"Given the fact that landlords have had to contend with a revolving door of housing ministers for more than decade, it should come as no surprise to see them struggling to keep track of who currently holds the post"
- Rob Stanton - Landbay
Only 11% of landlords could correctly name Matthew Pennycook as the Minister of State for Housing and Planning, according to a new survey by Landbay. The research highlights widespread uncertainty among landlords about who currently holds the housing brief, despite Pennycook having served in the role since Labour’s election win in July 2024.
The majority of respondents were unable to identify Pennycook, who is also the Member of Parliament for Greenwich and Woolwich. When asked the same question in May, many landlords named Angela Rayner, who at the time held the dual positions of Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. Other responses included Lisa Nandy, Julie James, the Welsh Minister for Delivery, and Baroness Rachel Maclean, a former housing minister under Rishi Sunak.
Some landlords gave more colourful answers, while others expressed frustration at how frequently the position changes hands. One landlord said, “No. it has changed too many times,” while another commented, “No idea - probably won’t be in post long anyway.”
Pennycook is the 17th housing minister since 2010, when the Conservatives came to power. From Grant Shapps’ appointment that year, the role changed 16 times during the party’s 14 years in office, including six different ministers between 2022 and 2023 alone. At cabinet level, there has been similar turnover, with Steve Reed now serving as the 12th housing secretary since 2010 and the second to hold the post under the current Labour government.
Pennycook is likely to be best known to landlords for his work alongside former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner on the Renters’ Rights Bill. Most recently, he has helped the legislation pass through its final stages in the House of Commons by rejecting nearly all amendments proposed by the House of Lords. He is now urging that the Bill receive Royal Assent “as quickly as possible”.
Meanwhile, Rayner’s successor as housing secretary, Steve Reed, has pledged to “build baby build” as part of Labour’s commitment to accelerate housebuilding. In an address to civil servants, Reed said he intends to use every available measure to boost development and meet the government’s targets.
Rob Stanton (pictured), sales and distribution director at Landbay, commented, “Given the fact that landlords have had to contend with a revolving door of housing ministers for more than decade, it should come as no surprise to see them struggling to keep track of who currently holds the post."
"One way for ministers to fix this issue is to actively engage with the landlord community, understand their challenges and recognise the vital role they play in propping up the housing market and providing housing for one in five households in England and Wales. Instead, they continue to test the incredible resilience of landlords with unhelpful rhetoric and one-sided legislation.”
He added, “While ministers and policy may change, landlords can rely on the BTL market for continued support – whether it’s the expert advice of intermediaries to facilitate deals, or lenders such as Landbay continuing to drive innovation to support landlords in expanding or refinancing. The combination of quality advice and agile, forward-thinking lending will enable landlords to navigate this shifting landscape and confidently plan for the long term.”
