THREAD: 1. People in private rented homes are struggling and govt must act. government has paused evictions for three months and answered Labour’s call to increase the Local Housing Allowance. Both are welcome, but do not go far enough.
2. Jobs and livelihoods will take time to recover, and if evictions are allowed to restart before people can start earning again, we could see an unprecedented spike in homelessness. This is avoidable and govt needs to act.
3. In the long term we urgently need to fix our broken housing system, with stronger regulation of rented sector and more affordable and social housing. In the short-term, our 5-point plan would help many people not to lose their homes because of the necessary Covid-19 measures.
4. Every Thursday we clap for key workers but many live in homes which are overcrowded, unsafe or expensive. As we come out of this health crisis we cannot go back to business as usual. Everyone deserves a home which is safe, secure, environmentally sustainable& truly affordable.
5. on 1st May @CitizensAdvice published research re cliff-edge for renters. They asked govt to fast-track abolition of S21 'no fault' evictions, temporarily make mandatory 'rent arrears' grounds for eviction discretionary& help renters defer repayment. citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/how-c…
6. On 7th May @Shelter highlighted the same problem and asked govt to lift the benefit cap and temporarily raise the Local Housing Allowance to help tenants to cover rents. england.shelter.org.uk/media/press_re…
7. Today as Shadow Housing Secretary I’ve announced Labour’s 5-point plan which builds on existing Labour policy and the requests from @CitizensAdvice and @Shelter to help tenants pay rent and prevent evictions where they can't manage because of the Covid crisis
8. First part of our 5-point plan to prevent evictions: Extend the temporary ban on evictions.
This is essential – the ban runs out on in late June. Housing charities and advice agencies all agree - this is essential first step govt must take.
This is essential – the ban runs out on in late June. Housing charities and advice agencies all agree - this is essential first step govt must take.
9. Second, Speed up and improve the provision of Universal Credit as Labour has recently called for (remove benefit cap 2-child limit and savings cap, end 5-week wait, grant not loan) and consider temporary increase to Local Housing Allowance to help prevent risk of homelessness.
11. Third, bring forward proposal to scrap Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions and outlaw section 8 evictions on the grounds of arrears if the arrears were accrued because of the Covid crisis. Govt already intends to scrap S21 - they should and could do this now.
12. Fourth, once evictions are prevented, grant renters two years to pay back any rent arrears accrued during this period. For many this will be a small arrears and they will be back in work soon. For others it will be harder - hence asking govt to consider LHA increase
13. Fifth, give residential tenants the same protections as govt wants for commercial tenants, by protecting them from being made bankrupt by their landlords for non-payment of rent. Govt is proposing to do this for commercial tenants, they can and should do this for residential
13. Fifth, give residential tenants the same protections as govt wants for commercial tenants, by protecting them from being made bankrupt by their landlords for non-payment of rent. This is in govt proposals for urgent legislation for commercial, why not residential?
13. This is building on existing Labour policy published in March which was to temporarily suspend the right of landlords to evict tenants for non-payment of rent and provide a repayment period. That's still in there and reflects what campaigners are asking for.
14. Massive thanks to my predecessor @JohnHealey_MP who worked with specialists to draft the legislation temporarily suspending landlord right to evict because of arrears and allowing tenants up to two years to repay. I've huge respect for all his knowledge and built on this
15. In compiling this policy, I've focussed on ways to prevent arrears in the first place through improvements to Universal Credit and possible temp. increase to Local Housing Allowance, maintaining the tenancy and preventing eviction. I've consulted widely, checked legal/stats
16. But I must reiterate - in this Covid crisis we are starting from a broken housing system which people are feeling real pain from and needs fixing. That needs urgent reform to private rental sector, investment in truly affordable and social housing and more.
