Lee Grandin, managing director of Landlord Mortgages, said: "The news today that landlords could be obligated to build ramps and lifts for disabled tenants could actually serve to push landlords away from offering disabled accommodation. If you tighten the reins too far, landlords will simply close the door! As www.lettingagent.com has seen a reluctance by landlords to accept tenants in receipt of DSS payments, this new law will do nothing to change their minds.
“The Bill states that landlords would not necessarily be responsible for footing the bill for these changes. If they are not, who is? This needs to be made clear if landlords are to understand the implications of this bill. If the Government wants to find ways of accommodating disabled tenants, it should offer landlords incentives to include these extras, such as additional tax breaks or funding for the renovations they will need to make to their properties.
“We call for clarification on this issue in order to ensure that both landlords and disabled tenants get the best deal.”
