Steve Reed’s appointment as Housing Secretary last week, following Angela Rayner’s resignation, has been greeted with polite optimism by the landlord lobby. But for many in the sector, the question remains: why should this time be any different?
The new minister inherits a packed agenda, not least the return of the Renters’ Rights Bill to Parliament this week. The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) was quick to extend a warm welcome.
Ben Beadle, the association’s chief executive, urged Reed to ensure “the smooth implementation” of the Bill and to back policies that encourage investment in “decent quality homes to rent.” Trust and confidence between landlords and tenants, he added, must be at the heart of reform.
Yet landlords may be wary. Reed, the Labour/Co-operative MP for Streatham and Croydon North since 2012, has not always been on their side. In Parliament, he has attacked landlords who fail to carry out basic repairs and has long supported licensing schemes. More recently, he backed higher rates of Stamp Duty and gave his support to the Renters’ Rights Bill.
With such a record, some will wonder if Reed’s arrival signals genuine dialogue with landlords—or just another round of promises that tilt the balance further toward tenants.
For a sector already facing uncertainty, the bigger question lingers: will anything really change this time?