{"value":{"id":77544,"askingMemberId":4038,"askingMember":null,"house":"Commons","memberHasInterest":false,"dateTabled":"2014-07-14T00:00:00","dateForAnswer":"2014-07-17T00:00:00","uin":"205528","questionText":"To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many complaints have been made to his Department in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14 against landlords and letting agents by tenants in the private rented sector.","answeringBodyId":7,"answeringBodyName":"Department for Communities and Local Government","isWithdrawn":false,"isNamedDay":true,"groupedQuestions":[],"answerIsHolding":false,"answerIsCorrection":false,"answeringMemberId":4009,"answeringMember":null,"correctingMemberId":null,"correctingMember":null,"dateAnswered":"2014-07-17T00:00:00","answerText":"<p> </p><p>My Department does not hold this information.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities have extensive powers to take action against landlords who do not fulfil their legal obligations to tenants, or who fail to maintain their properties adequately. All complaints about landlords should be directed towards the relevant local authority.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Letting agents are required to comply with Consumer Protection Legislation, and anyone who has concerns about a letting agent can raise this with Trading Standards.</p><p> </p><p>However, to strengthen the hand of consumers, we have introduced new legislation which will require all letting and managing agents in England to belong to an approved redress scheme. The Government is also introducing legislation which will ban letting agents from charging hidden fees.</p><p> </p>","originalAnswerText":"","comparableAnswerText":"","dateAnswerCorrected":null,"dateHoldingAnswer":"2014-07-17T00:00:00","attachmentCount":0,"heading":"Private Rented Housing: Complaints","attachments":[],"groupedQuestionsDates":[]},"links":[{"rel":"self","href":"/Questions/77544","method":"GET"}]}