In response to the Government’s announcement today that the Tenant Fees Bill has gained Royal Assent and will come into effect on 1st June 2019, Labour’s London Assembly Housing Spokesperson, Tom Copley AM, said:
“For too long, Londoners in the private rented sector have been subject to exorbitant letting fees and deposits, with excessive rents adding insult to injury.
“Whilst it is very welcome that with this new Act of Parliament, we will see protections for tenants from these fees and a cap on deposits at five weeks’ rent, there is still a four-month waiting period for the new laws to come in force.
“By implication, we are now in danger of unscrupulous agents and landlords using this period of delay to charge even higher fees than usual. The Government has already dragged their feet on this, despite the Chancellor promising in his Autumn Statement back in 2016 that letting fees will be banned as soon as possible.
“Private renters deserve much more from the Government. As a matter of urgency, Section 21 no fault evictions must be scrapped and open-ended tenancies introduced, with caps on rent rises. I welcome the work Sadiq Khan has announced to develop a model of rent control that will work in London. The Government should devolve to City Hall the necessary powers for him to implement this.”
ENDS