Landlords with buy to let insurance are among those most concerned at the Government's plans to cut the level of housing benefit paid.
They will no doubt have looked on with some interest as the welfare reform minister Lord Freud announced a "comprehensive and thorough" independent review into the effects of the proposal.
Responding to a motion in Parliament tabled by Lord Best, Lord Freud stated: "I make a firm commitment to the House that we intend to commission independent, external research to help us evaluate the impact of the reforms."
The announcement means Government proposals subject to the review include the:
* Removal of the five bedroom Local Housing Allowance rate;
* Introduction of absolute cap on weekly rates;
* Removal of £15 weekly Housing Benefit excess;
* Inclusion of an additional bedroom for those with need for overnight care;
* Setting of Local Housing Allowance rates at the 30th percentile.
Lord Freud went on to state that other issues to be covered in the review would be homelessness, shared room rate and houses in multiple occupation and people with disabilities and working claimants.
Interim results are expected in the summer of 2012.
Ian Fletcher, director of policy for the British Property Federation, said: "We welcome this announcement and would urge Government to hold off on further planned waves of reform until the interim results of the review are made available."
Whatever the outcome of the review, there are a number of economic signals which indicate that increasing numbers of tenants - whether or not they are on housing benefit - are struggling to pay their rent.
It is therefore prudent that landlords protect their income against tenants defaulting by taking out rent guarantee insurance.
