Landlords affiliated with Parliament are aiming to weaken renters' legislation reforms
In England, there is growing concern that MPs who are landlords may be influencing the watering down of the Renters (Reform) Bill, a piece of legislation aimed at strengthening tenant protections.
According to Tom Darling, the campaign manager of the Renters' Reform Coalition, Conservative MPs who are landlords have signed amendments that could make the Bill less effective. Darling warns that the government would be mistaken if it thought it could pass a toothless Bill written by landlords and receive praise for abolishing no-fault evictions.
Around a tenth of current UK MPs are landlords, with at least 83 owning rental properties, including MPs from all major parties, notably the Conservatives and Labour. This raises concerns about a potential conflict of interest, as these MPs stand to benefit financially from lenient rental laws. Critics argue that the presence of landlord MPs in Parliament undermines government efforts to protect renters and call for a ban on MPs owning rental properties to improve trust and policy effectiveness.
The Renters’ Rights Bill, which proposes strong tenant protections such as banning fixed-term tenancies, outlawing no-fault evictions under Section 21, and restricting rent hikes beyond market levels, represents a direct challenge to landlord profitability. Some landlords in Parliament have been accused of acting to soften these reforms or undermine their implementation.
Currently, 12 of the 40 MPs who have signed the amendments are themselves landlords, which is significantly higher than the overall proportion of English MPs who are landlords. The amendments include proposals to allow 'hearsay' evidence in evictions, delay the Bill's implementation, require renters to live in a property for a minimum of six months before leaving, and abolish council licensing schemes.
The Renters' Reform Coalition believes that the Bill, as it stands, is not a sufficient solution and that more comprehensive reforms are needed, including longer tenancies, more time for renters to find a new home when evictions occur, higher penalties for unscrupulous landlords, and a cap on rent increases. The development of the Bill has seen concessions made to pro-landlord groups, including a delay to the end of section 21, changes to make it easier for landlords to evict tenants, and a weakening of the process for challenging rent increases.
The Renters (Reform) Bill is being challenged by a group of 40 Conservative MPs, including Nick Fletcher, Marco Longhi, Bob Blackman, James Gray, and Sir Geoffrey Clifton Brown. One amendment would allow fixed term tenancies to be retained where there is "mutual agreement" between tenant and landlord, potentially leading to widespread retention of the current system.
Darling is worried that the government might make concessions to these MPs to pass the bill quickly, even if the resulting legislation is not significantly better than the current system. The Bill is currently awaiting its Report Stage in the House of Commons, despite having been first introduced to Parliament last May. The continued rise in no-fault evictions, with no-fault evictions by bailiffs increasing by almost 50 percent in 2023, underscores the need for strong tenant protections.
As the Renters (Reform) Bill moves forward, it is crucial that the government prioritises the needs of renters over the interests of landlords. The Bill must deliver comprehensive reforms that provide renters with the security and protections they deserve.
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