Campaigning charity Shelter is nearing a controversial signature threshold in its petition about the Renters Reform Bill.

It now has over 123,000 of a target 125,000 signatories for the petition, which relates to Shelter’s believe that there’s a conspiracy amongst MPs, landlords and others in the private rental sector to water down the Renters Reform Bill.

The charity – which is coinciding the campaign with its traditional pre-Christmas fundraising exercise – claims that the progress and integrity of the Renters Reform Bill are being “disrupted by landlord MPs throwing their toys out of the pram.”

It does not specify who the MPs are, nor their demands to – in Shelter’s words – water down the provisions of the Bill.

But on Shelter’s website the charity claims: “If Michael Gove appeases their self-interested demands, he risks passing a watered-down law that doesn’t give renters the rights they desperately need.     

“It’s his job to make sure they know this isn’t all about them. Email him today. England’s 11 million renters need a government who cares about them.  Right now, 172 families a day are served a Section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction notice.  Yet we’re still waiting for reform while self-interested landlords demand unreasonable concessions. Together, we can challenge their voices. 

“It’s renters who are feeling the stress of the constant threat that they’ll be served a no-fault eviction.  It’s renters who are spending huge sums of money on rent in substandard properties. It’s renters who are getting ill, living in unsafe homes, scared to complain in case they’re hit with an eviction notice. 

“Tell Michael Gove if he plans to keep his promises, he must pass a watertight Renters Reform Bill without caveats or loopholes.”

On X – the social media platform previously known as Twitter – Shelter chief executive Polly Neate writes: “Show them we know what they’re up to and we want a Bill that gives renters decent rights at last.”

Shelter’s website gives a simple guide to the email, including a template outlining every element that petitioners should include.