Rented housing sector consumer research project

The CMA has launched a consumer protection project to identify key issues for landlords and their tenants across the UK.

• From: Competition and Markets Authority
• Published: 28 February 2023
• Last updated: 19 December 2023 — See all updates

• Case type: Consumer enforcement
• Case state: Open
• Market sector: Building and construction
• Opened: 28 February 2023

Administrative timetable

Date	Action
28 February 2023	Project launch
25 August 2023	Update report published

Project update

19 December 2023: Since the publication of our Update Report on 25 August 2023, we have continued to engage with the sector and progress our work focusing on ‘zero-deposit’ schemes, sham licences, guarantees, potentially unlawful discrimination and exit and other event fees in retirement homes.

Our work on those issues continues and we will consider whether enforcement action is appropriate as part of our work. We also currently expect to update our guidance for letting agents as outlined in our draft Annual Plan 2024 to 2025 (paragraph 6.7) and will provide a further update in Spring 2024

25 August 2023: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published an update report following its 3 month period of engagement. The report summarises the feedback we received from a wide variety of stakeholders and identifies the areas where we intend to focus in the next stage of our work.

• Private rented sector housing report (PDF, 539 KB) (25.8.23)

The CMA has also published an update on the CMA’s work in the housing sector.

• Press Notice: CMA update on work in housing sector (25.8.23)

Project information

28 February 2023: During its leasehold investigation, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has come across a number of challenges faced by landlords and their tenants within the private rented sector.

We want to develop further our understanding of the issues in the rented housing market, which includes a wide range of rented accommodation as well as the private rented sector, to see if these challenges reflect current positions across the UK market.

Over the 3 month period of this project, we will be reaching out to stakeholders in Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and England to identify the key consumer protection issues for landlords and their tenants.

This project is separate to the CMA’s market study into Housebuilding.

Contacts

• Assistant Project Director: Pauline Keane, pauline.keane@cma.gov.uk
• Project Director: Simon Jones, simon.jones@cma.gov.uk
• Senior Responsible Officer: George Lusty, george.lusty@cma.gov.uk

Published 28 February 2023
Last updated 19 December 2023 + show all updates

1. 19 December 2023

   Project updated

2. 25 August 2023

   Housebuilding update

3. 28 February 2023

   First published.