On Thursday 18th July, the Communities and Local Government Select Committee released a report into the Private Rented Sector. Rugby MP Mark Pawsey is one of 11 MPs who sit on the Committee which has called on the Government to ensure that letting agents are regulated in the same way as estate agents. On Thursday Mark spoke in the House of Commons in a debate to announce the launch of the report.
Speaking on the launch, Mark said:
“This report is all about fairness for people looking to rent a home. We heard countless pieces of evidence where potential tenants were charged excessive and secretive fees whilst letting agents were withholding information”.
Mark continued:
“It seems beyond belief, but letting agents are subject to less control than estate agents. Our Select Committee report is recommending to the Government that both agents are put under the same regulation and the Office of Fair Trading is given the power to ban rogue letting agents”.
Mark concluded:
“We are also calling on letting agents to make tenants looking to rent a home aware of fees they intend to charge from the outset. Too often people across the country have to pay fees they were not told about when they first look to rent a home. I know the Government have welcomed our report and I look forward to seeing the measures they will bring out to deal with these problems over the coming months”.