Housing and the Renting Homes proposals Understanding the key issues and ideas

Session objectives: To establish some of the key issues in Welsh housing To consider the Welsh Government’s proposals for the private rented sector To look at ways that Welsh students’ unions can empower students to influence the agenda

Group discussion What do you see as the key issues in housing for your students?

Key recurring issues Poor property standards High housing costs Anti-student sentiment Tenant exploitation The Welsh Government’s proposals seek to address mainly the latter set of issues, with potential for impact on the first

Upcoming changes National Assembly for Wales granted the ability to make new primary legislation in 2011 In relation to the private rented sector, it has already introduced plans to bring in: Mandatory registration and licensing of private landlords and letting agents Local authorities will be required to administer and enforce this This is due to come in in autumn 2014

Wales agent and landlord licensing scheme (WALLS) All landlords required to register within one year of start date Fees will be around £50 Penalties for failure to register Landlords must pass a suitability test Landlords or managing agents will have to be licensed and undergo training Letting agents must be a member of a recognised professional body and two thirds of staff must have passed training

Current consultation: Renting Homes White Paper Intended as a response to: The growth of the private rented sector The complexity of the legal frameworks The lack of clarity of relationship between tenants and landlords and the problems this can cause The differences between renting from different types of provider The poor reputation of the private rented sector

Renting Homes White Paper: Goals Greater flexibility and choice Creating a level playing field within and between sectors Making the private rented sector more sustainable Balancing the promotion of mixed housing Simplification of existing legislation Clarification of the contractual relationship between landlords and tenants Ensuring reforms do not have unintended consequences

Current consultation: Renting Homes White Paper Based on five year research by the Law Commission and calls for changes from housing experts, tenants and the legal sector Expected to be considered by National Assembly in 2015 Current consultation closes on 16 August

Current tenancy types Secure tenancies Introductory tenancies Demoted tenancies Assured tenancies Family intervention tenancies Assured shorthold tenancies Rent Act tenancies

Proposals for new tenancy types Secure contract: based on local authority secure tenancy, to be used mainly by local authorities and housing associations, more security of tenure Standard contract: similar to current AST for use in the private rented sector, proposed to also be for institutions, less security of tenure All contracts will be required to be in written form, in plain language and will only be allowed to include set terms

Renting Homes White Paper: Anti-social behaviour Proposes to include a ‘prohibited conduct’ term in every rental contract to ensure tenants are aware of their responsibilities to landlord and neighbours Includes anti-social behaviour, hate crime and domestic violence and any ‘conduct that is capable of causing nuisance or annoyance’ to others in the locality Breaching can trigger possession proceedings, which exceptionally could begin on the same day as the landlord gives the possession notice

Renting Homes White Paper: Anti-social behaviour Potential concern as to how this might impact on ‘novice householders’ – i.e. could it lead to students being evicted for being noisy on one occasion? Recognise need to develop guidance on what it means and how it can be enforced e.g. mandatory/discretionary

Renting Homes White Paper: Domestic abuse The ‘prohibited conduct’ term would also cover domestic abuse. Prevents tenants needing to end tenancy to evict perpetrator of abuse Enables landlord to evict one tenant and leave others in the property

Renting Homes White Paper: Joint tenancies Enables one tenant to leave tenancy without automatically ending the tenancy for all Currently can leave tenants vulnerable if landlord does not offer a new tenancy, or wants to change the terms e.g. rent levels Enables landlord and/or tenants to seek a replacement tenant

Renting Homes White Paper: Renting by young people Proposes levelling up rights for 16 and 17 year olds, to be equivalent to those of 18 year olds

Renting Homes White Paper: Landlords’ repair obligations Ensuring that all obligations are written into all rental contracts Requiring landlords to ensure there are no serious health and safety hazards Some questions as to how this will be enforced

Renting Homes White Paper: Further proposals Standardising succession rights Removing mandatory eviction for serious rent arrears from housing association tenants Abolishing the “six-month moratorium” on ‘no fault’ evictions i.e. where lease has expired and landlord chooses not to renew Dealing with abandonment (where tenants walk away from a property) Keen to promote social lettings agencies and co-operative housing

Current consultation: Renting Homes White Paper Responding to the consultation: Online: www.wales.gov.uk/consultations Email: rentinghomes@wales.gsi.gov.uk Post: Renting Homes White Paper, Housing Policy Division, Welsh Government, Rhydycard, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 1UZ

Things to consider… How far do you think these proposals will go to improve the experiences of student tenants in Wales? Do they address what you consider to be the key issues for your students? Are there any issues of concern or things you would seek to change?

Private rented sector campaigning: Get data Private rented sector housing survey Housing focus groups - good qualitative data Other Unions and NUSW/NUS UK reports on housing for comparison Advice Centre statistics

Private rented sector campaigning: Lobby Once you've collected data, share it with: - County and Town Councillors - HMO Office - Letting Agencies - Assembly Members (regional and wales wide) - Ministers (Housing in particular!) - MPs for the local and surrounding area - Newspapers (student media, local, Wales-wide) - University Accommodation Office - Vice Chancellor and Pro-Vice Chancellors - NUSW and NUS UK - Other Unions

Private rented sector campaigning: Bringing about results It won't happen overnight, but the key is to keep the momentum of the campaign going and fighting for change to students. It’s taken 9 months for Aberystwyth to get where it has today with its campaign.

Private rented sector campaigning: What did we do? Met with AMs Wrote lots of letters, updating on progress Submitted petition to Welsh Assembly - delivered petition in person on Senedd Steps (big impact) Lots of tweets of success

Private rented sector campaigning: Education Our focus has been to counter negative press on shortages of accommodation and rushing into signing contracts: No agencies at Freshers' Fayre - Housing Fayre Attending University's Accommodation Talks Contract checking service - Private Sector/Housing Guide NUS, Shelter, Citizens' Advice Bureau Giving information packs to students who are queuing outside letting agencies.

Private rented sector campaigning: Work with the council Wards HMO Office (enforcement) Town and County Planning and Full Council Meetings Landlord Forum Landlord Steering Group

Private rented sector campaigning: Get involved Renting Homes Bill: We held our own student consultation in Aberystwyth to encourage them to have their say on the Bill. YouTube video is available - Feel free to use this! Courses: - Landlord Accreditation Wales course - Unipol - Shelter

Private rented sector campaigning: Top Tips Be persistent Stick with the students Liaise with other Unions, NUSW and keep people up to date with progress Educate yourself (Unipol etc) Celebrate your wins People may give you slack, but keep picturing your goals and a better time for students

Taking housing forward Attend NUS/Unipol training Participate in NUS housing research Keep in touch: Jo.Goodman@nus.org.uk 07585 969860 Colum.McGuire@nus.org.uk @ColumMcGuire