Govt action needed to protect trustworthy letting

News Category: Legal

This article was brought to you by Rentman the premium rent management software.

Property sector officials have called on the government to introduce new regulation that will uphold high standards within the private-rented sector.

Peter Bolton King, chief executive of the National Association of Estate Agents, said the industry has been calling for a new legal system for some time and in their view, it is now time for the government to start listening.

His comments come ahead of the government's pre-budget report, which will be announced by chancellor Alistair Darling on Monday.

Amid the current economic downturn, an increasing number of would-be homebuyers have opted for rented accommodation after being unable to afford a mortgage on a new home.

Mr Bolton King said: "Now is the time for the government to show that they are listening and to create a system that can protect responsible and trustworthy estate agents."

In reaction to the publication of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform's latest consumer confidence survey, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors director of external affairs Gillian Charlesworth called on the government to introduce a "proportionate, but properly effective regulatory regime".

How to stay legally compliant with letting agency software.