Tenant Fees Bill returns to Parliament amid calls for further crackdown on agents

Tenant Fees Bill returns to Parliament amid calls for further crackdown on agents

The Tenant Fees Bill returns to the Parliamentary agenda this week with Shelter among those turning up the pressure for it to go further.

The legislation will reach report stage and its third reading on Wednesday, giving time for MPs to put forward and debate any amendments to the Bill.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has called for a cap on security deposits of three weeks’ rent rather than the six weeks proposed in the legislation, while there are also concerns regarding exemptions for default fees.

Shelter has again called for all tenant fees to be banned and has warned that exemptions for default fees – such as charges for a lost key – create loopholes for agents and landlords to exploit renters.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “The ban on letting fees will only save renters money if it’s done properly.

“The Bill currently going through Parliament leaves a loophole open for agents and landlords to carry on exploiting renters by charging them ‘default fees’.

“This is effectively a blank cheque to charge ludicrous sums for menial admin jobs.

“We have heard from renters who tell us they’ve been charged £25 to take a bin bag out and even move a jar of peanut butter.

“If the Government think letting fees are worth banning, then they should be worth banning properly.

“The country’s millions of renters won’t thank them in months to come if they’re just being ripped off in brand new ways.”

The Government has said it will clarify what a reasonable default fee is before the ban is implemented.

If approved at the third reading, which is expected to take place after the report stage on Wednesday, the Bill will then go for a first reading in the House of Lords.