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Category: government and politics
At the 2024 Labour Party Conference, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has reiterated the government’s pledges to build safe and secure housing across the UK, seeking cooperation from Private Rented Sector (PRS) landlords.
In a passionate speech to the delegates in attendance, Rayner outlined many of Labour’s overarching goals regarding the social and private housing sectors, including the decision to bring Awaab's Law to the PRS.
Her speech reaffirmed an unpopular policy among landlords, the move to put an end to no-fault evictions by banning Section 21.
However, there was a hint of sympathy for landlords, with hope that Labour can help to bolster tenant-landlord relationships.
Housebuilding targets
Throughout the speech, Rayner – in somewhat predictable political fashion – levied much of the blame for the current state of the housing market on their Tory rivals, drawing particular attention to the previous Conservative ministries’ repeated failure to meet housebuilding targets.
For the past several decades, every UK government has struggled to meet housebuilding goals. This accusation cannot be limited to the Conservatives since Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s Labour governments also failed.
Labour have promised to deliver 300,000 new homes per annum. Aiming to meet these high expectations, Rayner firmly stated:
Not enough [homes] are being built. The Tories failed to meet their targets year after year, after year. Michael Gove handed back nearly £2bn to the Treasury in unspent housing funds. Mortgages have soared. Leaseholders are left at the mercy of eye-watering charges. Renters face crippling rent hikes in damp and mouldy homes. Homelessness is all around us.
The simple aspiration of a safe, secure and affordable home is further out of reach than ever and we can’t go on like this. So change must begin at home.
Improving housing standards
Improving social housing seems to be a primary goal especially close to the Deputy Prime Minister’s heart, in the wake of the Grenfell Inquiry’s conclusion earlier this month.
Working with the Prime Minister on the Grenfell Inquiry was the most sobering moment of my career: 72 lives lost, 18 children, all avoidable. A fatal failure of market and state. A tragedy that must never happen again.
Rayner also stated her desire to work with PRS landlords to improve housing quality, referencing the extension of Awaab’s Law into the PRS. This law, originally limited to the social housing sector, was created to ensure that landlords would immediately investigate mould and damp issues raised by tenants.
Whether you’re a leaseholder, a tenant, a home-buyer or without somewhere to live – this government is on your side. But my mission is not just to build houses, it is to build homes. Because we cannot build at any cost. These new homes must be warm, secure and most importantly safe.
Many housing associations, councils and landlords do good by their tenants and I know how hard they’ve had it after 14 years under the Tories. Which is why I will work in partnership with the sector to deliver the change. I will clamp down on damp and mouldy homes by bringing in Awaab’s Law in the social rented sector this autumn and we’ll extend it to the private rented sector too.
We will consult and implement a new Decent Homes Standard for social and privately rented homes, to end the scandal of homes being unfit to live in.
Timothy Douglas, the head of policy and campaigns at Propertymark, has commented favourably on Rayner’s speech.
The Deputy Prime Minister has quite rightly said that good quality homes are vital for people to live healthy and happy lives. We welcome her commitment to work in partnership with the sector to deliver change.
Many leaseholders have been left in limbo, therefore it is essential to complete reform of the leasehold and planning systems, as well as drive up standards in the private rented sector.
Building more social homes is key to improving affordability in the private rented sector and the UK Government must tackle the building safety crisis as a priority.
This year’s Labour Conference has been divisive, not just in relation to the housing sector. We will monitor the government’s moves to fulfil the objectives they have laid out.
