A Labour MP has written to the Housing Secretary demanding a timetable for the implementation of rental reform.
Catherine West, MP for Hornsby and Wood Green in London, has written to Simon Clarke, who is Liz Truss’ pick for Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and the Communities.
She writes: “This year I have received more emails from private renters in my constituency about the instability of their housing situation than ever before. I know that many MPs across the country are witnessing similar problems.”
The letter, which was published on Twiter, appears to have been written to publicise an awareness week organised by campaign group Generation Rent, which West mentions in the letter.
It cites an unnamed landlord who – West says she “is told” – has issued “a whopping 62 per cent rent increase” and has told their tenants this must be paid or they risk eviction.
The MP then makes a reference to the government’s reported U-turn on the abolition of Section 21 eviction powers, and then Liz Truss’ further U-turn when she confirmed the abolition would go ahead.
She concludes by saying: “I’m sure you will agree with me that in the current economic climate and cost of living crisis, renters desperately need the security that the long awaited Renters’ Reform Bill promised to provide, and I urge you to publish a timeline for when this will become law as soon as possible.
“As part of this, please could you confirm when your department will provide detail on how these reforms will be funded and enforced.”
The government has already committed to introduce the Renters Reform Bill into Parliament during this session – despite the disarray over many other policies across the Truss administration.At a Parliamentary session taking questions to the Housing Secretary earlier this week there were several questions from backbench MPs pressing for a date for the introduction of the Bill.
Clarke resisted giving a date but said he was being clear that it would be introduced this session; he also repeated the commitment given by the Prime Minister last week that Section 21 eviction powers would be outlawed.
