Councils ‘must take over ex-private rental Right To Buy flats’

A pro-tenant group wants the next government to take Right To Buy properties back to public ownership when they come up for sale on the open market.

The demand comes in a lengthy manifesto drawn up for “the next government” but oriented strongly towards existing Labour Party policies and statements. 

Generation Rent - whose chief executive, Ben Twomey,  is a former Labour local candidate - says it wants an end to Right To Buy in England.

It has already effectively been outlawed in Scotland and Wales.

In a manifesto for the July 4 General Election it adds: “There should be a clear commitment to giving local authorities and community-led housing schemes first refusal on private rented properties entering the market, to buy them back into public ownership.”

The rest of the Generation Rent manifesto makes familiar reading to those who have followed the process of the ill-fated Renters Reform Bill.

The activist group wants:

“Ending unfair evictions - Renters are waiting for an end to Section 21 no fault evictions which landlords can use to unfairly kick them out, denying them security in their homes”; 

“Stamp out illegal evictions - Local councils must have a legal duty, and proper resources available, to investigate and prosecute landlords who illegally evict tenants”;

“Open-ended tenancies - All tenancies should be open-ended for all tenants, so they can leave when they need to and can expect to stay as long as they like”;

“Safe, healthy and decent homes - The legal standards around safety and quality should be the same in all tenures, including in temporary accommodation (as well as privately rented and social housing)”;

“Landlord Register - There should be mandatory national registration of all private landlords, agents, and rented properties”;

“Rent controls - An affordable home is increasingly out of reach for many, with high rents pushing more and more people into financial hardship”;

“Deposit Reform - The government should implement a passporting system, allowing tenants to automatically transfer the value of their deposit to their next tenancy”;

“Green homes fit for the future, and an end to fuel poverty - All rented homes should be brought up to an Energy Performance Certificate rating of C or above”;

“A welfare system that supports safe, secure, affordable homes - Local Housing Allowance must be unfrozen and made immediately available to any tenant when they need to claim this”;

“Private Renters to Have Control Over Their Homes - Accessing Disabled Facilities Grants should be made simpler to ensure tenants can stay in their homes and get adaptations quickly, especially with the increasing number of elderly and disabled private tenants”;

“End Discrimination in Renting - End ‘Right to Rent’ and nationality requirements for social housing. There should be no immigration checks in licensing or enforcement regimes”;

“Renters Right to Organise - Renters have a right to join a union and must not face retaliatory action from landlords for doing so. Unions should be consulted proactively by the government, and given a seat at the table when making decisions that will affect renters”;

“Improve access to justice for private renters - Legal aid for housing cases should be restored and extended to cover legal costs challenging disrepair in court.”