Extra help and protection for private tenants (From Worcester News)

Extra help and protection for private tenants

3:10pm Thursday 11th February 2010 in

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HOUSING Minister John Healey has announced new practical help and protection for tenants in Worcestershire and Herefordshire who live in privately rented homes.

The moves will help tenants find safer and better homes for rent and offer extra support if they face problems with their landlords or accommodation.

A new housing hotline will open for business by the summer to offer private tenants free practical advice when problems occur and a new “tripadvisor” style feedback website could allow tenants to post views on their accommodation and landlord.

The aim is to make written agreements a legal requirement for all tenancies and will mean tenants are clear about their rights from the outset. Information on the track record of prospective landlords in how they keep their properties up to scratch or how quickly they fix any faults will be available through a new national landlords register.

Tenancy rights will be extended to more people living in shared homes on short-term lets, giving extra protection to about 150,000 more people, including many students and seasonal workers.

The package of measures outlined in the private rented sector: professionalism and quality: consultation responses and next steps, following on from the Rugg Review published in 2008, will ensure tenants have the information and help they need to make informed decisions about the homes they rent, legal protection and certainty about their rights and extra support to help them deal with any disputes.