The influential Public Accounts Committee which scrutinises government spending, value for money and efficiency has concluded that regulation of the private rented sector in England and Wales is not up to scratch.

Whilst recognising the Levelling Up & Housing department's aim of producing a legislative "White Paper" on reform of the PRS later in 2022 the committee pointed out the current regulatory framework is "inaccessible and complex" and that Local Authorities' regulatory responses in the private rented sector are held back by lack of local rented housing data and insufficient resourcing by central government such that Authorities aren't able to carry out their regulatory responsibilities.

At 22 pages the Regulation of Private Renting report is more accessible than most such documents produced by Parliament and is a pointer to the content and ambition MPs will expect to see in any white paper that eventually comes out of the Dept for Levelling Up & Housing later in the year.

The main conclusions (with recommendations) of the report are:

1. It's too difficult for private renters to realise their rights to a safe and secure home;
2. Local Authorities have neither the capacity nor the capability to ensure appropriate protection for private renters;
3. DLUHC doesn't do enough to support effective regulation by Local Authorities;
4. Authorities are constrained by DLUHC's approach to landlord/property licensing (including "poor communication and limited feedback" from the department);
5. The department lacks the data to understand the nature and extent of problems in the PRS;
6. DLUHC does not understand the effect on landlords and tenants of piecemeal legal changes and has no clear strategy for the PRS market as a whole.

Overall then - an important document for landlords, local authorities, tenants and third sector agencies.