It appears that the Renters Reform Bill - a key measure in the 2019 Conservative General Election manifesto - has been pushed into the long grass.
The pledge was for this Bill to include the scrapping of Section 21 eviction powers and the start of the concept of lifetime deposits transferable from one property to another when a tenant moves.
No date has been made available in Parliamentary business for the Bill to be introduced, although it was announced in the Queen’s Speech last December as being a measure that would be initiated in 2020.
However, housing minister Christopher Pincher has now told the Commons: “We will do that at the appropriate time when there is a sensible and stable economic and social terrain on which to do it.”
The Bill is one of dozens of proposed pieces of legislation to have been pushed back as Parliamentary and civil service time is increasingly occupied by Coronavirus and Brexit.
Labour housing spokeswoman Thangam Debbonaire opposes the delay and says: “The situation facing renters couldn’t be more urgent. Lifting the ban on evictions as we head into a second Covid spike is irresponsible and a betrayal of their promise that no renter will lose their home because of Coronavirus.
“Renters are being served Section 21 notices, leading to automatic evictions, as we speak. This legislation cannot wait.”
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter adds: “This pandemic has plunged over 300,000 private renters into arrears and brutally exposed the chronic insecurity of privately renting. With the evictions ban over and this deadly virus on the rise again, the government must give struggling renters the lifeline of emergency funding to clear Covid-arrears and stay in their homes.
"The government should be creating stability now by passing this legislation, not putting it off. It needs to urgently bring forward its Renters Reform Bill and honour its promise to scrap ‘Section 21’ no fault evictions. Otherwise, struggling renters across the country will feel betrayed as they continue to suffer.”
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Someone tell “Twangem” that evictions are ANYTHING BUT AUTOMATIC. Typical deluded, misinformed MP.
I agree with Polly, the insecurity of private renting ... solution is either buy your own or move into social housing, speak to your local MP about your free social housing availability
“Renters are being served Section 21 notices, leading to automatic evictions, as we speak." LOL, good one. What planet is Debbonaire on?
If Polly Neate is so concerned about tenants ability to pay their arrears maybe her organization should set up an interest free loan scheme to help these unfortunate people pay back the debt to their landlords ...................THOUGHT NOT ..!!
Where did the over 300,000 number come from. She should be sitting on what she is clearly talking out of.
This welcome news gives LL opportunity to adjust their business models to ensure they are super resilient as and when these regulations are inevitably introduced.
Reducing leverage and/or selling off would be excellent ways of ensuring financial resilience.
Changing from AST lettings to families would be useful.
So let a 4 bed house to 4 unrelated sharers.
Faced with a rent defaulting occupant at least the remaining 3 will or should be paying.
LL have been given a great opportunity to rearrange their affairs so as not to impacted by these new regulations.
I reckon it will be at least 3 years away for these regulations to be functional.
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