The Tories' manifesto promise to end Section 21 no-fault
evictions is “collapsing under the weight of vested interests” on
their own backbenches, Labour has warned.
Five years after they first promised it, Labour is demanding
ministers face down their unruly backbenchers and ensure that
no-fault evictions are immediately abolished.
As the Renters (Reform) Bill returns to the House of Commons on
Wednesday, ministers have tabled more than 200 amendments in last
week alone.
Research carried out by YouGov on behalf of homelessness charity
Shelter showed that since April 2019 a total of 943,000 people
had been served Section 21 notices, the equivalent of more than
500 renters every day, with nearly 85,000 of them put at risk of
homelessness as a result.
Levelling Up Minister Jacob Young said last week that he couldn't
"give a commitment on a solid date" for the ban to also apply to
existing tenancies, meaning millions would continue to be at risk
of losing their homes.
Matthew Pennycook MP, Labour's Shadow Housing Minister,
said:
“Instead of ministers having the courage to face down their
unruly backbenchers, this weak and divided Conservative
government is appeasing them at the expense of private renters
who will see the rights and protections they were promised
watered down.
“The long overdue end of no-fault evictions cannot be made
dependent on unspecified future court improvements subjectively
determined by ministers.
“The government needs to definitively abolish Section 21
evictions at the point the Renters Reform Bill becomes law or a
Labour government will finish the job.”
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