Generation Rent joins the chorus for a new Renters (Reform) Bill

Generation Rent joins the chorus for a new Renters (Reform) Bill

0:01 AM, 6th June 2024, About a month ago 12

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Following on the heels of the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), Generation Rent is also calling for the next government to bring in a new Renters (Reform) Bill as a matter of urgency.

It says this will protect households and families from homelessness – and the organisation wants more social and affordable homes to be built to help bring down the cost of renting.

Research from Generation Rent reveals that just under a quarter of councils in England spent £1 in every £20 of their Core Spending Power (CPS) on temporary accommodation in 2022-23.

Of these councils, 20 (8%) spent at least £1 in every £10 of their CSP on temporary accommodation.

Leading cause of homelessness

The organisation’s chief executive, Ben Twomey, said: “Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions remain a leading cause of homelessness in our country.

“Now, more than ever, private renters need a new law to end these unfair evictions and grant us the proper protections we need to keep us safe from homelessness.”

He added: “After many delays and watering-down of the Bill, the government scrapped the Renters (Reform) Bill after calling the election.

“The Bill was already not in a fit state to offer renters the vital protections that they need, yet further delays mean that renters will continue to be driven into temporary accommodation.”

Introduce long-overdue reforms

Mr Twomey continued: “It is now a matter of urgency that the next government introduce these long-overdue reforms to make renting work for the millions of private renters and the local communities being saddled with spiralling temporary accommodation costs.

“The shocking strain that the cost of temporary accommodation now has on local councils is totally preventable.

“Where once people were able to find safe and affordable homes, we are now living in total insecurity, within a cruel and broken system.”

The research reveals which councils are spending the most on temporary accommodation and they are Hastings – 49.3%, Crawley – 30.1%, Arun – 26.0%, Swale – 22.4% and Rother – 19.8%.

According to the Local Government Association, the number of households living in temporary accommodation has risen by 89% over the past decade, costing councils at least £1.74 billion in 2022/23 in total spending.


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Comments

Cider Drinker

9:01 AM, 6th June 2024, About a month ago

How does keeping a bad tenant in a property reduce homelessness?

Every tenant protected this way denies another homeless tenant the chance of a home.

Homes don’t disappear when tenants are evicted. They are often let go somebody that is in temporary accommodation.

Rather than removing Section 21, it would be fairer to give private tenants a maximum tenancy of (for example) 5 years. They could use this time to save a deposit to buy a home of their own or the LA could build a home for the tenant to move to. This system would help those in temporary accommodation and ensure that all families suffer the scourge of temporary accommodation in their fair share .

(Tongue firmly in cheek)

christine walker

11:23 AM, 6th June 2024, About 4 weeks ago

I would think the majority of section 21 notices are served because the tenant has not paid the rent or has neglected the property. Most landlords, myself included want good tenants to stay, look after the property and pay the rent on time.

Old Mrs Landlord

12:06 PM, 6th June 2024, About 4 weeks ago

Reply to the comment left by Cider Drinker at 06/06/2024 - 09:01Not only does keeping a bad tenant in a property not reduce homelessness, it may well reduce supply of homes for rent since the landlord may be forced to sell up to rid himself of a tenant who is not paying or is damaging the property, driving neighbours to distraction or some other "last straw" which prompts an "enough is enough" reaction whereas a replacement tenant could have been benefiting from the accommodation. Tenants' advocates are fond of pointing out that houses don't disappear when sold but fail to recognise that neither does rental accommodation disappear when a tenant is evicted.

Seething Landlord

12:25 PM, 6th June 2024, About 4 weeks ago

It's all smoke and mirrors. S21 is not and never has been the cause of homelessness but to admit that does not suit the agenda of the propagandists.

northern landlord

12:39 PM, 6th June 2024, About 4 weeks ago

Reply to the comment left by Old Mrs Landlord at 06/06/2024 - 12:06
I would imagine that after an eviction many landlords will be very tempted to just throw in the towel and sell up so some rental accommodation does disappear when tenants are evicted. Locally to me many tenants are being served section 21 notices because the landlord needs to sell out of financial necessity or wants to sell to get out of the PRS while still relatively easy and use the money tied up for something else.

DAMIEN RAFFERTY

13:00 PM, 6th June 2024, About 4 weeks ago

Well Mr Ben Twomey some 13 million people live in the 4.4 million rental properties in the UK. ( source Generation Rent )
From 2019 -2024 when the Rent Reform Bill was proposed and Conservative election won power, some 26,000 S21 evictions have happened.( source Shelter and Ministry for Justice )
That is 1 in 170 tenancies over the last 5 years.
Landlords Do not evict tenants for NO Fault !
Either they stopped paying Rent, Damaged the property or caused Anti social behaviour or the Landlord wanted to sell up or move back into the property.
Build more homes Ben and ASAP

dismayed landlord

17:15 PM, 6th June 2024, About 4 weeks ago

Forgive my ignorance and being a bit thick but is not 1 in 170 over 5 years a 0.58 % over 5 years.
How come such a small % of no fault evictions can be causing such a massive impact on the renters that is being quoted as the reason for years that shelter (who shelter no one) and the rest of the biased anti landlord cronies wish to blame landlords for?
Where does the media hatred of landlords even start to justify their demonisation of landlords.
I

Fed Up Landlord

17:55 PM, 6th June 2024, About 4 weeks ago

You stupid boy Twoomey!

DAMIEN RAFFERTY

19:32 PM, 6th June 2024, About 4 weeks ago

4.4 million properties and 26,000 S21 evictions
Numbers have increased in the last 2/3 years with an evictions ban during Covid !
However the housing charities want to scream about the " housing crisis " and No fault evictions and point at Landlords as the cause.
The chronic lack of affordable homes to Rent and low numbers of new builds in many parts of the country is ignored

PH

20:24 PM, 6th June 2024, About 4 weeks ago

Back to school on Monday !

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