New housing rental rules to protect thousands of tenants
Extending licensing to 170,000 more properties will ensure people benefit from better quality accommodation. All landlords who let out a property to 5 or more people – from 2 or more separate households that share facilities – must get a licence from their local housing authority.Previously, the rules only applied to properties of 3 or more storeys – but now all properties will be covered. The clampdown is one of a number of government measures to rebalance the relationship between landlords and tenants. The vast majority of landlords provide decent accommodation, but these measures are about raising standards in private rented homes where landlords knowingly flout their responsibilities.Under the new rules, all bedrooms must be at least 6.5 square metres and councils must ensure tenants have suitable space to store their rubbish outside homes.
