9:33 AM, 9th January 2025, About 9 hours ago 28
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Angela Rayner claims the Labour government want to work with landlords, but blames Section 21 evictions for having a significant impact on homelessness.
In a meeting with the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, Ms Rayner claims the government wants to support landlords in providing “safe and secure homes”.
The Housing Secretary repeated Labour’s government ambition to ban Section 21 evictions and introduce Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector.
In the Select Committee meeting, Ms Rayner says she was ‘hesitant’ to put a timeline on when the government wants to end homelessness but claims Section 21 evictions are a contributing factor.
Ms Rayner said: “I think it’s really challenging to set out a timeline to end homelessness, given the challenges we face with the inheritance from the Conservatives and the current projections for homelessness.
“One of the biggest issues we have to address is Section 21 no-fault evictions, which are having a significant impact on homelessness.”
However, Ms Rayner did not provide evidence to support this claim.
The English Housing Survey Private Rented Sector report for 2021-2022 reveals the majority of renters (77%) ended their last tenancy because they wanted to move NOT because of eviction.
Ms Rayner also told the Select Committee meeting that the government wants to work with landlords to improve housing standards.
The Housing Secretary criticised a small minority of landlords, blaming them for providing homes that were unsuitable for tenants. She said:
She said: “People are living in housing that is not good for their health, but they are too frightened to raise the alarm. This is not adequate.
“As soon as they raise concerns, they are served a Section 21 notice by the landlord, who then finds someone else willing to move in and accept the squalor they’re being put in.
“I must say, though, that not all landlords are like that. There are some incredibly decent landlords out there.
“The Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law that we are introducing are about making sure we can support people living in safe and secure housing, while acknowledging that there are significant numbers of people who are not just in temporary accommodation, but in housing that is not safe for them at the moment.
“We want to work with landlords to make sure they can bring their homes up to standards.
“This isn’t about landlords being bad; this is about acknowledging that we have a housing crisis, and it’s not just about building homes, but making sure the homes we have currently are fit for human habitation.”
Elsewhere during the meeting, Ms Rayner said the government is determined to meet the 1.5 million homes target set by the government for this Parliament.
The Housing Secretary also committed to leasehold reform this year.
She said: “We want to make sure we are moving at pace, but we also want to ensure there aren’t unintended consequences. There are gaps in the current legislation that could cause problems, such as the inclusion of flats.
“We want to bring forward legislation within this year.”
Timothy Douglas, head of policy and campaigns at Propertymark, said: “It is encouraging to hear that the UK Government intends to progress with leasehold reform and that they are committed to making common holding a default position for many.
“Propertymark welcomes Ms Rayner’s pledge to introduce the Planning and Infrastructure Bill in March and we look forward to working with them on meeting their ambitious target of constructing 1.5 million new homes.
“However, while the Housing Secretary is intent on scrapping Section 21, which she believes is the answer to ending homelessness, it is essential there is full clarity from the UK Government on how it intends to address issues which Propertymark has highlighted, such as the anticipated backlog it will cause within the courts system.”
You can watch a clip of Angela Rayner at the committee meeting here
Cider Drinker
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Sign Up8:49 AM, 9th January 2025, About 9 hours ago
Evicting tenants frees up a property for someone else to rent or buy.
Why would landlords issue a Section 21 Notice?
1. Selling. Some landlords no longer wish to be a landlord due to unfair taxation and over-regulation by government.
Make being a landlord more attractive and the loss of rental properties will slow down.
2. Bad tenants. Section 21 is easier than Section 8 because the law is ineffective, expensive and stressful.
Make Section 8 more robust and improve the process and maybe landlords would use Section 8 instead of Section 21. This would provide useful information about WHY tenants are being evicted.
3. Tenants request a Section 21 in the hope of securing.
Finally, government needs to own the problem. Uncontrolled and unsustainable net migration is the ONLY cause of the housing crisis.
Admit it.
Tom Dawson
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Sign Up9:48 AM, 9th January 2025, About 8 hours ago
Reply to the comment left by Cider Drinker at 09/01/2025 - 08:49
I agree with much of what you say but feel the need to point out that net immigration is not the only driver of the housing crisis, although it does have a significant impact. Divorce and separation actually cause far more requirement for additional housing than any other factor. It is never mentioned by any politician because that would be potentially offending about one third of the electorate.
L Bennett
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Sign Up9:51 AM, 9th January 2025, About 8 hours ago
Tenants not paying rent is probably the biggest reason for section 21. Not all, but many
Stella
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Sign Up9:53 AM, 9th January 2025, About 8 hours ago
Reply to the comment left by Cider Drinker at 09/01/2025 - 08:49You are speaking the the inconvenient truth Cider Drinker that does not suit this governments anti-landlord agenda and bias.
Reluctant Landlord
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Sign Up10:01 AM, 9th January 2025, About 8 hours ago
Reply to the comment left by L Bennett at 09/01/2025 - 09:51
well we will ALL see what the reasons are soon enough as S8 will require a reason!
Interestingly enough the S8 will mean that every single reason can be listed - not just the mandatory one.
So for instance it could be the mandatory ground to sell, but the LL could still fill in the discretionary grounds to give weight to the reason why the mandatory one is given. ie possession required due to selling BUT only as a result of rent arrears, breach of contract etc, threats to neighbours, numbers of Police call outs to property, ASBO events recorded (but not lead to criminal proceedings). All this will give even more clarity as to why the LL is ultimately selling. Shelter take note! They will no longer be able to hide behind the 'no fault' argument when the reasons given are formally listed.
Ian Narbeth
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Sign Up10:16 AM, 9th January 2025, About 8 hours ago
Angela Rayner says: “We want to work with landlords to make sure they can bring their homes up to standards." Good.
How about some tax relief to cover wear and tear as we used to have? Grants for improvements to insulation or installation of solar panels?
She also says: "There are some incredibly decent landlords out there." It is noteworthy that she does not say: "Unfortunately, there are some incredibly bad tenants out there. We want to work with landlords to ensure such tenants can be speedily evicted so that landlords are not left out of pocket. We also want to ensure that decent homes are not trashed by antisocial tenants."
Come, on Angie, It's the truth and you know it. Why not say it? That would encourage landlords to work with you far more than the threat of even more fines.
Geoff1975
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Sign Up10:29 AM, 9th January 2025, About 8 hours ago
Section 21 doesn’t cause homelessness. Homelessness and s21 are both symptoms of the real cause that the government dare not talk about.
Sally Robinson
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Sign Up10:31 AM, 9th January 2025, About 8 hours ago
As a portfolio landlord of some 25 years I have issued 4 section 21 notices! 2 progressed to court action as a section 8 , 1 was served because the tenants were blocking necessary maintenance work to the roof and guttering; the last because the tenant had broken terms of the tenancy. How have I caused an increase in unecessary homelessness? She's obsessed with the wrong reason why section 21s are served.
Michael Slack
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Sign Up10:47 AM, 9th January 2025, About 8 hours ago
I have instigated 2 section 21 notices in 15 years as a landlord . Both have been for the same reason non payment of rent . So if they were made homeless ,which I don't think they were , are the Government going to pay their rent !! to save them from being homeless ?
I don't think so . This I think is the main reason for eviction & section 21 notices .
JB
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Sign Up10:53 AM, 9th January 2025, About 7 hours ago
Red Angela is the biggest cause of homelessness. Does she possess a brain?