Westminster’s renters left unprotected as Mayor’s rental standard flops
A year after the launch of the Mayor’s flagship London Rental Standard only 14,350 of London’s 300,000 private landlords have signed up. However when he launched the voluntary scheme the Mayor said he would have 100,000 landlords signed up by May next year.
London Assembly Member Murad Qureshi AM has warned that “Boris Johnson’s system of voluntary self-regulation is failing private renters in Westminster”. Less than a year before the Mayor said he would hit his target of 100,000 landlords signed up to his minimum standards the latest figures show he is only 14% of the way there with only eight hundred extra landlords signing up in the last year.
In 2012 Boris Johnson pledged that he would sign up 100,000 of London’s private sector landlords to a new London Rental Standard (LRS). The scheme, which was eventually launched on 28th May 2014, sets minimum standards for landlords and amalgamated the various voluntary landlord accreditation schemes in the capital. When the LRS was launched the Mayor reported that there were 13,512 landlords already signed up to the various accreditation schemes. Since then, according to the latest available City Hall figures, only 838 additional landlords have signed up despite an intensive publicity campaign.
Labour London-wide Assembly Member said: “Boris Johnson’s abysmal record on housing is epitomised by the fact that with less than a year to go he has signed up just 14% of the 100,000 landlords he promised by May 2016. This is failing private renters in Westminster.
“We need real change in the private rented sector. Residents in Westminster need the peace of mind and security of longer tenancy agreements, caps on rent increases and an end to no fault evictions. Instead, Boris Johnson’s system of voluntary self-regulation is leaving private renters with little protection from bad landlords.”
ENDS
Notes
Murad Qureshi AM is a Labour London-wide Assembly Member.
The Mayor launched his London Rental Standard on 28th May 2014. - When the LRS was launched in late May 2014 there were 13,512 landlords already signed up to the various accreditation schemes
The latest figures from the Greater London Authority on the number of landlords accredited under the London Rental Standard can be found here. - In his 2012 Election Manifesto, Taking Greater London Forward, Boris Johnson pledged that 100,000 of London’s estimated 300,000 private sector landlords would be signed up to a scheme approved by the London Rental Standard by May 2016. (page 11)
According to Census 2011 figures, there are 819,085 private rental properties in London.
For more information please contact London Assembly Labour Group press officer, Alison Orlandi, on 020 7983 5639 or 07795 616 832. Number not for publication.