Right now, nobody knows who owns the 4.5 million private rented homes in England. It means thousands of us are living in homes that might not have had the right safety checks.
The number of us living in private rented homes has grown fast. You don't have to pass a test to become a landlord - all you need is a spare property. Most landlords are small scale operators - 83% have four or fewer properties - and most of those are not part of professional industry bodies or accreditation schemes that can give them support to rent safely.
That's why we're calling for a National Register of Landlords. It would mean landlords would have to meet certain standards before renting out homes. And renters could check up on their landlord before signing a contract and have somewhere to turn if they're mistreated.
In February 2022, Michael Gove announced plans for a national landlord register in England. This is a vital step in improving standards in privately rented homes and an essential part of the Gov's levelling-up agenda.
But we need to keep the pressure on to ensure the Government keeps their promise.
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