Copyright positive
New law a ‘victory of a lifetime’ for England’s renters England’s 11 million private renters have been granted the most significant boost to their rights in decades thanks to a landmark bill passed by the UK government. At the heart of the Renters’ Rights Act is a ban on no-fault evictions, a practice that has pushed thousands of people into homelessness. “[This] is the victory of a lifetime for renters,” said Sarah Elliott, chief executive of the housing and homelessness charity Shelter. “England’s 11 million renters will finally be unshackled from the gross injustice of no-fault evictions that have made thousands homeless.” Another element of the act is Awaab’s law, which obliges social landlords – including councils and housing associations – to fix emergency health and safety hazards within 24 hours of them being reported. It’s named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died in 2020 after prolonged exposure to mould. The act also empowers tenants to keep pets and challenge unfair rent increases, while prohibiting landlords from rejecting would-be tenants because they have children or are on benefits. Critics of the act claim that it will force some landlords to sell up, reducing the supply of rental housing and pushing up prices. Others warn that the already overstretched courts will struggle to cope with more claims. The government has yet to set a date for when the changes will come into force. Image: Kelly Sikkema
