely unaware of their responsibilities, whilst ousting the rogues?
See her provocative blog.
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Comments
Unfortunately Sarah has a vested interest in wanting private landlords regulated as they'd have to use an agent - such as her.
I have no vested interest, and am all for anything that will improve standards given what I see, as a consultant, in terms of agent ability (or inability) and even more so self-managing agents.
Long as Landlords are regulated and licensed, so that they cannot just blithely carry on if agents are regulated, that's fine by me.
But it would make no sense to regulate agents and not Landlords. You may as well regulate large, well known garage chains but not small local garages for MoTs etc.
And I was so angry I couldn't even spell bureaucracy properly.
PLEASE, NO REGULATION OR LICENSING OF LANDLORDS OR AGENTS!
Not becasue we're crooks but because it wil lnot deliver any real benefits.
If anyone wants me to agree to it, please first show me:
a) Some evidence that the landlord registration scheme in Scotland has significantly improved PRS housing stock or the performance of landlords/agents.
b) That regulation of estate agents has reduced the number of complaints to the ombudsman or improved public perception of the industry.
All it will do is create yet another level of beurocracy filled with paper-pushing, non-jobs in the public sector that someone has to pay for.
Letting Agents are referred to as blind leading the blind and inexperienced - quote; She says that there are too many cases of ‘the blind leading the blind’ – inexperienced agents and novice landlords.
Can you imagine the cost of regulating landlords. Some 2,000,000 properties in the PRS are managed by landlords. Herding cats comes to mind…… any call to regulate landlords will result in letting agent regulation.
Sarah is talking about regulating landlords.
What is it that makes an ‘industry expert’ a ‘regulatory expert’? It has served me well to generally avoid ‘experts’. I much prefer to work with people who do not have all of the answers but are prepared to listen, research and find out.
Regulation is not the answer, other than for large corporate organisations that will use it to force the smaller firms out of business due to increased and unaffordable costs. Since when did regulation add value to any industry? I have asked on this forum several times; can anyone give examples of regulation adding value to any industry. I refer to financial services, banking, utilities, health care and could go on………
Regulation will be great for compliance people, it will be devastating for our 12000 independent firms across the UK, the vast majority of which provide a great service to landlords and tenants.
"Sarah set up Rushbrook and Rathbone in 1988 specialising in property management for corporate and private clients as well as providing a thriving outsourced back office service for letting agents in London and the Home Counties."
I had no idea who she was either, had to look it up.
I don't believe a licence will help much.
....'industry expert' Sarah Rushbrook.......
Who?
I do my best as a landlord, no question about that. What I fear about regulation is that it is yet another, for me, absolutely pointless cost and the start of unproductive work to handle to interfering busy bodies who will run the scheme. I say this because it is very likely that the wonderful people who think licensing is the answer to a maiden's prayer will move on to another cause and leave the usual rabble of administrators, B grade lawyers and so on to run the system.
The lettings market will be better served by some decent legislation which is properly enforced by well trained, probably council, officials. A landlords licence will have about as much use as a dogs licence.