Greens call for winter rent freeze and ban on evictions
24 November 2022
The Green Party of England and Wales is calling for the government to urgently bring forward its promised Renters Reform Bill in time to stave off a winter of evictions and homelessness.
The call came as new figures showed so-called no fault evictions leaping 76 per cent [1}
Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, said the Bill must include:
“An immediate cap on rent increases until at least the end of March 2023, as well as a ban on no-fault evictions over the same period to prevent landlords evicting tenants in order to raise rents.”
In Scotland, where the Scottish Greens are in government with the SNP, similar measures have already become law [2].
Average rental prices outside London have hit a high of £1,162 a month, jumping 11% in the past year [3].
The UK government produced a White Paper in June [4] and Housing Minister Andrew Stephenson told Parliament in October the legislation was still a “priority.” [5]
Carla Denyer added:
“Knowing that you have a secure home over winter is vital for both physical and mental health. Households already face soaring energy and food costs; the last thing they need, on top of everything else they have to contend with, is unaffordable rent rises and the fear of being evicted.
“Rising private rents and increasing evictions have also been cited as major causes of a dramatic increase in homelessness in London and other cities. The number of people sleeping rough on the capital’s streets has jumped by a shocking 24% in the past year [6]
“We are calling on the government to introduce an immediate freeze on rent rises and a ban on evictions by landlords who simply want to increase rents between tenancies. The Scottish government has introduced legislation to safeguard tenants this winter. We want to see the Housing Minister introduce similar measures in England, and for the Senedd to use its devolved powers to do so in Wales [6].”
Notes
[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-63719126
[2] Cost of living: rent and eviction – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
[4] A fairer private rented sector
[5] Housing Minister Andrew Stephenson
[6] Number of people sleeping rough in London up 24% in a year | Homelessness | The Guardian
[7] Rent freeze call by Plaid Cymru voted down by Labour – BBC News