A portfolio landlord group has urged the government to voice support for the sector and work with it on finding a solution to the country’s housing crisis in an open letter to the Government.

Portfolio Landlords Action Network (PLAN) – which collectively owns and manages more than 10,000 rental properties - hopes to meet Housing Secretary Matthew Pennycook so it can share its vision of a PRS that works for everyone.

Chair Marcus Selmon (pictured) says it wants a fair playing field for both landlords and tenants. In an open letter, he explains that it would welcome the opening of a dialogue around topics including sensible grounds for possession while providing security of tenure, energy efficiency and carbon footprints, access to funding for improvement of existing homes, and taxation in the sector.

Selmon says: “We do believe that the government making clear which types of landlords they support and how they can offer support to them is the way forward. But if in fact the government is against all private landlords then it would be better if they told us now.”

Crisis

The letter calls for a positive vision for landlords going forward that shows support for the “right type of landlord as approved by the government” who can then play their part in finding solutions to the crisis.

It adds: “To do that we believe it is essential to work collaboratively with the government…we have considerable expertise, insights, ideas and solutions that would benefit everyone and enable you to meet Labour’s election manifesto. That is why we are reaching out to you in the hope you will meet with us so we can give our vision of a PRS that works for everyone.”

Read the letter in full

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