Member

It is right that landlords should not be granted possession where they have failed to meet the basic legal obligation of registering on the database. The database will be essential in helping to confirm that properties meet standards, and tenants deserve protection where landlords have failed to ensure that they and their rental properties are registered on the database. It must be clear to landlords that they have a legal obligation to ensure that they are registered on the database. Retaining the ability to amend this restriction means that we can ensure that this works for both parties when the Bill is implemented. Let me reassure the noble Baroness that we are designing the database so that it is as user-friendly as possible for landlords to register, and we are engaging with landlords accordingly to test this. For all the reasons that I have set out, I ask the noble Baroness, Lady Scott, not to press these amendments.