Landlord MPs amendments threaten progress on Renters Reform Bill claim campaigners

Landlord MPs amendments threaten progress on Renters Reform Bill claim campaigners

9:39 AM, 21st February 2024, About 3 months ago 18

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Campaigners are warning the Renters (Reform) Bill is being watered down by MPs.

The Renters Reform Coalition and Shelter claim a group of backbench MPs who are also landlords are delaying the bill for their own interests.

Analysis of the Register of MP’s Financial Interests conducted by the Renters’ Reform Coalition reveals that five out of the ten MPs in England with the biggest landlord portfolios are involved.

Significantly render the legislation

According to Shelter, there are a total of 68 Conservative MPs who are landlords as well as 16 from Labour and two Liberal Democrats.

The housing charity says they each earn thousands of pounds from these properties.

The Renters Reform Coalition claim a group of 40 Conservative MPs are tabling amendments to the Bill which will “significantly render” the legislation.

According to the organisation, amendments tabled by Conservative MP Anthony Mangnall, include proposals to allow ‘hearsay’ evidence to be used in evictions over antisocial behaviour, delay the bill’s implementation indefinitely and abolish council licensing schemes intended to drive up standards.

Twelve of the 40 MPs who have signed the amendments (30%) are themselves landlords of properties in England with the total number of properties being let out by MPs who have signed the amendments sitting at 48.

Duty to their constituents to deliver reforms

Tom Darling, campaign manager of the Renters’ Reform Coalition, told the Negotiator magazine the government must not bow down to backbench MPs: “Of course, being a landlord doesn’t mean you can’t be an MP.

“But we think those who personally profit from England’s broken rental market have a particular duty to their constituents to deliver reforms to the private rented sector. Indeed, they all stood on manifestos to do just that in 2019.”

He adds: “It is therefore extremely concerning to see these MPs signing up to amendments that would render significant parts of the legislation pointless.

“What’s more, the government have now invested so much politically in this issue that we are concerned they might be looking to make concessions to these rebels to pass the bill quickly and say they have abolished no-fault evictions – despite in reality introducing a system that won’t be much better.”

Ban Section 21

Recently, Housing Secretary Michael Gove pledged to ban Section 21 evictions ‘no fault’ evictions by the next election.

He said: “We will have outlawed it, and we will have put the money into the courts in order to ensure that they can enforce that.”

The Renters (Reform) Bill passed the committee stage last year and is currently in the report stage with a date yet to be announced for its third reading.


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Comments

Reluctant Landlord

15:45 PM, 21st February 2024, About 3 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Dave the Rave at 21/02/2024 - 14:08
I would hope so too....but....like some LL's they may have shifted or thinking of moving to Air BnB or holiday lets or in fact selling up themselves.

If they are a Tory MP in marginal seat and it looks like Labour will get in, they could be looking to cut and run by moving who they rent to and how they rent ( a move to supported accommodation or HMO from single lets?) - or maybe the rental income is what they need to live on if they are out of a job after the GE???

At the end of they day they will ONLY vote for what's best for them believe me....

Seamus Walsh

17:08 PM, 21st February 2024, About 3 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Cider Drinker at 21/02/2024 - 08:54
Hold on, I'll just get my violin.
Tenants are currently forking out more in rent than most landlords ever paid in mortgage repayments and you expect sympathy?!
Most will never now own their own property because buy to let landlords have priced them out of the market by using property as an investment.
Nothing wrong with that in theory but the whole market is broken because of interest only mortgages and greedy estate agents and landlords.
"My yield is down!"
Boo hoo.
Then sell up or shut up.

TheMaluka

17:27 PM, 21st February 2024, About 3 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Seamus Walsh at 21/02/2024 - 17:08
"Sell up or Shut up"
Seamus this is a forum to exchange ideas and opinions, that you do not like some of the views exressed does not mean that they should not be voiced.

Ryan Stevens

17:39 PM, 21st February 2024, About 3 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Seamus Walsh at 21/02/2024 - 17:08
We are selling up. Can you afford to buy a property now?

If not, then don't blame the landlord. We need a reward for the risk we take and to deal with all the regulations and hassle. If the reward is not worth the risk then we will sell and there will be less rental stock for tenants.

Monty Bodkin

18:31 PM, 21st February 2024, About 3 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Seamus Walsh at 21/02/2024 - 17:49
"evicting people for no other reason than to increase rents simply to maximise profits"

Why bother going through a lengthy eviction process when a section 13 rent increase notice would achieve the same end and be far simpler and quicker?

(Clue; there is always another reason.)

Martin Roberts

18:51 PM, 21st February 2024, About 3 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Monty Bodkin at 21/02/2024 - 18:31
If you evicted a good tenant you would almost certainly have a void, so no rent for 2/3 months, council tax payable during that time, and decorating certain to be required, which would likely wipe out any increase, and more.

I've never heard of a landlord evicting a good tenant for no reason, any more than a pub landlord would just ban good customers.

Denise G

19:39 PM, 21st February 2024, About 3 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Falco van der Gragt at 21/02/2024 - 09:53Far be it from me to defend an MP of any persuasion - but I came here to say just that: maybe actual landlords - even if they are MPs too - might just have a better grasp of what the RRB will actually achieve as opposed to simply swallowing Generation Rent and Shelter's etc's ill-informed drivel about what it will do

Monty Bodkin

22:24 PM, 21st February 2024, About 3 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Martin Roberts at 21/02/2024 - 18:51
I know, you're quite right.

Just feel sorry for the naive and ignorant who genuinely believe this guff and can't see the obvious train crash coming.

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