Landlords shouldn’t have to pay the 5% stamp duty surcharge when landlords bring empty stock back into use, the National Residential Landlords Association argued.
NRLA was responding to government data, which showed the number of rental homes in the London dropped by 6% between 2023 and 2024.
At the same time there are 38,000 long-term empty homes in the capital.
Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said: “Private renters across London are facing the brunt of the housing crisis. The shortage of homes to rent is a one-way street toward higher rents and even less choice for tenants.
“London needs more of all types of housing, and that has to include homes for private rent. It’s high time for policies that support investment in the homes renters desperately need.”
The NRLA also reinforced previous demands for the court system to be improved, in light of the upcoming Section 21 ban.
It can take six months to a year for a landlord to evict a tenant via a legitimate possession claim and use a court-appointed bailiff.
As such, the risk of being a landlord is rising, pushing some out of the sector.
The landlord association also called for a “financial package” to support energy efficiency upgrades.
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