What does ethics in the rental housing sector mean to you?
Join Ethical Reading and the University of Reading for a focused panel discussion on what ethics in the rental housing market really means today.
With major reforms reshaping private renting and growing interest in fair, transparent landlord–tenant relationships, this event explores how ethics can guide better housing outcomes for everyone.
Our speakers, Tiam Kovarand (Reading Students’ Union), Peter Miskell and Molli Cleaver (University of Reading), Lloyd Turner (Turner Property) and Jonathan Dinsdale (Blandy & Blandy) will explore the impact of the upcoming Renters’ Rights Act. This will include the end of no‑fault evictions, the shift to open‑ended tenancies and stronger protections for renters. All these changes will significantly affect both landlords and tenants.
We’ll also look at what ethical practice looks like in real‑world settings: from fair treatment and responsible management to navigating legal obligations with integrity.
We’ll then bring the conversation closer to home, examining key challenges in Reading such as affordability pressures, rental supply shortages, the complexity of student housing demand and changing HMO licensing.
Whether you rent, let property, work in housing, or simply care about a fairer rental market, this session will offer valuable insight and practical perspectives.
All are welcome – come and join the conversation and help to shape a more ethical approach to renting in our community.
AGENDA
16:00 -16:30: Arrive, get drinks & snacks, network
16:30 -17:10: Panel discussion
17:10 – 17:30: Q&A, summary & wrap-up
17:30 – 18:00: Networking
LOCATION
Room G03, Building L22, London Road Campus, University of Reading, 27 London Road, Reading RG1 5AG
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Tiam Kovarand – President of Reading Students’ Union
Tiam Koravand is currently President of Reading Students’ Union and a second-year English Literature and History student. Within her tenure she has revigorated the student publication, SPARK, highlighting student voices and opinions on life, politics, culture and more. Alongside her projects, Tiam’s role endeavours to make sure student needs and voices are heard. She is looking forward to discussing how we can expand ethical renting, especially for young adults in Reading.
Peter Miskell – Pro-Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience at the University of Reading
Professor Peter Miskell is Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Student Experience) at the University of Reading. Within that role he has strategic oversight of the University’s provision of student accommodation, which is managed in partnership with UPP. More widely, his role involves ensuring that the delivery of education at the university is responsive to the evolving makeup of the student body and the changing nature of the student experience. Cost of living pressures, and the way these impact student decisions about where to live (and work), are very much at the forefront of this work.
Molli Cleaver – Community Engagement Manager at the University of Reading
Molli is Community Engagement Manager at the University of Reading. She joined the University in 2016 as a student, graduating in 2019 with an undergraduate degree in English Literature. Over this time, Molli has had plenty of renter experience, both as a student and a young professional. With her remit of supporting students and residents in the local neighbourhood, Molli is keen to hold conversations like this event that bring together representatives from across sectors to work together to uphold a strong sense of ethics in renting.
Jonathan Dinsdale – Senior associate at Blandy & Blandy
Jonathan Dinsdale is a senior associate in the Dispute Resolution team at leading Thames Valley law firm Blandy & Blandy. He specialises in advising on property-related disputes, dealing with commercial and residential property matters and advising both organisations and individual clients. Jonathan is a member of the Property Litigation Association (PLA) and has been recommended in the Legal 500.
A NOTE ON THE FEE
Ethical Reading is a Community Interest Company (CIC) dedicated to keeping our costs as low as possible. We are a volunteer-led, virtual organisation with just two part-time staff members.
While we strive to minimise expenses, there are unavoidable costs associated with running our operations. To help cover these, we have introduced a small fee. However, if you’re unable to pay this fee, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected]. We’ll provide you with a discount code to fully cover the fee, ensuring accessibility for all. This session is also free for employees of our Partner organisations and Ethical Reading volunteers.
