Category: renters reform bill

At their recent conference, shadow Levelling Up Secretary Lisa Nandy stated that, within the first 100 days, the party’s newly created Renters’ Charter would be implemented. It would provide private tenants with new powers, making renting more fair, secure, and affordable.

Moreover, according to Nandy, Labour’s Renters’ Charter would bring to an end no-fault evictions, provide renters with the possibility to make reasonable home alterations, and allow pets in rental properties.

Additionally, the party plans to set up a national register of landlords and require landlords to provide a four month notice in order to evict tenants.

Labour also pledges to include examining a scheme for ‘portable’ deposits, which would allow tenants to switch properties at a lower cost and more easily.

Establishment of ‘property MOT’

The Labour party has reported that tenants pay over £10 billion a year by renting below-standard homes. 25% of the privately rented homes are considered of poor living quality, which require renovations, thus classed as ‘non-decent homes’.

With the aim to overcome below-standard private rental housing, Labour are planning to incorporate a new national property MOT. An independent annual inspection would be required for all of the landlords, in order to ensure that their properties are up to code. If properties fail to pass the requirements, landlords may be liable for substantial fines and forced repayment of rent to tenants.

New generation of council housing

Due to recent reports of rent hikes, stating that one in seven private tenants have had their rent increased in the last month, the Labour party plans to go further. They declared that social housing would be one of their main concerns, reiterating that there is “nothing more important than a home”.

Nandy states that the Labour government would build a new generation of council housing, in order to restore the social housing stock.

Moreover, it has been reported that there are around 1 million families that are on the social housing waitlist and the number of renters made homeless due to no-fault evictions has risen in recent months to levels that have not been seen since before the Covid-19 pandemic.

‘100 days’ pledge

Even though Labour pledge that their Renters’ Charter will provide private tenants with new powers in the first 100 days of a Labour government, it is highly probable that should the Labour win the upcoming General Election, the process will require a greater amount of time before providing tenants with the aforementioned benefits.

The initial plan consists of producing a white paper, followed by a statutory consultation period before the legislation would be introduced to Parliament.