Housing campaigners from London Renters yesterday occupied the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in protest at evictions and insecurity of tenure.
The campaigners bedded down in sleeping bags in the department’s lobby to “highlight how being evicted by a private landlord has become the leading cause of homelessness”.
The protest followed reports of a workshop held by DCLG about ways of making it easier for landlords to evict tenants. The campaigners want secure tenancies for all tenants, and in particular an end to ‘no fault’ evictions under section 21.
Members of the groups behind the protest claim they have been evicted for asking for repairs to be done or joining a local tenants’ campaign. Recent research by Shelter found that 1 in 33 renters had been a victim of retaliatory eviction, and a one in eight were so fearful of it that they did not ask for repairs to be done.
Emma Bradshaw, one of the activists, said: “It is already easier to evict a tenant in the UK than it is in any other European country and it is disgraceful that the government are thinking about making it even easier. Landlords ending private tenancies are now the main cause of homelessness and the number of evictions has been soaring since 2010. Instead of making it easier for landlords to evict tenants, we need secure tenancies to reduce homelessness and allow people to build lives in their communities without fear.”
Raymond Ambler from London Renters said: “While we would welcome restrictions on the ability of landlords to issue section 21 possession notices where a property is in disrepair or needs improvements, we consider that alone this is not adequate to address the wider problem of insecurity of tenure in the private rented sector.
“For example, tenants also fear evictions for joining or being seen to be involved in private tenants groups or other housing campaigns, questioning rent increases or asking permission to make changes to their home or living arrangements like hanging pictures or keeping a pet. We consider that section 21 should be removed entirely, and private tenants should have the same rights and security as social tenants with secure tenancies.
“In the case of preventing retaliatory eviction in response to a tenant’s request for repairs, we consider that the restriction on the use of section 21 possession notices should cover any complaint about property conditions, not just where serious disrepair or the need for major improvements is found.”
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Comments
Troubled tenants used to be housed in council housing and the council dealt with the troubled tenants.
Now that council housing has now been all but eradicated private landlords will have to deal with problem tenants because there is nowhere else for them to live.
Come as part of the business I'm afraid. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
Why is it all of a sudden the job of private landlords to sort out the housing crisis and support the homeless and the poor?
As a landlord, I have invested a considerable amount of MY money at MY personal risk. I pay the bank and all necessary repairs. Therefore I make the decision who lives in my property and who does not.
When the tenant assumes some of the risk, maybe we can talk about them having some of the rights.
Until then, either understand the way the world works or go live somewhere else.
The problem with these people is they seem to forget who actually owns the property. If a landlord wants the property back he has to give at least 2 months notice whereas the tenant can just walk away having given 1 months notice. It is a free market and tenants can move around without being tied in to long contracts and landlords can sell there properties or put new tenants in if they wish.
This policy will not solve the housing problem what will increase has we have an increase in youth population growing older and an increase in young EUs coming to the UK to work this is a time ticking bomb
Problem with this half baked protest is that whilst there might even be some merit in their claims...BUT....if this kind of thing was EVER passed into law it would be just another legal loophole to be exploited by the ne'er do wells to withhold rent and refuse to leaveg on spurious grounds
Bet none of these protestors have ever rented a property out, bunch of " have nots" who want everyone else to be a" have not ". Shelter are the bunch of **** who stir people like this up. Shelter did a brilliant job in scotland all fees have now indirectly been passed onto the tenants.