Commons To Vote On Banning Letting Agency Fees

[RentingForever]

Labour have tabled an amendment to a bill next Tuesday banning letting agency fees - see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27323352

About time too. And a bit of a trap for the Tories - either they vote against it and be seen to be against tenants' interests, or for it and be seen to following Labour's agenda.

[The Knimbies who say No]

Well overdue imo.

[Eddie_George]

Be interesting if the Tories show their true colours on this one.

Worthy of the main forum IMO.

[Wurzel Of Highbridge]

[okaycuckoo]

One of the parliamentary tactics beloved of both the Tories and Labour is to use Commons votes to position their opponents on the wrong side of wedge issues. Rather than merely stating that "Labour opposes our benefit cap" or "the Tories oppose our energy price freeze", they are able to declare that they actively voted against it.

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2014/05/labour-stage-vote-banning-letting-agent-fees-tenants

[RegularInv]

600+ in total, of which 150 + VAT pp (x 2 for us) for changing name on a word document and printing it. Depressed!

[lastlaugh]

This is brilliant news.. I know from experience that charging tenants fees encourages LAs to churn properties. They promote and sometimes only offer the shortest terms in order to trawl for fees. LAs will deliberately disrupt a good relationship between a LL and tenant to get their mits on another set of fees. Even if some of the fees are passed back to tenants in higher rents, which I doubt, the life of a tenant in the PRS will get a whole lot more pleasant. The LA business model appears to be dead?

[okaycuckoo]

To achieve this they'll have to regulate the agent sector. Otherwise I don't see how they can interfere with freedom of contract.

[Dorkins]

To achieve this they'll have to regulate the agent sector. Otherwise I don't see how they can interfere with freedom of contract.

statute > contract terms

[okaycuckoo]

statute > contract terms

Sure, you're talking something like unfair contract terms, but it's difficult to argue unfairness when the tenant has a choice. Anyway, I can't see it unless part of a wider regulation for EAs.

[Flopsy]

http://www.expressandstar.com/business/uk-money/2014/05/12/labour-seeks-letting-agent-fees-ban/

Labour's amendment was defeated 281 to 228, majority 53.

[Catinthehat]

Labour's amendment was defeated by a majority of 53, 281 to 228, with all but three Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs present voting against it.

http://news.sky.com/story/1260989/coalition-votes-against-letting-agent-fee-ban

All in this together, eh?

[Reck B]

Incredible decision.

What a bunch of ******ing ***** our MP's are.

There are 4 million or so private renters in the UK who would "benefit", from a ban in fees. Actually benefit is the wrong word, how about "not have money extorted from them for basic administration which costs around 1% of what they are charged".... and they've sided with a bunch of grubbing arseholes called Estate Agents.

*****

Edited May 16, 2014 by Reck B

[MattW]

A*seholes!

[Dorkins]

I contacted my Lib Dem MP (who voted against the ban on fees) to tell her she can forget about my vote. She's in a fairly marginal seat which is chock full of younger private renters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornsey_and_Wood_Green_(UK_Parliament_constituency)

[MattW]

I contacted my Lib Dem MP (who voted against the ban on fees) to tell her she can forget about my vote. She's in a fairly marginal seat which is chock full of younger private renters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornsey_and_Wood_Green_(UK_Parliament_constituency)

Same with my Lib Dem MP too. That's made my mind up to vote for the Green Party next year.

http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2014-05-13&number=279&mpn=Simon_Wright&mpc=Norwich_South&house=commons