Private Renters Need a Fair Deal

The number of people living in this area who are private tenants is growing significantly. We are facing the biggest housing crisis in a generation with less than half the number of new homes we need being built and house building now at the lowest level since the 1920s. I’ve spoken to many young people in the Brentford and Isleworth Constituency who have all but given up on their dreams of ever owning their own homes. Particularly once people start to have children, they feel they have been forced into the private rented sector as the only available option.

Labour will:
Ban rip-off letting agent fees for tenants
Legislate for three-year tenancies giving renters a security and peace of mind
End excessive rent rises by putting a ceiling on rent increases during the new three-year tenancies
Support local licensing schemes for landlords
Set a new target to upgrade the energy efficiency of properties in the private rented sector
Renters in London are now paying on average £2800 more in rent per household than they did in 2010. They face rip-off charges by letting agents, unpredictable jumps in their rent and insecure tenancies.

And despite paying more, renters also have to put up with poor standards, and poor insulation with a third of homes in the private rented sector failing to meet the decent homes standard.

These problems affect too many people. That’s why we need to take action to reform the private rented sector so tenants and landlords can both get a fair deal.

I am really pleased that the next Labour government will change the law to make three-year tenancies the norm and protect against excessive rent increases to give tenants the stability they deserve. And also take action to ban unfair letting agents’ fees for tenants, saving renters an average of £350 in costs each time they move – and £624 for the average renter over the Parliament.

Labour has also set out plans to introduce a national register of landlords and increase flexibility for local authorities to introduce licensing schemes in order to drive up standards across the sector. We’ll also bring an end to cold homes by setting a new target to upgrade the energy efficiency of properties in the private rented sector.

The private rental market has changed and now the law has to as well. Only Labour will improve the private rented sector to end the unfairness and make it work for working people living here.