By Vineet Malik | October 10, 2023 | London, England
Inaction of more than four years with repeated false assurances to abolish Section 21 of the Housing Act – “No Fault Evictions” through enactment of troubled Renters Reform Bill by the UK Government is seen as one of the biggest failures in the recent times. Amid already plaguing housing crisis, now a misleading campaign launched to empower tenants by holding landlords to account comes into play by hitting another low
The exorbitant £2 Million “Make Things Right” Campaign launched yesterday by the United Kingdom (UK) Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove is going steadfast in urging tenants in social housing to put pressure on failing landlords to improve their living conditions.
Social Housing Residents are being encouraged to report issues and make complaints to address hazards in their home in the next phase of the England wide advertising Campaign.
The campaign says “Residents should feel confident to challenge poor and unacceptable housing conditions and needs to inform their landlord of their rights and ensure they escalate complaints to the Housing Ombudsman if concerns are not addressed swiftly or appropriately.
The Campaign will be up and running through advertisements promoted across radio and social media.
The Campaign says, “Landlords have a responsibility to take action when complaints are made and support will also be available for tenants in the best possible way.
This is a wake-up call for the Landlords who must do better to provide decent and safe homes for the residents.”
Housing Secretary, Rt. Hon. Michael Gove says
Social Landlords who fail their residents time and again must be held to account.
The continued success of our “Make Things Right” Campaign gives residents a greater voice to bring about real change – make sure they know their rights to stand up to bad landlords and go to Ombudsman when issues remain unresolved.
Our Social Housing Act is now a law and Awaab’s Law remains a firm reminder of the importance for all tenants to have the right to live in safe and decent homes while being treated with fairness and respect.
Social Housing Campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa says
“I have said from the very beginning, nobody should live in a home that is falling apart or unsafe. If a Landlord wouldn’t, neither should their tenants.”
England has some of the worst housing in the developed world.
In the recent past, the Government in a bid to deliver decent housing conditions resorted to “Naming and Shaming Failing Social Housing Landlords”
Why is £2 Million huge expenditure incurred on “Make Things Right” Housing Campaign Misleading ?
The Coalition Member Citizens Advice found that 46 percent of those who complained against such errant Landlords were slapped with Section 21 Eviction Notice within six months of raising their voice.
Complain and you’re Out : Research confirms link between tenant complaints and revenge eviction
A London based tenant and architect Paul Michalski (name changed on request) says “The political leaders governing the nation have been misleading the vulnerable renters ever since the Renters Reform Bill was promised in 2019. How does the Government expect renters to complaint against such criminal Landlords in absence of Renters Reform Bill that talks about scrapping Section 21 – No Fault Eviction ? This is for sure a misleading Campaign and yet another way to exploit more than 11 Million private renters in England alone."
The underlying fear of eviction according to Government figures witnessed a 50 percent surge due to No Fault Evictions in a year. The households are often unable to challenge poor housing conditions.
Landlords most of the times also slap Section 21 – No Fault Eviction” on tenants to force them out of their homes if the arbitrary rent hikes are not accepted, leaving vulnerable renters at risk of getting homeless.
Housing System in the UK is shrouded in conspirational-sly for Criminal and Fraudster Landlords to openly commit a daylight robbery.
Housing Crisis in the UK
Amid housing rental crisis in the UK, one home has average of 25 tenants waiting in queue, according figures quoted by Rightmove.
In March this year, a house advertised for rent in Chadwell Heath in London received whopping 52 offers.
172 Families / One in every eight minutes served Section 21 - No Fault Eviction Notice every day.
Private Renting Sector linked to faster Biological Ageing
Deputy Chief Executive, Generation Rent Dan Wilson Craw in response to a study conducted by the University of Essex, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health finding that being a private renter is linked to faster “biological ageing” says “Our home is so important to our health. Uncertainty about how long we can live somewhere is stressful, while despair and damp conditions make us physically ill. Private renters who face the threat of arbitrary eviction and live in the worst quality housing are particularly vulnerable to poor health.
As more older people have no option but to rent, policymakers need to act urgently.
The Government has a huge responsibility to improve renters health by passing the Renters Reform Bill, which will stop Landlords evicting tenants without providing a reason and make it easier to hold Landlords accountable for the quality of their homes.”
The study inferred, the impact of renting in the private sector as opposed to outright ownership (with no mortgage) was almost double that of being out of work rather than being employed.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Ignored the plea of Renters Reform Coalition to end Housing crisis
Renters Reform Coalition’s urgent letter addressed to Sunak in July to end the ongoing housing crisis in the UK by getting the Bill debated and agreed by both the House of Lords and the House of Commons in the summer Parliament session was ignored.
A week back, the Housing Secretary was criticized by renters for failing to mention the Renters Reform Bill during a keynote speech at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester.
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