Last week, Parliament commenced the second reading of the Renter’s Rights Bill. This long overdue legislation is a vital step in ensuring the protection and security of those living in the private rented sector across the country, which is an absolute priority of this Labour Government. This new legislation will feature significant tenancy reform, including the introduction of rolling tenancies and a private rented sector database.

This bill is incredibly important to me with 40% of households in Manchester Rusholme living in the private rented sector – the 9th largest in the country at a constituency level – so the ongoing problems in the private rented sector impact thousands of my constituents every day. My constituents deserve better than the housing crisis that has emerged under the last 14 years of Conservative leadership.

The Labour Party has pledged to immediately ban no fault evictions; where a landlord can evict their tenant with no reason. Figures show that over 90,000 households in England have received Section 21 – ‘no fault eviction’ – notices since April 2019, when the Conservative Government first announced to ban them. You can read more data from Crisis here. I am pleased that the Labour Party is going further than the previous governments ever did by ending the injustice of no-fault evictions.

It will also become illegal for landlords to discriminate against tenants receiving benefits, or those who have children when letting the property. This is a significant improvement from previous legislation and will make such a difference for renters across the country, providing security and support for the most vulnerable.

The Decent Homes Standard will be extended to privately rented homes, with clearly set standards that landlords are required to meet. In December 2020, two-year-old Awaab Ishak tragically died as a direct result of exposure to mould in his family’s rented social home. This is following the landlord of the property failing to respond to concerns about living conditions and hazardous mould. This devastating loss of a child shows exactly why the law needs to change and I am proud that the Labour Party is committed to extending Awaab’s Law; making private landlords required to address serious hazards within a defined timeframe.

I hope that this serious action will address the increasing demand for temporary accommodation, which now costs councils over £2 billion annually. Temporary accommodation removes all security from those accessing it and puts impossible pressures on councils, moving funds away from other much-needed services. Years of underfunding councils has had detrimental effects on local councils, and I know that the Labour Government is committed to providing proper investment in local services across the country.

Last week I met with housing charities Shelter, Generation Rent and the Renters Reform Coalition to discuss this bill in further detail. I learned about how they think this bill will benefit many renters across the country and the further changes they would like to see. I will be following this bill closely as it makes its way through Parliament and I hope that changes can come into place soon, so tenants can be empowered to feel secure in their rights.

I believe that everyone deserves the right to a safe, secure and affordable home.