Speeches by Simmonds.

“Q Thank you. That is a really helpful point. Are the terms of the new possession grounds introduced by the Bill reasonable for both tenants and landlords? In summary, do you feel that the Bill gets the balance right? Liz Davies KC: I am concerned about mandatory grounds 1 and 1A. Clearly, they bring an end to no-reason…”

“Q49 I would like to ask you about the impact that the Bill will have on first-tier tribunals and whether they are ready for the potential consequences. Perhaps we can develop that to ask about the interactions with ombudsman services as well, with one of the issues being how renters whose rights are infringed, or where…”

“Q That is helpful, and it leads me to my next point, which is about the evidence you gave to the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee stressing the need for there to be clarity of jurisdiction. Does this Bill provide that clarity? If not, what improvements need to be made to ensure that clarity is there? Ric…”

“Q May I ask about the role that the landlord insurance industry plays, particularly in the context of people being able or unable to access accommodation? Reflecting a question put to an earlier witness—if a landlord is insured and the insurer says that to rent the property to the tenant they have to meet a certain sta…”

“Q If I may pursue that final point, do you have any financial modelling about the impact on the homelessness budget that would derive from the Bill? Ben Twomey: I do not have any with me, but I can take a look at that and write to the Committee.”

“Q I want to ask you briefly about the enforcement regime. It is envisaged that local authorities will be the key enforcers of new rules and regulations. What is your view about the capacity for that and how it should be resourced? Tom Darling: We think that local authorities should be funded on a per privately rented p…”

“Q It is not so much about the affordability assessments. When a tenant applies for a property, the agent will usually, as part of the requirements of the landlord’s insurer, put them through a credit check, and if they do not meet the standard that that insurer requires, the insurer will say, “You won’t get insurance i…”

“Q I have two questions, the first of which concerns the role of the insurance industry in the sector. I am sure that many of us have heard from constituents that most landlords’ insurance requires a prospective tenant to pass a credit check. If the tenant fails, the insurance company will not insure that property if it…”

“indicated assent. Tarun Bhakta: It has long been our call that the Bill should specify and set a higher threshold and make that clear, particularly for the landlord sale and the landlord moving in eviction grounds. We also think that the Bill should introduce a post-eviction proceeding. There are two really important p…”

“Q May I pursue a couple of points, Mr Bhakta, on the difference between things set out in legislation and the use of guidance? I know that you gave evidence previously on this issue, which has come up not just in the context of this Bill. Could you draw the Committee’s attention to your views about how that has an impa…”

“Q This is the second time that Parliament has had a go at reforming renters’ rights. Could you tell us how you feel this Bill is different in what it means for tenants, compared to the previous attempt to reform the rented sector? Tarun Bhakta: First, I would like to thank the Committee for inviting us to give evidence…”

“Q Mr Beadle, reflecting on what you said in respect of the right of the tenant to challenge rent increases, it seems to me, as drafted, that the consequence is that a tenant will always challenge the rent increase, because the worst possible outcome is that they defer having to pay the higher rent until they get the he…”

“It has been a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Vickers. [Sir Roger Gale in the Chair] I am sure it will continue to be a pleasure to serve under the chairmanship of Sir Roger. The debate has been wide ranging. It has gone from the commanding heights of the international economy to the truly micro. I commen…”

“My hon. Friend represents the county town of Kent and presses the case that the leader of Kent county council, Councillor Roger Gough, makes: as the county town, it is particularly important that Maidstone demonstrates a vibrant and thriving high street. My hon. Friend is a vocal champion for that. Measures such as bus…”

“My constituent, Frederick Cooksley, was sent a fine by the Mayor of London for breaching the ultra low emission zone rules, despite driving on a road where the ULEZ does not apply, which provides access to a very important hospital in my constituency. Will she prevail upon her colleague the Mayor of London to ensure, u…”

“T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.”

“In Scotland, where similar regulations have been implemented, there has been an exodus from the market of smaller private landlords in particular, and those properties have fallen into other kinds of tenure. If the supply of homes remained the same and it had a zero-sum impact on the market, there would of course be no…”

“It is a pleasure to wind up for the Opposition in what has been a comprehensive debate. I add my thanks to all Members who made so many interesting points about different aspects of policy, but I would like to start with the contribution by the hon. Member for Rugby (John Slinger), who said that most landlords are good…”

“My hon. Friend represents Dumfries and Galloway and therefore knows a great deal about the impact that these measures have, because he has seen at first hand the impact on his constituents. I agree with him entirely, and it is important to draw out his point that they will have an impact not simply on those who are pri…”

“I am sure the Minister will have heard that question and will address it, but there is a consistent pattern. A number of Members referenced yesterday’s debate on VAT on school fees, in which that point emerged, too. While we can see, for example, that there is a significantly higher proportion of pupils from ethnic min…”