Politicians should be better informed on rental policy - ARLA

ARLA Propertymark is backing a cross-industry call for more information to be provided to politicians who go on to make housing policy.

Last week we reported that the National Residential Landlords Association had called for a Welsh Housing Survey - along the lines of the widely-respected English Housing Survey - to help inform politicians changing lettings regulations in that part of the UK.

Now Propertymark has signed a joint letter to the Welsh Government arguing that more independent data would allow for greater comparability and accountability between the UK nations.

“A Welsh Housing Survey would collect a wealth of information such as data on the proportion of private rented sector tenancies ended by the tenant, the levels of satisfaction among social renters, and the percentage of owner-occupied homes that are under-occupied” says an ARLA Propertymark statement.

Timothy Douglas, the policy and campaigns manager for ARLA, says: "Accurate data, statistics, and evidence are vital for good policy-making. Therefore, we are pleased to join calls with other organisations in the sector for a Welsh Housing Survey. 

“Housing plays a vital role in people’s lives and property standards, the role of agents and the actions of landlords and tenants, as well as home buyers and sellers, needs to be better captured in order to ensure policymakers have an accurate view of the industry and ultimately make the right decisions.”

The Senedd - the Welsh Parliament - is in the process of passing its fourth Bill affecting the private rented sector in six years, and Propertymark says it’s doing so without any comprehensive, government-commissioned data set for housing to support good policymaking.