Housing Charities Welcome Bill To Protect Private Tenants
Four leading housing charities have welcomed an announcement from Brian Iddon MP that he will be pushing for better protection for private tenants, the hidden victims of the repossession crisis, in a Private Members Bill.
Crisis, Citizens Advice, Shelter and the Chartered Institute of Housing have hailed the move which comes in response to a joint campaign to introduce legislation to protect private tenants from eviction with little or no notice when their landlords get repossessed.
Brian Iddon MP was drawn first in the Private Members’ Ballot, meaning he picked this issue above many others and is in a strong position to ensure his Bill now becomes law.
Leslie Morphy, Chief Executive of Crisis, said: "We are delighted that Brian Iddon has taken up the baton and pledged to work to give private tenants the protection they so desperately need. There are around 324,000 households who would be at risk of losing their homes with little or no notice if their landlord was repossessed so this legislation cant come soon enough. We now hope that Government and all parties will work together ensure this legislation is passed without delay."
Citizens Advice Chief Executive David Harker said: "This Bill sets out to end a clear injustice whereby private tenants who have paid their rent and kept to all the terms of their tenancy agreement can be evicted without notice if their landlord is repossessed. CAB advisers report seeing cases where the first the tenant knows about the situation is when they come home to find bailiffs in their home, or to find their belongings have been put out on the street and the locks have been changed. We would urge all MPs and peers to give the Bill their full support so that these forgotten victims of repossession get the legal protection they deserve."
Sarah Webb, Chief Executive of CIH, said: "We are very pleased indeed that Brian Iddon MP is giving his support to this important issue. It is absolutely crucial that households living in the private rented sector are afforded basic legal protection when they are facing the consequences of their landlords being repossessed."
Shelter deputy director of policy and campaigns Caroline Davey said: "It is shocking that innocent tenants who have caused no problems and paid their rent on time can be forced to leave their home with as little as a few hours notice if their landlord has failed to keep up mortgage payments. We welcome Brian Iddon’s commitment to protecting private tenants and hope that sufficient time is made to ensure this vital piece of legislation will now be passed before the general election."
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A private matter? Private tenants: the forgotten victims of the repossessions crisis Is available on request and online at www.crisis.org.uk ; www.citizensadvice.org.uk ; www.shelter.org.uk ; www.cih.org
