News
At last! New housing minister is former landlord who backs private rented sector
Wednesday 28th September 2022
Nigel Lewis
Former landlord Andrew Stephenson should hopefully have a good grasp of the sector's pressing issues in his new role as minister tasked with overseeing the PRS.
The Under Secretary of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities was renting out a property in Wilmslow between 2010 until 2016, reporting a rental income of at least £10,000 a year, while his voting record suggests he is pro-landlord.
Stephenson has consistently voted for phasing out secure tenancies for life, for charging a market rent to high earners renting a council home and against restrictions on fees charged to tenants by letting agents, as well as reducing Capital Gains Tax.
Rogue landlords
It also appears that he's keen to banish rotten apples and provide new homes; in 2017, he quizzed the then Communities Secretary Sajid Javid, asking: "What steps is your department taking to promote responsible letting and deal with rogue landlords?"
Earlier this year, he supported Boris Johnson's plan to use publicly owned brownfield land for new homes, offering them to first-time buyers and key workers. He explained: "It is putting more people in the position to buy and ensuring people are incentivised to save for a deposit no matter their financial situation - including housing association tenants, which I've long been pushing for."
Stephenson has held a number of roles in the government, including stints as a minister for transport and in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
He tweeted that he was looking forward to working with new boss Simon Clarke, who in turn tweeted that he couldn't be more delighted that Stephenson was joining the ministerial team. "One of the most reliable, effective people in Parliament with a great track record of delivery."