Renter groups call on the next government to ‘fix our broken rental system’

Renter groups call on the next government to ‘fix our broken rental system’

0:01 AM, 13th June 2024, About 4 months ago 15

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Groups representing renters in England have sent every political party an open letter urging them to address the ‘unprecedented crisis’ facing tenants.

They say that renters ‘face constant insecurity’ from the threat of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions and that a quarter of tenants have lived in at least three rented homes in the last five years.

The letter writers – there are 27 organisations including Generation Rent and Shelter that have signed – claim that England’s private rented sector (PRS) ‘is rife with disrepair and poor conditions’.

They warn that 22% of PRS households say they don’t complain because they fear being evicted – with 46% of those who do receive a section 21 notice within six months.

‘Being charged rents they cannot afford’

The letter also highlights that annual rent rises of 9% mean low-income households are ‘being charged rents they cannot afford’ and there are no alternative housing options.

In turn, that means more people are being made homeless and putting councils under financial strain.

The letter states: “The failure to pass a Renters (Reform) Bill that delivered on these commitments in the 2019-2024 Parliament was a huge disappointment.

“The next tranche of homelessness statistics will likely show the number of households made homeless as a result of section 21 evictions since then to have reached 100,000 – a shameful number.

“Clearly, renters cannot afford more policy failures.”

‘Unaffordable in-tenancy rent increases’

The letter writers want the next government to abolish section 21 – ‘including those that take place through unaffordable in-tenancy rent increases’.

They also want ‘longer notice periods when evictions are taking place and severe penalties for landlords who abuse the new system’.

Along with a national landlords’ register, which must work alongside existing licensing schemes, it must also show the landlord’s contact and address details.

The register should also contain past enforcement action against the landlord, all eviction notices to be registered and for safety information and Energy Performance Certificate information to be listed.

It should also show the current and previous rents charged for the property.

Reinstate minimum EPC certificate of C

Despite Rishi Sunak binning the move for all rented homes to have a minimum EPC certificate of C, the letter writers want that brought back ‘as soon as possible’.

They also want councils to be funded to carry out landlord enforcement and ‘crackdown on illegal evictions’.

Landlords might raise their eyebrows to see that tenants should have access to increased legal aid funding for ‘timely legal advice’.

And the eviction case should be heard before a judge with the discretion to deny an eviction ‘when circumstances require’.

The result for the next government, the letter states, is that renters will enjoy housing that is more affordable, more secure and better quality.

Also, they will be ‘treated with respect by their landlord and the state’ if the demands are put in place.


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GlanACC

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9:35 AM, 13th June 2024, About 4 months ago

We have now come to the point where landlord fines are completely out of proportion with the 'crime'. I could drive uninsured at 80mph in a 30 limit and only be fined £200 (plenty of examples of this). I could shoplift up to £199 with impunity.

.. and council owned homes are protected from these fines. Justice, what justice.

Beaver

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10:08 AM, 13th June 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by GlanACC at 13/06/2024 - 09:35
"The letter also highlights that annual rent rises of 9% mean low-income households are ‘being charged rents they cannot afford’ and there are no alternative housing options."

That's partly because the labour, conservative and SNP governments around the UK have penalised small portfolio landlords and driven competition out of the market at a time when demand was rising. It's a crisis created by government.

One good bit of policy that's out there is the rent-a-room scheme that provides a tax advantage to rent out rooms in your principle private residence. Maybe someone should suggest that the amount of tax-free-cash available under the rent-a-room-scheme should be increased over what it is now to make it more attractive.

Rich Robson

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10:08 AM, 13th June 2024, About 4 months ago

If renters want to rent for more than 6 mths they need to pick a council house. If they change the PRS system then they need to be accountable, i.e.
Do they clean the house so mould wont form.
Do they pay rent on time. Do they clean the house.
Do they tidy the garden.
Do they keep the noise down.
Do they clean the windows
All of the above, no i didnt think so. They need to act like they want to stay, before we sell up. Its a two way street, landlords are sick of being attacked on all sides, consider this when there are only council houses left.

Freda Blogs

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10:14 AM, 13th June 2024, About 4 months ago

“Clearly, renters cannot afford more policy failures.”
Nor can landlords.
With all the legislation, the disproportionate fines for minor errors in paperwork, the hassle and fear of not being able to recover possession of our own property when tenants default - and are allowed to continue doing so through an inadequate (and often acquiescent) legal system - the financial losses as a result of the above, is it any wonder Landlords are selling up?
POLITICIANS: WAKE UP!

LaLo

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10:26 AM, 13th June 2024, About 4 months ago

I’ve also sent open letters mainly to Labour VIPs stating a LLs point of view. I’ve had some acknowledgments but little more. If a lot of other LLs do the same then it might do some good. To ‘wear them down’ seems to be the best tactic!

Beaver

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10:53 AM, 13th June 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by LaLo at 13/06/2024 - 10:26
Given that labour is dependent upon the electorate in the north of the UK, particularly Scotland, I would have thought that labour needs to highlight the fact that SNP rent controls in Scotland have made things worse because they are exacerbating the supply of housing.

Martin Roberts

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11:16 AM, 13th June 2024, About 4 months ago

Government policy to force small landlords to sell.

It’s working.

Now it’s the landlords fault.

moneymanager

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11:22 AM, 13th June 2024, About 4 months ago

'a quarter of tenants....three homes in five years', so what, I've had a tenant for five years which is their choice, others who have actively moved around the new 'hotel' like form of development, without context ALL comment is potentially deceptive.

Reluctant Landlord

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11:27 AM, 13th June 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 13/06/2024 - 10:08
"The letter also highlights that annual rent rises of 9% mean low-income households are ‘being charged rents they cannot afford’ and there are no alternative housing options."

Should read..
Landlords are having no choice than to increase ALL rents as a result of passing on additional costs they are themselves being charged, in order to be able to continue to let properties until further state provision is increased.

Ian Narbeth

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12:11 PM, 13th June 2024, About 4 months ago

Generation Rent and Shelter are doubling down on their own foolishness. The Renters Reform Bill will not deliver on commitments. When, as is inevitable, it is re-introduced by Labour (probably with some anti-landlord bells and whistles on) I predict it will make the housing crisis worse.

The Government has "delivered" a series of anti-landlord policies since Osborne's disastrous s24 tax hike. Has this made things better for tenants? No. Has it hurt landlords? Yes, undoubtedly. Will more of the same achieve a different result? Only an insane person would think so.

The Government should be subsidising housing providers (AKA private landlords) not persecuting them. Until HMG and the tenant lobby groups get that into their thick skulls and start helping those who are providing accommodation, matters will not improve.

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