Chairman’s Address to NLA AGM on 19th November 2015

2014/15 was another year of challenges for the NLA and the PRS as a whole. We have continued our work to reverse deficit and, as you will have seen from the Accounts, we are steadily moving in the right direction.

In January we completed the move forced upon us by the planned demolition of Albert Embankment, a move which was a credit to the organizational skills of our CEO and his staff, happening over a weekend with almost no disruption in our services to members. I hope you will all agree that our new surroundings, albeit smaller than our former offices, are a suitable professional setting for our work to improve the standing of the PRS.

Politically it had never been more necessary to promote the positives of the PRS

  • The vital provision of millions of homes
  • The good standards adopted by most
  • The high levels of tenant satisfaction
  • The ‘real’ average tenancy length

At the end of the last Financial Year we were approaching a General Election and, with that date fixed, the Lobby and Pressure Groups had had plenty of time toDemonize the PRS for all the ills of the housing crisis. And many politicians were listening. Our staff worked diligently to publicise the worst excesses of many Manifesto Proposals, provide evidence of their likely effectand galvanise landlords to think very hard about how they used their vote. We know now that we were spared the effective end of s21, proposed by the Labour PartyBUT we face a more subtle erosion of that confidence-building lifeline, for landlords, on which the growth of the PRS has been built PLUS serious attacks on our pocket so the campaigning work must continueAnd in the light of the roll out of the

  • Immigration Act,
  • New Requirements in the Deregulation Act
  • The New Housing & Planning Bill
  • Coupled with radical changes in the Devolved Regions

Our support, training and advice services are more vital than ever to existing members And to the many more who are joining the NLA every month. Sometimes we do have to make hard choices about what we can undertake but the Board recognises that Stable Finances are fundamental to underpin our work for and on behalf of the PRS.We will continue to focus on those to ensure that we use our resources to the best possible effect to support our members.

Thank you for joining us today. I do hope that you have a safe journey home. Please do stay and meet the Board if you have time.

That brings to an end the formal business of the meeting. Thank you for your attendance.