SOCIAL Care Minister Chris Robertshaw admitted he is ‘surprised’ by the level of concerns shown by landlords against a bill that proposed to drive up standards in rented accommodation.
The Landlord and Tenants (Private Housing) Bill 2013 will make it illegal to operate as a landlord unless they are registered and meet a set of minimum standards.
A voluntary Landlord Registration Scheme was launched in February as a pilot for a scheme that will become mandatory under the new legislation.
There are three week left before the consultation on the Bill closes on Friday May 3.
Mr Robertshaw said he had been invited to speak at a meeting at the Savoy attended by some 60 to 70 landlords and a new landlords’ association had been set up.
He said: ‘I am somewhat surprised by the level of concern.
‘But I’m convinced once people understand the motivation and intentions behind the bill, more landlords will like it.
‘They have something of a fear that this was somehow going to be intrusive, oppressive and bureaucratic. It’s going to be none of those things.’
In 2001 there were about 7,000 private rented properties, making up about 14 per cent of the island’s housing stock but by 2007/08 that figure had grown to 17 per cent.
Social Care bosses say four per cent of those properties are unfit for human habitation and 10 per cent are considered to be in a state of serious disrepair.
Some landlords have expressed concerned that the bill puts all the onus on them to improve standards – but does nothing to tackle the issue of problem tenants.
Mr Robertshaw insisted these were two different issues – but he said he welcome the landlords’ association lobbying him to bring forward new legislation in this area.
