Baroness Taylor says Labour is determined to regulate industry based on Lord Best's recommendations where previous Tory housing ministers failed to take action.
7th Apr 20260 651 1 minute read Nigel Lewis
Letting agents have been warned they face extra regulation when the Government’s latest plans to oversee the sector are revealed ‘later this year’, Housing Minister Baroness Taylor has told Parliament.
Taylor represents the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in the Lords and has made the comments in response to Lord Truscott, who is a landlord, after he asked when Labour’s much-vaunted plans to regulate lettings and managing agents will be implemented.
In response, Taylor said the Government is “committed to ensuring that those living in the rented and leasehold sectors are protected from abuse and poor service at the hands of unscrupulous property agents”.
She then took a pop at previous Conservative governments, who she said had ignored Lord Best’s well-publicised 2019 recommendations on letting agent regulation which included minimum levels of qualifications, licensing for all firms, a new industry regulator and a tough new code of practice.
But she made it clear that Labour is less interested in cleaning up the sector, and more focussed on appearing to take action against bad managing agents following the Grenfell tragedy.
We are looking again at Lord Best’s report.”
“We are looking again at Lord Best’s report on regulating the property agent sector, particularly in light of the recommendations in the final Grenfell Inquiry report,” she said.
But despite a recent consultation on the issues last year, and promised ‘next steps’ later this year, immediate action is some way off, Taylor conceded.
A further consultation on minimum qualifications is also promised, which will take time to complete and digest, and Taylor said ‘potential legislation in respect of this issue’ will depend on the outcome, despite Lord Best and Propertymark having said they back a Level 3 Certificate as a good starting point.
TagsBaroness Taylor Regulation of Property Agents (RoPA) 7th Apr 20260 651 1 minute read Nigel Lewis Share Facebook X LinkedIn Share via Email