Two reports in the press this morning on landlord regulation. The Times reports that ministers are considering introducing licensing (as recommended last year by the Rugg Report). They anticipate that the costs will be covered by the licensing fee, provisionally put at £50, plus there is also a suggestion that the scheme will help the revenue track tax evasion.
The BBC site reports that The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) is introducing a licensing scheme for its UK members and a code of practice for landlords.
In my previous post on the Scottish scheme (commenting on problems highlighted by Shelter), I suggested that funding implications might put the government off introducing any new schemes England and Wales at this time. However if the scheme assists with the collection of tax, this puts a different light on things.
We are told to expect a Green Paper shortly.