0:05 AM, 22nd February 2024, About 9 months ago 41
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Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, the former leader of the House of Commons, has launched a scathing attack on the housing secretary, Michael Gove, over his proposed Renters (Reform) Bill, which he called a ‘socialist error’.
The Bill aims to improve the security and standards of tenants in the private rented sector (PRS) and would abolish section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions.
During a monologue on GB News (see the video below), Mr Rees-Mogg argues that the bill would undermine property rights, which he described as ‘one of the four great pillars’ of the Constitution, along with freedom of speech, the rule of law and democracy.
He claimed that the Bill would reduce the supply and increase the price of rental properties, as landlords would be deterred from entering or staying in the market.
He also says the Bill will harm the interests of both landlords and tenants, who often prefer fixed-term tenancies and benefit from the flexibility of Section 21 evictions.
Mr Rees-Mogg said: “It reassures landlords that they will be able to get their properties back, and this guarantee increases supply and lowers prices for tenants.
“As an aside, it can also be helpful for tenants.
“Sometimes there’s a difficult tenant who’s annoying the neighbours, and it’s easier to say, ‘I want you to leave under Section 21’ than to say, ‘I’m asking you to leave because you’re difficult’, which then stays on that tenant’s record, causing future problems later on.”
He added: “It removes a stigma that may attach not necessarily to bad tenants, but against ones who’ve had complaints against them. And in this way, everybody gains.”
Mr Rees-Mogg also criticises Mr Gove’s plans to give councils more powers to regulate short-term lets, such as Airbnb, in popular tourist areas.
He said that this would infringe on the rights of property owners to let out their homes for a few weeks and damage the local economy by discouraging tourism.
Mr Rees-Mogg added: “Part of the plan includes a mandatory National Register intended to keep track of short-term lets.
“But what right does the Government have to do this?
“It’s your property, why shouldn’t you let it out for a few weeks? Any serious conservative government’s impulse would oppose the socialist move.”
He added that the housing shortage is caused by the failure to build more houses, not by the lack of regulation and he urged the government to make it easier for people to let properties, rather than harder, to boost supply and bring prices down.
Mr Rees-Mogg points out: “These are arguments that I’d normally expect to hear from the Labour Party, not from a Conservative government.
“The Renters (Reform) Bill is a socialist error that will hurt renters, landlords and the economy. It should be scrapped.”
Watch Sir Jacob give his thoughts on the ‘socialist error’ Renters (Reform) Bill and this is followed by a panel discussion on the issues.
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Kate Mellor
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Sign Up15:05 PM, 23rd February 2024, About 9 months ago
ALL politicians know this already, they are just shopping for votes, and trying to divert attention from the true cause of the housing crisis and that is them selling their housing stock and not replacing it.
Councils don't want to manage council housing it's far too expensive! Yet rather than seeing the PRS as a willing stakeholder who can save them money, they've spent decades treating us like the proverbial muck on their shoes.
The public are rightly angry and they need someone to blame...enter "greedy" landlords, taking more than their "fair share". A ready made scapegoat.
Rees-Mogg can finally speak the truth because as a back-bencher, it can't hurt him politically, but it can get him some media attention. I doubt it'll be much help, but it is comforting to hear someone talking some sense finally, whatever their motives may be.
Stella
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Sign Up17:37 PM, 23rd February 2024, About 9 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Kate Mellor at 23/02/2024 - 15:05
Sadly you are correct!
moneymanager
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Sign Up10:20 AM, 24th February 2024, About 9 months ago
'any serious conservative government' we may have a CONSERVATIVE government but haven't had the uncapitalised form since Thatcher,what we have had are an increasingly globalist inclined, by ignorance, hubris, blackmail, whatever, set of bureaucratic managers and irrespective if hue; Benito Mussolini defined fascism as the melding of the interests of the state and the corporate (see today), his northern neighbour said the state was their to serve the people and not the people to serve the state, which of course is why we bombed them.
Carchester
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Sign Up10:39 AM, 24th February 2024, About 9 months ago
No Court (or official) has ever asked me if I had a reason to evict under s21.
I'm sure that should they have done I would have provided a cogent reason.
Poor Parliamentary drafting has come back to haunt them ably assisted by SHELTER, Generation Rent and that newbie on the block - name escapes me.
JB above is absolutely correct as we all know the machinery of S21
JB
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Sign Up11:25 AM, 24th February 2024, About 9 months ago
One MP (I think he was an MP) on a parliamentary consultation was sprouting drivel about how terribly concerned he was that landlords may increase deposits to unaffordable levels. The uninformed dodo had no idea deposits had been limited to 5 weeks several years ago. NRLA, who were in the room, should have shut him down like Jacob Rees Mogg shut down the ex MP who lamented how concerned he was that his cleaner was given 2 weeks notice to leave.
Some people who influence our laws have no idea what they're talking about
philip allen
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Sign Up16:35 PM, 24th February 2024, About 9 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Jason at 23/02/2024 - 14:16
?
Stella
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Sign Up16:40 PM, 24th February 2024, About 9 months ago
Reply to the comment left by JB at 24/02/2024 - 11:25
It is very annoying listening to some of these presenters especially on the BBC when they get all their facts wrong.
Like they did a few weeks ago where the subject was about the lack of housing due to not enough under construction.
They started off by talking about section 21 and as time went on I realised that this had no relevance at all to the subject they were supposed to talking about.
Chris @ Possession Friend
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Sign Up11:57 AM, 26th February 2024, About 9 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Old Mrs Landlord at 22/02/2024 - 13:10
I think Mr Rees-Mogg is more informed and can see consequences BECAUSE, he is a landlord.
Ian Narbeth
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Sign Up16:05 PM, 27th February 2024, About 9 months ago
JRM's comments are too late. Sadly, Gove and many "Conservative" MPs were seduced by the nonsense emanating from tenant lobby groups. The Renters Reform Bill is coming, like it or not (I don't).
Paradoxically, (and this is the NRLA view) it will be better if the Tories pass the Bill before the Election than if they fail to. This is because it is then done and Labour will have other things to do when they get into power. If the Bill is not passed, Labour may add bells and whistles to it.
Section 21 opened up the market. Abolishing it will have adverse consequences.
Monty Bodkin
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Sign Up20:13 PM, 27th February 2024, About 9 months ago
"Many "Conservative" MPs were seduced by the nonsense emanating from tenant lobby groups.
Or maybe they aren't thick and seducible and have just manipulated this for their own selfish political ends.
"The Renters Reform Bill is coming, like it or not"
Maybe, maybe not. It's certainly not definite. The Conservative Renters (Reform) Bill 2022-23 is currently on very thin ice.
"Paradoxically, (and this is the NRLA view) it will be better if the Tories pass the Bill before the Election"
I doubt that is the view of NRLA members or landlords in general or anyone with a grasp of economics who care about its consequences for tenants.