In a bid to bring about significant amendments to the Renters Reform Bill currently under consideration in Parliament, the charity Shelter is rallying for public support, aiming to garner 150,000 signatures for a petition before the Bill reaches its Third Reading in the House of Commons.
Expressing concern over the current state of the Bill, the campaigning charity contends that despite the government’s promise to establish a fairer and safer system for renters, the proposed legislation falls short, containing perceived loopholes that could be exploited by unscrupulous landlords. A statement on Shelter’s website declares, “It’s crunch time,” asserting that the Renters Reform Bill, in its current form, is not what was initially pledged. However, the charity believes the Bill can be fortified to better serve the interests of renters.
While not specifying particular amendments, the statement emphasizes the need for an effective bill to eradicate unfair evictions, prohibit discrimination against renters with children or those claiming benefits, establish a comprehensive national landlord register through a new property portal, and safeguard renters’ rights to homelessness support when faced with eviction notices.
Shelter alleges that, on a daily basis, 172 families in England’s private rental sector receive Section 21 eviction notices, equating to one eviction every eight minutes. The charity asserts that the constant threat of eviction without cause contributes to renters experiencing stress, illness, and apprehension about their future.
Highlighting the challenges faced by families and individuals with low incomes, Shelter contends that prejudice and discrimination within the private rented sector, coupled with an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, have rendered it nearly uninhabitable. The charity demands new laws that will genuinely impact people’s lives and implores the government to heed the voices of private renters, urging them to seize this final opportunity to strengthen the Renters Reform Bill.
In recent weeks, the Renters Reform Coalition, a loose alliance comprising approximately 20 pro-tenant groups, including the London and Greater Manchester Renters Unions, the National Union of Students, Generation Rent, and Shelter, has advocated for specific alterations to the Bill. The coalition calls for tenants to be granted four-month notice periods before eviction and seeks to extend protection from eviction to two years from the commencement of a tenancy, contrasting with the six months proposed in the Bill.