The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has voiced criticism regarding the upcoming private rental database, describing the £65 annual fee per property as disproportionate to the service it will provide.
Scheduled for launch in December as part of the Government’s Renters’ Rights Act, the database is set to apply to more than five million private sector properties. The NRLA notes that the £65 annual charge exceeds the current cost of a car MOT test and is almost seven times higher than the figure initially projected in the Impact Assessment for the Renters’ Rights Act.
Ben Beadle, CEO of the NRLA, stated that a well-designed database should facilitate landlord compliance, empower tenants, and be fully digital, but he believes this proposal is likely to fail on all counts. The NRLA also highlighted that much of the required information duplicates data landlords already submit to local councils, suggesting it offers no additional benefit to landlords or tenants.