Damp, leaks, and mould.
This is what my constituent in Bristol suffered through for six months in the flat that they rented. But even though they’d reported the problems countless times, nothing was done.
Shockingly, when the property management company finally started work on the roof, this only caused more leaks. Eventually the ceiling of one of the bedrooms fell in, forcing my constituent’s flatmate to move to temporary accommodation.
This is a miserable, frustrating story – but perhaps all the more so because it’s so common.
We all know someone who has a horror story like this – who’s suffered a chronic cough because of mould, whose mental health has suffered because of the state of their home, or who has had to pack up and move every year because the rents just keep going up.
Given this desperate situation, the Renters’ Rights Bill currently going through Parliament could not be more urgently needed. There are 11million people living in the private rented sector in England – their right to a safe, decent and secure home needs to be recognised and, crucially, protected.
There’s lots to be welcomed in the Bill. From the outlawing of section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, the creation of a new Decent Homes Standard (helping to clarify requirements and establish a level playing field), to ending the plague of poor-quality homes and giving renters safer places to live.
But there’s plenty that the legislation leaves out – and I’m worried that we’re about to miss an opportunity to transform the experience of renting a home.
Crucially, the Labour government does little to tackle the eye-watering cost of renting. In 10 years, average monthly UK rents have almost doubled – and you only need to check your bank balance to tell you that wages have not.
In my home city of Bristol, if a 21-year-old rents a single room today at the average rate, they will have put £80,000 into a landlord’s bank account by the time they reach their 30th birthday. It’s no wonder almost two thirds of private renters could be struggling with their housing costs, and saving for a mortgage is an impossibility for so many.
The legislation is not perfect – so I have put forward an amendment to create a system of rent controls, to prevent tenants being treated as cash cows by landlords, and instead ensure everyone can afford a safe, secure and comfortable home.
My amendment would set up an independent body that would calculate what the proposed rent should be, looking at things like the location and size of the property, average incomes and/or local rents in the area.
There’s a lot of misinformation about how rent controls work, but in reality they’re an established part of private renting in 16 European countries.
The UK is lagging behind – and as a result private rents (as a share of disposable income) are less affordable here than in any other European country apart from Norway and Luxembourg. Not only that, homes in England are in worse condition too.
There are other ways the new Bill needs strengthening. I’ve argued for a two-year protection period from evictions where a landlord needs to move in or sell, to encourage landlords to plan more carefully given the huge personal impact on tenants who are evicted.
One constituent I spoke to literally received her notice as she was moving her possessions into her new flat. For children in particular, sudden moves can take a massive toll – each school move at a non-standard time of year reduces a pupil’s expected GCSE grades by 0.5.
I’ve also proposed an amendment to help stop illegal evictions by increasing maximum fines to £60,000, and trying to make it easier for renters to get some of their rent paid back to them following an illegal eviction.
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And I’m backing the right to withhold rent for serious disrepair – it’s only fair that if the accommodation renters are being provided with isn’t decent, they shouldn’t be forced to pay for it. Finally, the Bill will only be as good as its enforcement – it’s no good having rules if no one is making sure they’re followed.
I’m really excited by the possibilities of the Renters’ Rights Bill because it’s high time the Government took action to protect renters. Until now, they have been at the mercy of the wild west of the private rental market.
But I don’t want to let a golden opportunity to truly revolutionise renting slip between our fingers. It’s plain for everyone to see that rents are too high, and any sensible government would curb this excess for the good not just of renters but the whole economy.
My fellow Green MPs and I will continue to fight for rent controls and the rights of all renters as this Bill goes through parliament, and I hope other MPs will join us.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing Ross.Mccafferty@metro.co.uk.
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