Levelling Up Minister Accused of Unfair Play in Renter’s Reform Bill

In a troubling development, accusations swirl around Rishi Sunak and Michael Gove for purportedly yielding to landlord lobbying, altering the landscape of tenant-landlord dynamics in the debate over renters’ reform. Here’s the full story.

Few Wins

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has had very few notable wins when passing legislation through parliament. The landmark policy of sending asylum seekers to Rwanda is bogged down in legal battles and being sent back and forth between the Commons and the Lords as peers rebel against the proposed legislation, which has been declared illegal by the Supreme Court. 

One of the rare wins on the horizon was the Renters Reform Bill, which was supposed to toughen up protections for renters and eliminate no-fault evictions, much hated by the 35.7% of the country forced to rent due to unaffordable house prices. However, even this relatively easy win for a government with few to speak of now seems to be in jeopardy. 

Landlord Concessions

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, have found themselves embroiled in controversy over the alleged concessions they have made in the face of concerted lobbying efforts by landlords and landlord groups. 

The controversy centres on significant proposed amendments to the renters’ reform bill, which were reportedly influenced by lobbying from Tory MPs aligned with landlord interests.

Mounting Concerns

The proposed amendments to the renters’ reform bill have sparked criticism, with mounting concerns over the shifting balance of power between tenants and landlords.The changes to the bill, including restrictions on tenants’ rights to end contracts within the first six months and doubts regarding the removal of no-fault evictions, have drawn sharp criticism from campaigners and opposition MPs alike.

The proposed amendments, if implemented, could fundamentally alter the landscape of tenant-landlord relations. By limiting tenants’ ability to terminate contracts and casting doubt on the abolition of no-fault evictions, concerns have been raised regarding the potential exacerbation of housing insecurity, with homelessness becoming an increasingly common problem up and down the country.

The issue of no-fault evictions, also known as section 21 notices, has been a focal point of contention. According to Shelter, a housing charity, an analysis of Ministry of Justice figures revealed a 39% increase in the number of households evicted by bailiffs due to no-fault evictions in 2023 compared to 2022.

“Absolutely Committed”

The government’s apparent U-turn on getting rid of no-fault evictions was made starkly clear by Jacob Young, a communities minister, who only a few short weeks ago told parliament: “We are absolutely committed to the abolition of section 21. I am personally committed to that and we will bring back the bill as soon as we’re able to.”

Further controversy arose after a sustained campaign by Conservative MPs to weaken protections for renters, in which one-third of the MPs involved were landlords.

“Landlords Charter”

Opposition to the proposed amendments has been loud and sustained, with critics denouncing the bill’s transformation into what The Renters’ Reform Coalition termed a “landlords’ charter.” 

Concerns have also been raised about the potential delay in realising the reform’s intended benefits and its adverse impact on renters, particularly those in vulnerable situations.

Tom Darling, a manager at the Renters’ Reform Coalition, was harsh in his criticism of the proposed changes. He stated, “Renters will be hoping to see significant changes to the bill in the House of Lords. Otherwise, this legislation will hardly be an improvement on the status quo, and in some cases, it will make things worse.”

The shadow housing minister Matthew Pennycook stated, “After years of delay, private renters have every right to be furious at the watering down of the vital protections the Tories promised them.”

Rumour and Speculation

Ben Beadle, the chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, lamented that the “rumour, speculation and off-the-record briefings about the future of the bill has caused a huge amount of concern and uncertainty for tenants and responsible landlords.”

However, he added: “The government has a mandate to end section 21 repossessions. Our focus has been on ensuring that the replacement system works and is fair to both tenants and responsible landlords. The changes being proposed would achieve this balance.”

In response to mounting criticism, government officials have defended the proposed amendments. A spokesperson stated, “Our landmark renters’ (reform) bill will deliver a fairer private rented sector for both tenants and landlords. It will abolish Section 21 evictions—giving people more security in their homes and empowering them to challenge poor practices.

They continued, “The bill must strike the balance between delivering security for tenants and fairness for landlords. We have listened to feedback from landlord and tenant groups and from MPs, and will bring amendments forward at Commons report stage after Easter recess.”

Much Promised, Little Delivered

Despite the government’s defence, the controversy surrounding Sunak and Gove’s alleged concessions to landlord lobbying indicates a running theme under the Prime Minister’s leadership, where much is promised and little is delivered. 

As is so often the case with renters, the landlords have their rights protected, whilst those with little choice but to rent see what little protections they were promised whittled away.

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The post Levelling Up Minister Accused of Unfair Play in Renter’s Reform Bill first appeared on Edge Media.

Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Vitalii Vodolazskyi.