Labour calls on Sunak to bring in urgent protections for renters as risks of evictions rise
Labour has called on the government to urgently introduce a package of protections for private renters, as the Tory mortgage bombshell and rampant inflation threaten to hammer renters and put them at risk of eviction.
It comes as new analysis by the party shows Tory failure to protect renters is affecting thousands of families in areas across the UK, including 12,400 households in Ipswich and 63,000 households across Suffolk as a whole.
Labour is calling on Sunak to face down his MPs that are blocking reform, and act urgently to implement much needed protections.
The government recently published a package of reforms to protect renters, but there are significant doubts about the progress of the legislation after backbench Tory MPs began a concerted briefing campaign against the Bill, with as many as 50 Tory MPs reportedly prepared to vote against it.
Labour announced a comprehensive Private Renter’s Charter in 2022 with a package of measures to make renting fairer, more secure and more affordable, including a ban on no-fault evictions, lengthening notice periods for landlords seeking repossession, making deposits more flexible and a new code of practice for letting agents.
Labour is calling on the government to urgently implement some of these measures to help with the current economic turmoil, starting with:
- Banning no-fault evictions
· Lengthening notice periods in cases of repossession
· A code of practice for letting agents to stamp out bad practice and ensure renters are treated fairly
The Conservatives promised to ban no-fault evictions over four years ago, but opposition from backbench MPs means reform has stalled, leaving renters without badly needed protections after the Tories mismanaged the economy over 13 years and then crashed it, sending the housing market into turmoil.
Jack Abbott, Labour and Co-operative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Ipswich, said:
“For some time, the rental market has needed real reform, with thousands of renters in Suffolk afforded wafer-thin rights and protections. The cost of living crisis has left many people looking over their shoulders, fearful that they could be evicted from their home at a moment’s notice.
“We have got to end the bad practices and the exploitation that exist in some parts of the rental sector – these protections will finally give renters in Ipswich and Suffolk security and dignity.”
Lisa Nandy MP, Shadow Housing Secretary, said:
“While ministers and Tory MPs argue amongst themselves, renters are left in limbo waiting for basic reforms that are long overdue, and grappling with the fallout from the Tory mortgage bombshell.
“Labour will never treat renters as second-class citizens. We will make renting fairer, more secure and more affordable with our Renters’ Charter.
“We will scrap no-fault evictions, introduce a four-month notice period for landlords, a national register of landlords, and a suite of new rights for tenants – including the right to make alterations to your home, the right to request speedy repairs, and the right to have pets.”