To what extent is increased legal regulation of the privately rented Essay

To what extent is increased legal regulation of the privately rented sector justified and desirable - Essay Example Additionally, housing benefits have an inflationary impact on the levels of rent especially at the lower end of the market thereby worsening the situation3. In some of the sub-markets characterized by a high number of claimants, the impact of this is acute with the landlords being able to set rents at levels that are artificially high to match the Local Housing Allowance4. Furthermore, the security of tenure availed by private property owners, of between six and twelve months is not sufficient for some families particularly because the landlords have control of these regulations hence can make adjustments relative to their own interests5. The private rented sector has gone through extraordinary revitalization through the past twenty years to become increasingly critical to considerations concerned with the housing markets as well as the benefit system6. Currently, there are approximately over four million houses in England privately rented and these accounts for about 18% of all the family units7. The industry has also doubled in magnitude since 1989 while having more households presently compared to social housing while occupation by owners is on the decline8. Following this is the quick increase in the housing benefit bill that has increased exponentially in regards to real terms through a similar period reaching an excess of twenty four billion pounds in the UK. Consequently, the amount claimed by tenants from private property owners has also increased and doubled through the past ten years to almost ten billion pounds. These figures demonstrate the deteriorating affordability of private rented housing that an increasing number of people are forced to use as a consequence of the drop in social housing along with challenges to house ownership9. Along with the costs of renting, an additional challenge that has emerged with the growing dependence on private property owners includes the nonexistence of security provided to renters who seek