Greens demand rent freeze and eviction ban

Greens demand rent freeze and eviction ban

10:23 AM, 28th November 2022, About A year ago 17

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An immediate cap on rent increases and a ban on no-fault evictions until at least the end of March 2023 are being demanded by the Green Party.

The party says the government must urgently bring forward its promised Renters Reform Bill in time to stave off ‘a winter of evictions and homelessness’.

And, they say, the government’s reforms must include an immediate ban on evictions and rent rises.

Landlords issuing no-fault eviction notices

The party’s call comes after it was revealed that thousands of tenants are at risk of homelessness after a 76% rise in the number of landlords issuing no-fault eviction notices.

The data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government reveals that 5,940 households in England are at risk after being handed a Section 21 eviction notice between April and June.

That’s up from 3,380 in the same period in 2021.

‘Bill must include an immediate cap on rent increases’

Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, said: “The Bill must include an immediate cap on rent increases until at least the end of March 2023, as well as a ban on no-fault evictions over the same period to prevent landlords evicting tenants in order to raise rents.”

In Scotland, where the Scottish Greens are in government with the SNP, similar measures have already become law.

The party also points to average rental prices outside London becoming an issue for renters after they hit a high of £1,162 a month, jumping 11% in the past year.

The legislation is still a ‘priority’

The UK government produced a White Paper in June and housing minister Andrew Stephenson told Parliament in October the legislation is still a ‘priority’.

Ms Denyer said: “Knowing that you have a secure home over winter is vital for both physical and mental health.

“Households already face soaring energy and food costs; the last thing they need, on top of everything else they have to contend with, is unaffordable rent rises and the fear of being evicted.”

‘Rising private rents and increasing evictions’

She added: “Rising private rents and increasing evictions have also been cited as major causes of a dramatic increase in homelessness in London and other cities.

“The number of people sleeping rough on the capital’s streets has jumped by a shocking 24% in the past year.

“We are calling on the government to introduce an immediate freeze on rent rises and a ban on evictions by landlords who simply want to increase rents between tenancies.

“The Scottish government has introduced legislation to safeguard tenants this winter. We want to see the housing minister introduce similar measures in England, and for the Senedd to use its devolved powers to do so in Wales.”


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Comments

Loggolad

10:38 AM, 28th November 2022, About A year ago

My tenants have been with me for almost a decade and throughout this time I can honestly say my rent has either not been paid on time or there has been a shortfall 90% of the time.
I've worked through this with them as they have a young family but can not keep on doing this indefinitely so due to the arrears creeping up I've now issued them with a S21 and guess what, I'm now the worst landlord out there and a horrible horrible man.....Do they not understand???
Shelter, do you not understand? there are caring landlords out there who try and work with their tenants to keep a safe roof over their heads but if the tenants cant or won't pay their rents on time and in full what are we landlords supposed to do? If you have a car on Hire Purchase and fail to pay they come and take it away. Just the same as if you were an owner occupier, if you cant meet the monthly mortgage payments the mortgage company comes and reposes the house.
BTW the rent which the tenants pay me is 20% below the current market price.

nekillim200

11:43 AM, 28th November 2022, About A year ago

How about the Greens petitioning the Government to guarantee the overdue rents payable to the landlords, then the tenants would not need to be evicted?

Smiffy

11:44 AM, 28th November 2022, About A year ago

Who?
Green Party?

do they even have an MP?

Porky

11:53 AM, 28th November 2022, About A year ago

The Welsh government have already said they would not follow Scotland on the rent freeze or section 21 removal for fear of losing thousands of PRS properties and increasing the housing crisis. Its unusual to hear Dripford come out with anything sensible but he did in this instance.

JB

12:20 PM, 28th November 2022, About A year ago

Yeah, and why not call for a price freeze on groceries and fuel while they're at it?

...oh and MAKE them sell their groceris and fuel regardless of whether or not they make a loss.

Nelly101

12:27 PM, 28th November 2022, About A year ago

I like many landlords understand the difficult times we are in,but what stupidity these folk have.Are the mortgage companies going to freeze mortgage payments,that will be a big fat NO.Why should landlords subsidise housing because of goverment policies.where are they going to rehouse everyone once landlords quit .What planet do these folk live on ,or is it just vote gathering.

dismayed landlord

12:30 PM, 28th November 2022, About A year ago

Give them what they want! And shelter, generation rent et al.
Let the mortgage companies sort the eviction out when the mortgage is not paid. Declare bankruptcy when landlords cannot get the EPC work done and pay the continuing increasing costs.refuse to pay the fines from the councils etc.
At least we will be liked then by someone!!
For a while!
Sick and tired of waking up every morning to get another media and tenants support group attack on landlords.
You tell anyone they are bad long enough and eventually they start to believe it. It’s a drip drip of mental bullying.
I admit I am becoming what they are telling me I am!
A landlord that no longer cares! My sympathies are all used up.
Yes I am selling up.

Steve Masters

12:36 PM, 28th November 2022, About A year ago

If the government want to freeze housing rents like they froze energy prices then the government needs to compensate housing provides like they compensated the energy providers.

Freda Blogs

13:43 PM, 28th November 2022, About A year ago

I agree with much of what has been said above.
Who is this woman and what is SHE doing to help the housing crisis? What right does she have to 'demand' that Landlords' assets, Landlords' money, Landlords' own financial well-being should be compromised through the measures she proposes?
Her election platform was climate matters (per Wikipedia). Unless and until she has walked in a Landlord's shoes, perhaps she should keep her demands to herself. I wonder how she would respond if Landlords started making demands upon her and her livelihood.
PRS Landlords are not a substitute for the social housing sector, although increasingly we are expected to behave as though we are, through the proposed rental reform provisions such as longer-term security of tenure etc etc.
Like others, I am truly sick and tired of the constant landlord bashing. The returns are no longer adequate to put up with all the hassle and negativity, and I'm selling. The toxicity of the PRS these days is pushing so many of us out, creating a more severe housing crisis.

When will Ms Denyer and the rest of the government cronies get it?

NewYorkie

14:02 PM, 28th November 2022, About A year ago

First, anyone receiving an eviction notice now, will not be evicted until next Summer, at least. The courts are backed-up from the last eviction ban, and tenants have plenty of tricks they can use to delay and obfuscate.

The last ban meant a £20,000 loss for me, from a single tenant... and he was working and receiving SEISS! Meanwhile, I had covid really badly, had to stop working, was earning nothing and living off savings [because Sunak refused to support small business directors], other residents in the block were subjected to ASB with drug and drink-fuelled parties throughout lockdown [where were the Police?], and the stress badly affected my mental health.

I have sold that property, and will sell my remaining property, because it is not worth ruining my health and financial wellbeing for the sake of providing subsidised housing to those who don't deserve it.

Ony top of that, my mortgage payment has doubled, and all other costs have increased, to the point where the rent does not cover my costs. Perhaps this green woman can suggest a way forward for me to keep my tenant in situ. Otherwise, I will be issuing a S21 in the near future.

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