Building a private tenants’
movement in Wales
Jennie Bibbings
Policy & Research Manager
Shelter Cymru
PRS policy and tenants – what’s the problem?
Lack of
evidence
Lack of
consultation
•
•
•
•
Who are they?
How happy are they with their housing?
Prevalence of problems?
Hit and miss policy / legislation
• PRS tenants not at the table
• We know landlords’ views on tenancy
reform and licensing – but not tenants
The usual suspects
Shelter Cymru - Citizens Advice Cymru - Welsh Tenants - TPAS Cymru - NUS Cymru
Evidence about PRS tenants
Welsh
Government
consultations
• WG consultations do not identify and
analyse PRS tenant responses
• July 2012 consultation on landlord
licensing: landlord / lettings agent
responses outnumbered ‘individuals’ by
more than 4 to 1
Existing data
• WG White Papers: over-reliance on UK and
England only data
Research with tenants and tenants’ groups
Focus groups and interviews with PRS tenants in Wales and
tenants’ groups organisers in the UK revealed that:
Difficult for PRS
tenants to
participate
But tenants
wanted to take
part in a group
Large appetite for
data on PRS
tenants
Strong views on
landlord licensing
and tenancy
reform
Advice on how to
overcome barriers
and grow local
groups
A solution for Wales
• Need to make the most of what is already there
• Social tenant participation sector has 30+ years of
experience
• PRS tenant needs can differ - careful planning
• Autonomous local groups with national umbrella
body, tenant-led, independent from Government
• Statutory rights to be informed and consulted
Funding
£?
• Landlord registration fee
currently proposed at £50 per
five years
• Funding of 10p per tenant
per week - based on 2001
report on social tenant
participation
• Could raise nearly £1 million
Next steps?
If you or your organisation would like to get involved in
the important task of establishing a strong PRS tenants’
voice for Wales, please get in touch with:
Jennie Bibbings, Policy & Research Manager
jennieb@sheltercymru.org.uk
(02920) 556908