Labour is pledging a fairer deal for private renters in Southern and Eastern England
Last week Ed Miliband and Emma Reynolds set out the action a Labour government would take to help Generation Rent.
Over 1.3 households in Southern and Eastern England are private rentals.
Source: 2011 Census
Last week’s Southern taskforce blog highlighted the increasing number of years young families now need to save to afford a deposit on their first home. While the flexibility of renting may suit some, others have been forced into the private rented sector as the only available option. Many people in Southern and Eastern England have all but given up on their dreams of owning their own homes.
As the Taskforce highlighted last year, renting in Southern and Eastern England is often more expensive here than in the rest of the England, and monthly rents are taking up a higher proportion of average income. We’ve updated our map with the latest figures from the VOA.
Source: Valuation Office Agency Note: Average taken as median
Despite paying more, renters also have to put up with poor standards with a third of homes in the private rented sector failing to meet the decent homes standard, more than any other tenure. The PRS also has the highest proportion of the very worst properties in terms of energy efficiency and the highest levels of fuel poverty.
These problems affect too many people. That’s why we need to take action to reform the private rented sector so tenants and landlords can both get a fair deal.
1. Give security and peace of mind by legislating for 3-year tenancies giving renters a stable home and landlords the confidence to invest.
2. End excessive rent increases by putting a ceiling on rent increases during the new 3-year tenancies.
3. Ban rip-off letting agent fees for tenants by legislating to stop letting agents charging fees to tenants.
4. Drive up standards by introducing a national register of landlords and making it easier for local authorities to introduce licensing schemes.
5. Bring an end to cold homes by setting a new target to upgrade the energy efficiency of properties in the private rented sector.
Ed Miliband MP said,
“Generation Rent has been ignored and let down by this government.
The amount needed for a deposit on a home has risen beyond the reach of millions of young people and families starting out. As well as building more houses and helping people get on the property ladder, a Labour government will take action immediately to make life better for all those renting their home.
Too often people having to pay hundreds of pounds in letting fees and other upfront costs when they move into their new home. It doesn’t happen when you buy a house – the estate agents’ fees are paid by the person selling - so why are people renting a home having to pay?
Moving house is an expensive time anyway and there is no reason why Generation Rent should be ripped by rules which don’t apply to property owners. The first Queen’s Speech of the next Labour government will set out legislation to ban letting agent fees charged to tenants. It will save Generation Rent £2.5 billion over the next parliament. And it will save the typical renter £624.”
Emma Reynolds MP, Labour’s Shadow Housing Minister, said,
“Renters have to work two days a week – the equivalent of working every day until the 28th May this year – before they pay the rent. But in return they get no stability, poor standards and they have to pay hundreds of pounds in rip-off letting agent fees.
Under David Cameron house building has fallen to the lowest levels in peacetime since the 1920s and the Tories have refused to stand-up for Generation Rent.
Labour is pledging to give private renters a fairer deal. A Labour Government will introduce three year stable tenancies, put a ceiling on rent rises over the course of the contracts, ban letting agent fees on tenants, drive up standards and tackle poor energy efficiency. We are also committed to tackling the root causes of this crisis by getting at least 200,000 homes built a year by 2020.
From now until the General Election I will be in key seats talking to voters about our plans for housing. And as part of voter registration week, I will be encouraging private renters, who are one of the most under-registered groups, to get registered so that their voice can be heard in May.”
The Labour Southern Taskforce website is an independent website, setting out the Labour case for southern and eastern England. While we have attempted to accurately reflect Labour policy, the Labour Party has no responsibility for the content of this website.