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Campaigners have accused the government of outsourcing the Tenancies (Reform) Bill to “landlord backbenchers” after reports that Tory MPs are discussing a planned watering down of new rules. ing.
The Tenants (Reform) Bill is currently being passed through Parliament, with the Government promising to abolish Section 21 evictions, which it first committed to in 2019. But the Tenant Reform Coalition is not convinced, insisting that the long-promised new rules have been scrapped. Kicked “into the long grass”
The claims come after it emerged yesterday that ministers are holding talks with Tory backbenchers about watering down England’s planned protections for renters.
The BBC said it had seen a series of draft government amendments to upcoming legislation aimed at banning section 21 evictions.
The proposed changes were circulated to Conservative MPs who had expressed concerns about the bill and wanted to expand landlord rights.
The government insisted it would continue to ban so-called “no-fault” evictions in the run-up to the election.
The Tenants (Reform) Bill was first introduced in May last year. This means that in the UK a landlord can only evict a tenant under certain circumstances, such as if the landlord wants to sell the property or if they or a close relative wants to move in.
However, the bill has not yet passed the House of Representatives.
About 50 Conservative MPs, including landlords, have expressed opposition to the bill. They fear the PRS will be adversely affected as many landlords put up for sale, reducing the number of rental properties available.
According to the BBC, a series of draft government amendments to the bill were circulated for approval in a WhatsApp group of Conservative MPs concerned about the bill.
“It looks like we’ve reached agreement on almost everything,” one Conservative MP told the BBC.
But Tenant Reform Coalition campaign manager Tom Darling said: “It’s a scandal and a travesty that the government is delegating the writing of the Tenancy (Reform) Bill to the backbenches of landlords. It reeks of desperation.”
“They don’t want to appear to have broken their promise to offer better terms for renters, but the Section 21 ban is in the long grass and they want to ‘relieve the burden on landlords’. There are proposals that are being considered to provide safe housing, but the UK’s 11 million private renters would be hard-pressed to reach any other conclusion. ”
Earlier this month, Housing Secretary Michael Gove insisted the government would tackle the Section 21 eviction ban before the general election later this year.
Asked whether the practice would end in time for the referendum, Mr Gove told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: “I don’t think so. ”
As first reported by the BBC on Wednesday, Labor accused the government of “another betrayal of tenants” in response to the amendments, saying it was “an attack on Rishi Sunak who always puts party before country”. This is yet another example of the weakness of the government.”
Shadow housing secretary Angela Rainer said Chancellor Rishi Sunak “must give people ironclad assurances that he will not bow to vested interests behind the scenes or break his promises to renters.”
Furthermore, she added: “The Conservatives, who have failed the justice system, are now using their failure to break their promises to tenants in the most despicable way. The Government must make a statement to Parliament today.”
A Level Up, Housing and Communities Department spokesperson said: “Our landmark Tenants (Reform) Bill will deliver a fairer private rental sector for both tenants and landlords.” commented.
Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, recalled yesterday’s reports that the Government was planning to amend the Tenants (Reform) Bill and urged the Government to bring forward the amendments.
He said: “We have long accepted that the government has a mandate to end the use of fixed term tenancies and no-fault foreclosures. Our focus has been and will continue to be on development. This doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game between the two.
“NRLA has consistently campaigned for legislation that balances the protections promised to tenants with the legitimate business needs of allowing landlords to continue providing rental housing.
“That balance will be maintained if the Government considers amendments that guarantee landlords a minimum period of six months and ensure everyone’s confidence in the court process. We need to see the proposed amendments fully published so that all parties can decide for themselves what is up for debate and advance the debate on the bill in public. “The lack of progress and uncertainty about the future is creating instability and damage for those living and working in the private rented sector.”
Also, taking into account the prospect of changes to the Landlord Reform Bill, Lauren fuse, a reporter for the newspaper Vasch said: There is no question that this bill is not perfect, but the clock is running too far and the industry has been in the waiting room for far too long. It’s time to enshrine new rules into law and move the industry forward. This holding pattern is in no one’s interest. ”
Dr Oli Sherlock from The Good Lord added: “The latest chapter of the Tenants (Reform) Bill only creates further uncertainty for the private rental sector. The issue of repealing section 21 has been in limbo for far too long.
“It was said months ago that the courts needed to be reformed before Article 21 was passed, but there is little sign of investment or progress in this area. Do we seek clarity? Without it, we cannot meaningfully prepare and plan.”
Almost a third of Conservative MPs seeking to water down rental housing reform legislation are landlords.