Caroline Kavanagh, group lettings director for Badger Holdings, parent company to Townends and Regents Estate Agents, feels that this would be a great big leap in the right direction, commenting, “As a professional agent we have, at times, had to take the decision not to market a property because we felt that it was substandard. By imposing this legislation, landlords would have no choice but to offer a level of quality that tenants should rightly expect or, otherwise, stand to face some serious consequences. However, this said, the system does need to be policed correctly and awareness needs to be widespread so that no landlord can slip through the net.”
However, Paul Shamplina, director of Landlord Action, the National Landlord Association’s recognised supplier in tenant eviction does not agree with the government’s plan to license landlords, commenting, “We believe this is an unnecessary tax the government have brought out to penalise landlords who seem to have become easy targets for them. Naturally, in the last couple of years, landlords have endured more legislation and costs in renting out their properties but, bringing in this form of tax, at this difficult time, may turn landlords away from the buy to let industry.”
What do you think? Let me know as always.
