What we do

Housing Act 2004

The Housing Act 2004 introduced several major new reforms, including the housing health and safety rating system, mandatory licensing of certain houses in multiple occupation, the giving of discretionary licensing powers to local authorities for certain other types of housing, empty dwelling management orders and tenancy deposit protection.

The majority of the Act is now implemented. Two key aspects remain work-in-progress for our members: the licensing of certain converted blocks of self-contained flats and tenancy deposit protection.

As a result of our lobbying, the implementation of the former was delayed until October 2006, while the detailed secondary legislation was put in place. We remain very concerned about the interaction of such licensing powers and the rights of long-leaseholders, and hope that, by working with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), something practical will result.

Implementation of tenancy deposit protection has been delayed until April 2007. We are represented on the DCLG steering group and believe this is a sensible course of action, as it allows more time to get the legislation, procurement of services and promotion right.