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Campaigner hails demise of 'disastrous' private rental policies

tom darling

Rental reform campaigner Tom Darling has labelled PRS policies an “unmitigated disaster” as he celebrates the imminent Renters’ Rights Act.

Darling, director of the Renters’ Reform Coalition, which includes groups such as Generation Rent, Shelter and Citizens Advice, labels renting “the worst tenure - the worst of the worst…with the weakest tenant protections in all of Europe” in a series of X posts.

Darling tells his followers: “The Thatcher/Major liberalisation of private renting - introducing Section 21 no-fault evictions and buy-to-let mortgages - has been an unmitigated disaster. When the Renters’ Rights Bill becomes law next week, it will be good riddance to (part of) this failed experiment.”

Credit

Like Generation Rent the coalition has claimed the credit for the defeat of amendments in the House of Lords that the group says would have weakened the ban on no-fault evictions by reducing disincentives for landlord abuse, calling it a big win for members after intensive campaigning.

The group says that from 1991 to 2013-14, the proportion of people owning their own home reduced, as the private rented sector exploded, aided by the sale of council homes through Right to Buy. “Is this what Mrs Thatcher meant by ‘a property-owning democracy’?” Darling asks. “More landlords and less homeowners?

Improved

“Okay but has the ‘investment’ in renting improved outcomes, as proponents claim? Nope: England’s housing stock is the ‘worst value for money’ of any advanced economy, say the Resolution Foundation.”

Darling adds: “When the Renters’ Rights Bill (likely) becomes the Renters’ Rights Act, right-wingers will kick and scream. But the truth is: we have been living their deregulation experiment for the last 30+ years, and the results aren’t pretty. Time for a new approach.”

Tags:

renters rights bill
Renters reform

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