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11.01.2024 inews.co.uk
As Government announced proposals to make social housing landlords fix emergency repairs within 24 hours, Caolan Magee asked whether a similar regime should be in place to protect private renters. But while eviction under section 21 remains a possibility, new regulation could be a triumph of presentation over the reality of bad landlords who prefer to evict rather than repair.
We spoke to Sophie Barnett about how prospective tenants are being held to ransom by landlords, enabled by an unfettered free market in rents.
Jane Matthews sought evidence from Renters’ Rights London to weigh the relative merits of small-scale landlordism against institutional landlordism. But as rents increased at twice the rate of wages last year, perhaps all landlords deserve their bad reputation, as they exploit an unfettered free market in rents, with scant regard for the public good.
According to NRLA, it’s “not the norm” for prospective tenants to be asked for multiple months rent upfront to secure a tenancy “and generally not favoured by landlords”. But Renters’ Rights London knows that, where renters can’t provide a UK guarantor and have no history of renting here, it’s too often be the only way to secure a tenancy and it looks discriminatory.
10.11.2022 swlondoner.co.uk
A freedom of information request to Westminster City Council, the borough with the largest private rented sector in England, revealed that thousands of landlords have been caught renting out seriously hazardous homes. While central government provides no ring-fenced funding for enforcement work, councils struggle to fund enforcement. And the risk of ‘no fault eviction’ can scare tenants out of reporting problems, anyway. A thoroughly-researched piece from Olly Murphy.
17.08.2022: ftadvisor.com
As energy prices are allowed to soar, Renters’ Rights London would like landlords to insulate the homes they rent out and to freeze rents, not renters. The landlords’ representatives disagree.
Where energy bills are paid as part of the rent or service charge, Government has stated that landlords are expected to pass on the £400 energy rebate to tenants. The Chief Executive of Shelter points out that landlords aren’t allowed to overcharge tenants for the energy they’ve used, nor make a profit on it. Renters’ Rights London suggests how first to approach a landlord who doesn’t mention this money.
Renters’ Rights London spoke to Jack Clover about Spare Room listing “the most beautiful place to sleep in the spring and summer months”. It’s a plastic dome in a North London back garden for £750 per month.
26.07.2021: Each Other
Calls to enshrine our human right to adequate housing in national law are growing louder. But as Hannah Shewan Stevens establishes, actually resolving this housing emergency will be more complicated than introduction of just one law.
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 has applied to all assured shorthold tenancies for over a year. Where a fee can be charged, the law states that the fee must be capped at £50 or cover ‘reasonable costs’. Astounded by a bill for £411, Matt Quinton registered a complaint with the relevant redress scheme and then, dug deeper to report on the size of the loophole.
Data from the Office of National Statistics confirmed that reports of falling rents in London had no real effect on the costs of less expensive rentals. We talked to Jonathan Bray about how the high cost of private renting has increased poverty in South West London.
06.07.2020: politics.co.uk
The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated underlying inequalities. As incomes fall and rent arrears rise, the situation facing tenants is perilous and even worse for lodgers/excluded occupiers, as Chaminda Jayanetti found out for this thoroughly-researched piece.
Reported falls in monthly rents in Q2 of 2020 are insufficient to make the London private rented sector affordable, as Renters’ Rights London told Ruby Lott-Lavigna.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has published new analysis showing that adults living in the private rented sector are less likely to register to vote than others.
When there are at least six categories of ‘affordable homes’ what does ‘affordable’ actually mean? Ged Cann asked us about ‘affordable housing’.
Sirin Kale looked at strange stipulations and restrictive rules imposed by landlords and also, sharers. We point out that unreasonable terms are illegal terms and as such, unenforceable.
Renters who live with the landlord are often in a vulnerable position, with fewer legal protections than assured shorthold tenants, as we explained to Jessica Brown.
How can tenants avoid rogue landlords and criminal operators? We talked about some of the warning signs.
Lewisham Poverty Commission found that private sector rents in the borough rose by 40 per cent between 2011 and 2016. We spoke to Bridie Witton about the urgent need for rent controls.
While government is consulting on how best to implement a ban on letting agents’ fees to tenants, many renters are by-passing agents altogether. Frankie Crossley asked us what renters should know to minimize the risks.
Housing in London is fuelling economic inequality and pushing poverty to the outer boroughs. We talk to BBC News about the effect this is having on private renters
Resonance broadcast a discussion put together by Good London, who asked what the new London Mayor should do to tackle power imbalances, gender, housing, the environment and youth opportunity. Our contribution, about private renting in London, starts at 33 mins
Cameron plans to demolish some council estates, which means many social tenants will be decanted into the private rented sector where renters have very few rights. At the same time, Shelter announces conditions for private renters are the worst they have been since the 1960s. We talk to BBC News
Council tax is based on the value of a property, yet private renters – who don’t own the property so can’t benefit from its value – are the ones who pay it. Is this fair?
Meet the private renters who are fighting back against price hikes, unhealthy homes and revenge evictions
Europeans enjoy more rights and more stable rents than people in the UK, who suffer from the uniquely British phenomenon of amateur landlords
We went to Zemos98 in Seville, where we discussed the London renting scene with campaigners from all over Europe
Dave Hill discusses our new Renters’ Index
We discuss the results of the Halifax survey that shows that young people are giving up on buying a home
How two MPs derailed a bill to protect renters from revenge evictions, despite cross-party support
We discuss why the new rules for letting agents aren’t strong enough