10:24 AM, 20th June 2024, About 5 months ago 14
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Labour says it will crackdown on ‘unscrupulous landlords’ who are strangling growth in the private rented sector (PRS).
The party is adding details to its manifesto which was launched last week.
It says there will be a clampdown on ‘unscrupulous landlords ripping off tenants with extortionate rents and lurid living conditions’.
Labour adds that renters will be ‘better off under Labour’ and Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions will be abolished.
There’s also a promise to improve conditions and tenant bidding wars will be made illegal.
Labour also says it will bring greater security for renters by ending ‘massive’ up-front rent payments.
Labour’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, said: “Time and time again, the Tories have failed to stand up for renters.
“From endless delays to no-fault evictions, to failure to sort damp, cold and mouldy homes, the Conservatives are failing working people.
“Labour will call time on a decade of Tory vested interest and put renters first.”
She added: “An affordable, secure private rented sector is vital for economic growth, allowing young people to save for a mortgage with more money in their pockets to spend in the day-to-day economy.
“Our plans will support good landlords, but we are calling time on unscrupulous landlords strangling growth.”
Labour is also promising to end fuel poverty and reduce energy bills.
The bidding war promise comes after the New Economics Foundation thinktank found that last year, tenants had to pay an extra £100 above the asking price per month for their home.
The plan’s details haven’t been confirmed but it is believed the party is looking at other countries, such as New Zealand, where a similar policy has been successful.
Labour also says that stiff competition for a rented home has seen some tenants handing over several months of rent in advance to secure the property.
Again, there are no details on how this will be tackled.
Ms Rayner also says that Labour’s plan to build 1.5 million more homes is the ‘only real way’ to make renting affordable.
The Guardian also reports that Labour’s bid to end the ‘rip-off private rented sector’ will also see:
Ben Twomey, the chief executive of Generation Rent, said: “The Labour Party’s commitment to supporting renters is welcome. The process of reform cannot be held back by landlords’ vested interests any longer and the next government must stand up to people profiting from weak tenants’ rights.
“Labour has promised to enable tenants to challenge unreasonable rent increases, but in order to do so must go further to slam the brakes on soaring rents, limiting increases to the lower of wage growth or inflation.
“Tenants looking for a new place to live can face horrendous exploitation, including being asked to bid against other renters for homes, or pay up to six months’ rent in one go to get hold of the keys.”
He added: “This makes it particularly hard for people on low incomes to secure a tenancy.
“Landlords and letting agents should be required to charge only the advertised rent, and just one month plus the deposit up front.
“The commitment to raise minimum energy efficiency standards in privately rented homes to EPC Band C is an essential step towards lifting one in four private renters out of fuel poverty.
“Upgrading insulation and heating systems will also help counteract damp and mould problems that damage our health and belongings.”
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Sign Up11:38 AM, 20th June 2024, About 5 months ago
Brace yourselves! Things are about to get rocky from the financially illiterate party.
Reluctant Landlord
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Sign Up12:07 PM, 20th June 2024, About 5 months ago
“Labour has promised to enable tenants to challenge unreasonable rent increases, but in order to do so must go further to slam the brakes on soaring rents, limiting increases to the lower of wage growth or inflation.
1. tenants already have access to challenge rent increases
2. Soaring rents due to LL increasing costs and Supply V demand.
3. Intro rent controls will mean evictions and ultimately less rentals (when they are available) being offered to benefit claimants who don't work at all.
“Tenants looking for a new place to live can face horrendous exploitation, including being asked to bid against other renters for homes, or pay up to six months’ rent in one go to get hold of the keys.” “This makes it particularly hard for people on low incomes to secure a tenancy.
1. If the want to OFFER to pay more and in advance to secure a property that is up to them.
2. people on low incomes will never secure a tenancy unless affordability can be met in the first instance.
“Landlords and letting agents should be required to charge only the advertised rent, and just one month plus the deposit up front.
1. This will have the immediate effect of excluding benefit claimants as HB & UC are paid a month in arrears and all contracts require the rent to be paid a month in advance.
“The commitment to raise minimum energy efficiency standards in privately rented homes to EPC Band C is an essential step towards lifting one in four private renters out of fuel poverty.
1. The the same standards should be applied to all council and social homes too. Fuel poverty is not specific to those in private accommodation only. Many of the poorest are housed in state accommodation.
“Upgrading insulation and heating systems will also help counteract damp and mould problems that damage our health and belongings.”
1. Any heating system is reliant on the tenant actually turning it on and also the property being sufficiently ventilated to ensure damp and mould do not occur.
David100
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Sign Up12:35 PM, 20th June 2024, About 5 months ago
She says "we are calling time on unscrupulous landlords strangling growth" How exactly are landlords strangling growth? I tell what will do it, increasing capital gains tax. That will automatically reduce the amount of new builds.
David Houghton
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Sign Up15:00 PM, 20th June 2024, About 5 months ago
Yep. The housing act 1988 was brought into encourage mobility of labour, and boost economic growth. I easy student then and so many landlords only let to students as they knew we would move on after a year
Cider Drinker
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Sign Up16:19 PM, 20th June 2024, About 5 months ago
Only Reform UK has a manifesto that deals with the housing problem (and many other problems).
Most problems are fixed by simple maths. Fewer people is the answer.
The downside is, of course, that we don’t have sufficient workers to fund pensions. However, importing more people to fix this problem leads to much larger problems, both today and further down the line.
Government should be managing U.K. PLC such that it has a long term, healthy future. Instead, all MPs seek only to be ‘liked’ on FaceBook.
Gunga Din
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Sign Up20:12 PM, 20th June 2024, About 5 months ago
"lurid"?
She might want to consult a dictionary.
JamesB
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Sign Up20:36 PM, 20th June 2024, About 5 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Gunga Din at 20/06/2024 - 20:12Quite right, Gunga Din! I gave permission for a girl in an hmo to paint her own room once. She did it in bright purple with blue swirls and everybody who looked at it felt dizzy. Surely it wouldn't have been fair to crackdown on me for that? I mean she did it!
Yellard
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Sign Up22:45 PM, 20th June 2024, About 5 months ago
Reply to the comment left by TheBiggerPicture at 20/06/2024 - 11:38
Rent controls are coming.. For many landlords who don't put rents up for years.. They will suddenly find "inflation only" increase can be applied.. Those LL's who regularly increase rents (the big boys) will be OK.. Very few landlords can charge rents higher than market rates and already such rents can be challenged legally. If rent controlled rents are less than market rates for the return on capital.. Clearly landlords will sell up. If one inherits a house worth £100k one is not going to rent if out for less than 5%.. Better to sell and bank the money and do without the hassle of having tenants. The way to reduce rents is to build more housing... Angela might be a genuine moron but Starmer is not.. If he goes along with this he is not worthy of any respect.
David Houghton
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Sign Up7:18 AM, 21st June 2024, About 5 months ago
Either that or put the rent up every year. Another "win" for tenants. Not.
Old Mrs Landlord
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Sign Up15:50 PM, 21st June 2024, About 5 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Gunga Din at 20/06/2024 - 20:12
Her comment actually made me google the meaning in case, like many words over my lifetime, it had acquired a new modern new connotation. I was amused to see that one of the first definitions was "brilliant". Thanks Angela, I'll take that as a description of my rentals!