The government is under fire after scrapping plans for tougher regulation of the letting industry.

A landlords register and new regulation of letting agents were to be introduced by the previous Labour administration.

The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) said cutting the plans would aid rogue landlords. Citizen's Advice also criticised the decision.

But Housing Minister Grant Shapps said the sector was already governed by a well-established framework.

He added that the government wanted to focus instead on increasing home ownership.

"With the vast majority of England's three million private tenants happy with the service they receive, I am satisfied that the current system strikes the right balance between the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords," Mr Shapps told Parliament.
Source: BBC News