The Levelling Up Whitepaper: What Does it Mean For Landlords?

While talent is spread equally across our country, opportunity is not. Levelling up is a mission to challenge, and change, that unfairness.’’ – Levelling Up, Executive Summary

After several failed attempts, the Government are finally cracking down on regional inequality with their new Levelling Up white paper. There you’ll find 350 detailed pages that analyse the nation-wide issue we’re facing and what strategies will have the most impact – a promising start towards a more hopeful future.

Whilst it’s important to keep in mind that this white paper is by no means a ‘resolution’ to the overall problem, this plan of action is more refined than ever before – ready to be rolled out, measured and judged. Having tried numerous different methods to break this vicious cycle for good, in this instance ‘trial and error’ could be the unexpected hero of them all.

What does the Levelling Up campaign stand for?

When it comes to freedom, the United Kingdom is one of the best in the entire world. It goes without saying that we’re fortunate to live in this multi-cultural, truly diverse and successful country – but somehow, that fairness is not being shared around all regions. Whilst the talent is everywhere, the opportunities to put them into practice are severely lacking – and this campaign is about giving everyone that fair platform to thrive in whatever they’re doing.

That’s why the Levelling Up Fund has been given £4.8 million to kick start the change for a better quality of living for all – which is exceptionally good news for landlords.

The highly anticipated Levelling Up white paper includes several significant benefits to landlords across the UK, including a landlord register, removing Section 21 evictions, a national Decent Homes Standards and crucially – action to crack down on rogue landlords. Issued by Michael Gove and Boris Johnson, these new initiatives are (supposedly) set to last ten years.

What does this mean for landlords?

Once the Decent Homes Standard proposal is put into place, the PRS (private rental sector) will be required to provide a minimum standard, so that renters can live in healthier environments where they can thrive – as opposed to the shocking conditions some are unfortunate to be living in. Ministers have also been in talks on introduce a landlords’ register to tackle rogue landlords – starting with giving fines and even permanent bans to any offenders who fail to provide their tenants with homes that are up to this new living standard. If this idea of ‘levelling up’ is really going to work, it is crucial to ensure local authorities have all the resources required to be active in inspecting properties and prosecuting if standards are not met.

Furthermore, the Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions will be completely removed – meaning tenants’ rights are equalised, and they can no longer be kicked out of their homes with no reason or notice. This leaves agents questioning what will be put in place instead to provide landlords with confidence in the property market. As further details are yet to be confirmed, many will be relying on the Government commitments to build more affordable social housing to counteract the rising prices in the private rented sector – and ultimately reducing housing need.
This running theme of helping renters continues, as plans to provide them with a more robust path to ownership are also stated in the Levelling Up white paper. With first-time buyers rising across the entirety of the country, the Government are determined for ‘non-decent’ rented homes to be halved by 2030, focusing the improvements mostly on the lowest-performing areas.

So, what else are they promising?

• Regional transport to improve travel
• New ‘innovation centres’ to inspire new ideas
• Local education upgrades to encourage learning
• Upgrading the high street to increase jobs
• Growing the private sector to boost productivity and living standards
• Introducing a ‘London-style’ power, with town mayors to lead communities to boost morale

It’s key to remember that this white paper is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to challenging the ongoing obstacles of inequality. ‘Levelling up’ is a much broader campaign that will require immense amounts of effort to improve society, boost productivity, and ultimately help pave the way for a fairer way of living in the UK.

As a landlord, we want to make your life as easy as possible – whilst boosting the chances of your listings being viewed by potential renters. Get in touch with our team today, and we’ll be happy to chat about the ways RentOnCloud can benefit you!