February 27th 2024
Biggest landlord MPs in push to gut renters’ reform
Five out of the ten MPs in England with the biggest landlord portfolios are involved in efforts to water down the Renters (Reform) Bill.
An analysis of the Register of Members’ Financial Interests conducted by the Renters’ Reform Coalition found that Nick Fletcher (ten privately rented properties), Marco Longhi (ten), Bob Blackman (six), James Gray (four) and Sir Geoffrey Clifton Brown (five) are all among a group of 40 Conservative backbenchers who have signed amendments that campaigners warn will ‘gut’ the legislation.
The amendments, tabled by Conservative MP Anthony Mangnall, include proposals to allow ‘hearsay’ evidence to be used in evictions over antisocial behaviour, delay the bill’s implementation indefinitely, require renters to live in a property for a minimum of six months before they can leave, and abolish council licensing schemes intended to drive up standards.
The Renters’ Reform Coalition highlighted an amendment that would allow fixed term tenancies – the current tenancy regime – to be retained where there is “mutual agreement” between tenant and landlord. Campaigners warned that in practice, landlords have so much power in tenancy negotiations that this would lead to widespread retention of the current system.
The Bill’s development and passage has already seen concessions made to pro-landlord groups, including a delay to the end of section 21 until the courts are reformed, changes to make it easier for landlords to accuse tenants of anti-social behaviour then evict them, and a weakening of the process for challenging rent increases designed to act as disincentive to tenants.
Housing Secretary Michael Gove recently made the latest government promise to ban no-fault evictions, going further than he previously had by saying they would be ‘outlawed’ before the General Election.
At present, a total of 12 of the 40 MPs who have signed the amendments are themselves landlords of properties in England. This is significantly higher than the overall proportion of English MPs who are landlords. The total number of properties being let out by MPs who have signed the amendments is 48.
The Bill is currently still awaiting its Report Stage in the House of Commons, despite having been first introduced to Parliament last May. Meanwhile section 21 evictions continue to rise, with no-fault evictions by bailiffs increasing by almost 50 percent in 2023.
Tom Darling, campaign manager of the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said: ‘Of course, being a landlord doesn’t mean you can’t be an MP. But we think those who personally profit from England’s broken rental market have a particular duty to their constituents to deliver reforms to the private rented sector. Indeed, they all stood on manifestos to do just that in 2019.
‘It is therefore extremely concerning to see these MPs signing up to amendments that would render significant parts of the legislation pointless. What’s more, the government have now invested so much politically in this issue that we are concerned they might be looking to make concessions to these rebels to pass the bill quickly and say they have abolished no-fault evictions – despite in reality introducing a system that won’t be much better.’
‘The truth is the Bill, as written, is not going to be a silver bullet. In reality we need reform that goes much further than the legislation as it stands – with longer tenancies, more time for renters to find a new home when evictions do happen, higher penalties for unscrupulous landlords, and a cap on rent increases to prevent unaffordable rent hikes becoming, in effect, no-fault evictions.
‘The government will be sorely mistaken if it thinks it can pass a toothless Bill written by landlords and then get a pat on the back.’
Image: Ethan Wilkinson
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