Today Emma has backed Labour plans for a better deal for those renting their homes privately. In South Shields, there are currently nearly 3,000 people living in the private rented sector – they all deserve a fairer deal.
Labour will:
- Give security and peace of mind by legislating for 3-year tenancies giving renters a stable home and landlords the confidence to invest.
- End excessive rent increases by putting a ceiling on rent increases during the new 3-year tenancies.
- Ban rip-off letting agent fees for tenants by legislating to stop letting agents charging tenants fees.
- Drive up standards by introducing a national register of landlords and making it easier for local authorities to introduce licensing schemes and ensure tough sanctions are in place for bad landlords. We will also create a new benchmarking system for property standards.
- Bring an end to cold homes by setting a new target to upgrade the energy efficiency of properties in the private rented sector.
Emma said:
“People who are renting in South Shields often have to put up with insecure tenancies, poor standards and rising costs. They want a decent home to be able to settle down, put down roots and have peace of mind.
“A Labour Government will give private renters a fairer deal by bringing in 3-year stable tenancies, predictable rents to stop excessive rises and banning unfair letting agent fees on tenants. We’ll also drive up standards and bring an end to cold homes.”
The next Labour Government will legislate to introduce 3-year stable tenancies with predictable rent rises to prevent excessive rent increases, ban letting agent fees charged to tenants and introduce a national register to drive-up standards in the private rented sector. Labour will also set a new target to upgrade energy efficiency of properties.
Labour’s Shadow Housing Minister, Emma Reynolds, said: “Millions of people now rent privately but are faced with rising costs, poor standards and little security.”
“That’s why the next Labour Government has committed to reforming private renting to get a fairer deal for private renters.”