The government’s Housing Strategy document released this week makes 3 points about the private rental sector:

1) It says that “The Government is committed to supporting growth and innovation by avoiding unnecessary regulatory burdens on landlords.” The strategy document cites English Housing Survey figures showing that 85% of private tenants are very or fairly satisfied with their landlord, compared with an 81% satisfaction rate for social housing tenants.

It also wants councils to make fuller use of existing powers to tackle dangerous and poorly maintained homes. The type of Selective Licensing the council are proposing introducing in Southend would be one of these "existing powers" - although Southend council are claiming it will resolve anti-social behaviour problems in these areas.

2) It unveils proposals to make it easier for landlords to evict tenants who have rioted or committed other crimes out of the locality of their homes so that “landlords can seek to evict tenants, to include where they or members of their household have been convicted of the sort of criminality see in the recent rioting, wherever that took place.”.

We think it unlikely that such powers would ever be economical to use and would still recommend keeping tenancy lengths short until you get to know your tenant.

3) They will be reviewing institutional investment in the private rented sector which could result in more “build to rent” schemes. We look forward to this review.