Labour’s ‘Change’ Manifesto: Abolishing Section 21 and setting energy efficiency standards

Labour’s ‘Change’ Manifesto: Abolishing Section 21 and setting energy efficiency standards

13:05 PM, 13th June 2024, About 6 months ago 30

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Labour pledges to immediately ban Section 21 to “stop renters from being exploited.”

The party’s manifesto simply dubbed “change” promises to “overhaul the regulation of the private rented sector” by introducing measures such as all homes in the PRS need to meet energy efficiency standards by 2030.

Other policies include introducing Awaab’s law to the PRS and building 1.5 million new homes.

Immediately abolish Section 21

The party’s manifesto states the Labour Party will abolish Section 21 immediately and strengthen tenants’ rights in challenging rent increases.

The Labour Party also promises to introduce Awaab’s law to the PRS to help raise standards.

The manifesto said: “Security also means having a secure roof over your head. That is not the case for too many renting their homes privately.

“Labour will legislate where the Conservatives have failed, overhauling the regulation of the private rented sector.

“We will immediately abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, prevent private renters from being exploited and discriminated against, empower them to challenge unreasonable rent increases and take steps to decisively raise standards, including extending ‘Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector.”

Energy efficiency targets

Other manifesto pledges include a Warm Homes Plan which will offer grants and low-interest loans to support investment in insulation.

The Labour Party say homes in the private rented sector will need to meet energy efficiency standards by 2030. However, they do not give any details about what green targets landlords will need to meet.

The party assures that no one will be forced to replace their boiler as part of this plan and that energy efficiency targets will help save renters hundreds of pounds a year.

Mandatory housing targets

Another manifesto pledge includes introducing mandatory housing targets.

In the section dubbed “Get Britain Building Again” Labour pledge to build 1.5 million new homes over the next Parliament by building on brownfield sites.

The Labour Party say they will deliver the biggest increase in social and housebuilding in a generation.

The party claims it will prioritise the building of new social rented homes and help first-time buyers get on the property ladder by introducing a permanent, comprehensive mortgage guarantee scheme.

The manifesto says: “We will strengthen planning obligations to ensure new developments provide more affordable homes; make changes to the Affordable Homes Programme to ensure that it delivers more homes from existing funding; and support councils and housing associations to build their capacity and make a greater contribution to affordable housing supply.

“Labour will prioritise the building of new social rented homes and better protect our existing stock by reviewing the increased right-to-buy discounts introduced in 2012 and increasing protections on newly-built social housing.”

Reaction to manifesto

Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s property expert said: ‘We welcome policies and innovations which are trying to help more first-time buyers onto the ladder.

“Housebuilding needs to be accelerated, and creating a permanent mortgage guarantee scheme would at least give first-time buyers the certainty that the option will be there.

“However, we know from our own research that policies like the mortgage guarantee scheme have limitations, and are only able to help a very small pool of future first time buyers that fit specific requirements.

“One of the biggest barriers for first-time buyers is being able to borrow enough from a lender, which a mortgage guarantee scheme doesn’t address.”

Ryan Etchells, Chief Commercial Officer at Together, said: “A crackdown on ‘nimbyism’, commitment to build 1.5m new homes and plans to re-use brownfield land is all well and good. But it will be interesting to see whether the Government of whichever colour will be able to deliver on the support SME house builders need to make these ambitions a reality. This will be key for planning reform and encouraging access to finance for development.

Nathan Emerson, chief executive at Propertymark said: “Pledges to reform the planning system, commit to a brownfield-first approach, making the private rental sector more energy efficient, and a commitment to build 1.5 million new homes over the next parliamentary term are more than welcome.

“The planning process can be a huge obstacle in keeping pace with demand and change is desperately needed in order to serve an ever-growing population. Many buyers have had a tough time since the 2008 recession, and it is vital any future strategy includes a sustainable mix of affordable housing options for both buyers and renters.

“Propertymark would like to see more details from Labour about how they plan to meet their housing goals and ensure this is there is a firm and fair set of policies in place to serve all demographics.

“Any aspiration to reintroduce the Renters (Reform) Bill must come with full disclosure and a realistic timeline regarding the required court reform before the removal of Section 21 evictions should ever become a reality.”


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A fedup landlord

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6:45 AM, 14th June 2024, About 6 months ago

Do not vote for labour! L L voting for labour is like turkey voting for Xmas. If all landlords stick together with our votes, surely we can make some differences. I have never been interested in politics in past, but hearing the policies from both labour and conservatives, they are so anti landlords, so out of touch with realities. No landlords will let a good tenant go, there's always a reason behind eviction notice. Sec 21 makes eviction more black and white, eviction has to go ahead if all paperworks are in order, even then, the court is so jammed up these days, it took me 8 months just to receive a pocession order! I still have to wait for bailiff service, god knows how long it will take. Imagine if I use sec 8 to evict my non paying disabled tenant, I may not ever get a possession order, the case could be permanently adjourned just because tenant is claiming extraordinary hardship. How could evil landlord evict such vulnerable tenant? The politicians seem to forget landlords have bills to pay, family to feed too. I'm sure if we're falling behind on our mortgage payments, because the non paying tenants, banks won't be OK with it, next thing you know, that your hard earned investment will be gone.

PH

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7:07 AM, 14th June 2024, About 6 months ago

Reply to the comment left by A fedup landlord at 14/06/2024 - 06:45
...and under Labour you probably wouldn't be able to sell it as the case would be means tested in court and you know what the outcome would be. This is after doing everything else to stay legal like registering on the NLR, getting regular house surveys, EPC, eicr, gas safety, etc etc etc.
I don't trust Starmer or anyone else in Labour, not that I trust politicians anyway but Labour are keeping many things close to their chest and I'm convinced they have many more surprises for the PRS .

Stella

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10:36 AM, 14th June 2024, About 6 months ago

Reply to the comment left by A fedup landlord at 14/06/2024 - 06:45
It is so important that we restrict Labours power.
No matter how hard Labour are pushed on the question of CGT they just waffle on and they will not stop until they have taken everything.

Voting for Reform this time around is not a luxury we can afford when the stakes are so high.

Paul Essex

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11:05 AM, 14th June 2024, About 6 months ago

Policy for change.....

Yes we will ensure that landlords are left with just a few coins after all our charges, just a pocket of change.

LaLo

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11:18 AM, 14th June 2024, About 6 months ago

It wouldn’t be so bad if there were a few vacant shop doorways when I’m broke!

Michael Booth

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13:19 PM, 15th June 2024, About 6 months ago

When reality sets in with liebor in control ,then the socialist landlordbashing policies start to roll all these liebor voting tenants will be looking for new home has landlord vacate the sector ,l promise you it will happen.

Prakash Patel

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17:53 PM, 15th June 2024, About 6 months ago

We seem to be fighting a no-win rear guard- action, with those who do not understand the housing market. I think we LLs should issue an annual statement to tenants to correct fake news, set out where their rent money goes, and point out who the real culprits are. On one of my properties, from a monthly rent of £1500, the govt rakes in £388 (26%) and I get £245 (16%), which equates to 1.176% on my equity. Do you Agree?

AJR

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19:05 PM, 15th June 2024, About 6 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Michael Booth at 15/06/2024 - 13:19
Not if you can’t get your tenant out!
Eviction bans and no intention to improve the utterly failing court system will be labours unspoken form of ‘sequestration’ .

DPT

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21:33 PM, 16th June 2024, About 6 months ago

Reply to the comment left by PH at 13/06/2024 - 22:40
Page 43, para 19

Ray Guselli

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11:46 AM, 20th June 2024, About 6 months ago

We are of course forgetting that under Labour, there is no such thing as a bad tenant.
All tenants will always pay their rent on time, they will always keep their homes in a clean and tidy condition, they will never cause damage to properties, their pets will always be well behaved and not urinate all over carpets, the tenants will never threaten landlords with violence, the tenants will always behave in a tenant like manner and show the same respect to the landlord that we show them and of course, there will never be any anti-social behaviour.
Whilst the Conservative government have done little, if anything, to help landlords, it is clear that the intention of labour is to destroy the private rented sector by making it no longer financially viable for landlords to provide property which will be governed by so much regulation that the sector will witness an exodus of landlords perhaps as never seen before.
A total disaster which now makes me seriously consider the sale of properties, sadly with the upset that may cause to tenants.

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