The Lettings Industry Council (TLIC) has published a new report arguing that the government's PRS database, set to launch as part of the Renters' Rights Act's package of rental reforms, must improve levels of compliance, transparency and tenant safety in the private rented sector.
TLIC calls on the government to take urgent steps to ensure the database fulfils its purpose of driving out rogue and criminal landlords from the market. The report concludes that without a clear strategy underpinned by clear priorities, the database will simply be unable to deliver on its objectives.
TLIC's report states that the PRS database must be guided by six core principles:
- Clarity: clearly identify landlords, agents and properties, adopting the Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) by default
- Flexibility: recognise the complex reality of legal ownership structures, such as companies, trusts and joint ownership arrangements
- Intuitiveness: make the process user-friendly and genuinely useful for all users
- Access to compliance: give tenants access to relevant compliance information to help decision-making and safeguard against unsafe housing
- Digital efficiency: digitally integrate property safety records and compliance documents to avoid administrative delays and duplication of work
- Proportionate implementation: understand the operational realities for landlords and agents, and deploy the database to help rather than hinder businesses
"As it stands, the government risks missing an opportunity to build a PRS database adapted to meet the fast-changing needs of the market," said Theresa Wallace, co-chair of The Lettings Industry Council.
"The best way forward is for the government to adopt a collaborative, pragmatic approach to its introduction during the next stage of rental reform.
"With phase two of the Renters' Rights Act's implementation rapidly approaching, now is the time for the government to consider how it can help agents and landlords as they plan their transition towards this new system.
"If the PRS database is to have any chance of success, the government has to take decisive steps which encourage effective engagement with the database on the part of stakeholders. If they fail to take this approach, the database will only become an expensive waste of resource."
