Ruth Cadbury Wants 'Fairer Deal' For Renters

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Welcomes Labour's proposal to reform private rental market

Labour’s proposed reform of the Private Rented Market was welcomed by the party's Parliamentary candidate Ruth Cadbury this week.

“One of the biggest causes of the cost of living crisis in our country is the price of renting or buying a home”, she said.

Ruth said that a quarter of Hounslow’s households are now living in private rented accommodation, many with children.

"It is shocking that they have so little protection. It is not right that families have as little as six month’s security, and rents can rise by more than 10 per cent per year meaning that average rents now consume more than half of the average income.

"While the Conservative-led government refuses to act, a Labour Government will give families the security of a longer tenancy and predictable rents so they can manage tight finances and plan ahead.”

The next Labour Government will ban letting agent’s fees for tenants, and will legislate to make three year tenancies the standard and with predictable rents she added.

Hounslow is one of many Labour authorities that has a licensing system for larger rented homes.

However there is currently no national protection for tenants from agent’s fees which can be as much as £500 just for signing a tenancy agreement.

"Labour will legislate to ban these charges by letting agents. Furthermore, many tenancies last just six months with families at risk of being thrown out after that with just two months’ notice with no reason".

Ed Miliband said “Some tenants are told to accept huge rent rises or face eviction. It breeds instability and that is bad for tenants, bad for families, bad for landlords, and bad for our society.

" Labour’s fair deal for rented housing in Britain will be long-term tenancies and stable rents so that people can settle down, know where the children will go to school, know their home will still be there for them tomorrow.”

May 2, 2014