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Written question asked by Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Non-affiliated) on Thursday, 17 June 2021, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 1 July 2021. It was answered by Lord Greenhalgh (Conservative) on Wednesday, 30 June 2021 on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Private Rented Housing: Conciliation

Question

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to establish a landlord–tenant conciliation service to deal with private rental issues; and if so, when.

Answer

The Government has been piloting a new mediation service since February 2021 as part of the possession process to support landlords and tenants to resolve disputes before a formal hearing takes place. The Government is funding the Society of Mediators to provide this new service and it is free to use for all tenants and landlords that agree to do so.

The pilot will help to sustain tenancies wherever possible and support continued engagement between landlords and tenants. It also provides the opportunity to assess the broader use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in the courts. We continue to encourage landlords and tenants to work together to resolve issues in all our guidance and in many cases this is happening.

Beyond this, the Government remains committed to proposals that will require private landlords to belong to a redress scheme. This will ensure that all tenants have access to redress where they have a legitimate complaint about their home, and will also make it easier for private landlords to understand their obligations. We re-stated this commitment at the Queen's Speech in May.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL1201
Session
2021-22
Subjects
Private rented housing Conciliation
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk