Ms Margaret McCormick:

There are housing standards and regulations for rented houses. They need to be and normally are enforced. The problem with them is that the assessment criteria is a pass or fail. If there is one thing wrong, like a vent blocked or something missing from the kitchen, it is a fail. We already have a system there that can be used. Properties can be inspected and dealt with. Looking for something more is just going to add more bureaucracy and more time, energy and cost to the running of the property. If we have to bring in something that is done on an annual basis, we would have to pay somebody to do it and get them into the property to do it. If the property cannot be let without that, then we will have massive issues until we can clear that. There is a cost and bureaucracy associated with that. The vast majority of rental accommodation was built in the past 30 years. Such a huge proportion is new property that there should not be problems with it. It just does not make sense to bring something else in that is going to cost more. If there is a problem in a property, the local authority is already charged with inspecting it. It can deal with the inspection and ensure the-----