Partner Forum: Ethics in rental housing for a changing landscape

Join Ethical Reading and the University of Reading for a focused panel discussion on what “ethical residential property” 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 (President, Reading Students' Union), Peter Miskell (Pro-Vice Chancellor Education and Student Experience, University of Reading), Lloyd Turner (CEO of Turner Property), and Jonathan Dinsdale (Senior associate at Blandy & Blandy), will explore the impact of the upcoming Renters’ Rights Act, including the end of no‑fault evictions, the shift to open‑ended tenancies, and stronger protections for renters — all changes that 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, and the complexity of student housing demand. Whether you rent, let property, work in housing, or simply care about a fairer rental market, this session offers valuable insight and practical perspectives.

All are welcome — come join the conversation and help shape a more ethical approach to renting in our community.

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

Tiam Kovarand - President, Reading Students' Union

Tiam Koravand is currently President of Reading Students Union whilst concurrently 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 understanding how we can expand ethical renting, especially for young adults in Reading.

Peter Miskell - Pro-Vice Chancellor Education and Student Experience, 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.

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.

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.

Cancellation with More Than 7 Days' Notice: Customers are entitled to a refund or may opt to transfer their booking to an alternative session. Refunds will be issued minus the non-refundable Eventbrite booking fee.

Cancellation with 7 Days' Notice or Less: No refunds will be issued for cancellations made within this timeframe.

Failure to Attend Without Prior Notice: Any fees paid will be forfeited in the event of a no-show without prior communication.

Rescheduling: Requests for rescheduling may be granted at the organiser's discretion. Approval is subject to session availability and may incur an additional fee.

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