Nov

Govt still ‘probing selective licensing’ three years after PRS consultation

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The government has been forced to admit that it is still considering the results of a consultation into selective licensing which ended three years ago.

Disgraced former Housing Minister Christopher Pincher (pictured)pressed the government to defend the schemes in his first question about housing since prompting the resignation of Boris Johnson.

The now independent MP asked what assessment it had made of the effectiveness of local authority enforcement of selective licensing designations and other existing measures against PRS landlords.

Housing Minister Felicity Buchan said: “We are also currently assessing the recommendations from the 2019 independent review into the effectiveness of selective licensing and will respond in due course. We will work with local authorities to gather more information about their selective licensing schemes to ensure they are continuing to deliver the intended outcomes and to help share best practice.”

Pincher also called on Housing Secretary Michael Gove to assess the potential impact of repealing Section 21 on the student housing market.

Reforms

Buchan replied it wanted as many tenants as possible to benefit from its proposed reforms, including students living in the private rented sector. Landlord groups have criticised periodic tenancies for discriminating against student landlords.

“We expect most students will continue to move in line with the academic year. We will continue to consider the impact of our reforms as we move towards legislation and will publish an impact assessment in due course,” she added.

Pincher – who served as Housing Minister for two years until February – quit as deputy chief whip in June amid allegations he sexually assaulted two guests at a London club.

There swiftly emerged revelations that then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson had ignored earlier accusations of sexual misconduct against Pincher before his appointment.

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