Date set for evaluation of fee ban

It was announced during a debate in the House of Lords this morning (Thursday, 19th January) that a consolation on the ban on lettings agent’s fees will be held in March/April.

Baroness Grender, who was responsible for the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Bill, put forward a question asking what steps were being taken to implement the planned ban which was announced in the Autumn Statement.

The response revealed that ‘the Government is committed to introducing legislation as soon as possible to implement the ban on letting agent’s fees for tenants, and we will consult in March/April on the details of the ban, and will consider views of property agents, landlords, tenants and other stakeholders before introducing legislation.’

Impact assessments are due to follow the consultation, and will support the detail of banning fees to tenants.

It is understood that Government officials have spent time in Scotland recently in order to learn lessons from how the banning of agency fees has impacted the lettings industry there.

ARLA has also been gathering evidence from members, and preparing an impact assessment on the work carried out by letting agents and how a ban could possibly affect the service that they can provide to landlords and tenants.