Senior members of the Conservative Party have engaged in confidential talks
with leading landlords in a bid to thwart the controversial Renters’ Rights
Bill,
the Guardian has revealed.
The meeting, chaired by shadow housing minister Baroness Jane Scott,
examined strategies such as starting court battles under human rights laws.
Those present also talked about using House of Lords amendments to stall
the Bill’s progress. During the roundtable, which included major players
like Get Living and
the National Residential Landlord Association
, participants brainstormed ways to either derail or postpone the bill
indefinitely.
However, the revelations have ignited claims of improper coordination
between the property sector and Conservatives.
That’s despite the Conservatives’ efforts to bring in the Renters (Reform)
Bill while in power.
Bill will hit rental supply
A spokesperson for the Conservative Party said: “The Conservatives have
been warning that this bill is deeply flawed, as it will lead to a reduced
supply of rental homes.
“As is standard practice with all legislation, the official opposition
engages privately with a range of stakeholders to hear their views.”
Michael Gove, when he was the housing secretary in the last government,
pushed for similar reforms, but his efforts were abandoned when the
election was called.
Since then, Tory party leader Kimi Badenoch has stiffened her party’s
resistance to the Bill’s aims for the private rented sector.
Section 21 abolished
Central to Labour’s proposed legislation is the ending of Section 21
‘no-fault’ evictions, which could be implemented when the Bill gains Royal
Assent.
The law also aims to stop landlords from charging excess rent and will
enforce ‘Awaab’s law’, which mandates that landlords carry out timely
essential repairs.
The Guardian says that during discussions, Get Living revealed it had
explored the opportunity of a human rights challenge with a top barrister,
a move Baroness Scott reportedly endorsed.
One attendee said she believed that the legal action could halt the
legislation.
However, there was a reference to the Scottish Association of Landlords’
unsuccessfully challenging the Scottish rent cap pointing to property
rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.
A Get Living spokesperson insisted their goal was for the bill to succeed,
adding: “There is a group in the professionally managed rental sector that
significantly contributes to new housing stock that are concerned about the
legal issues the government faces if the bill proceeds in its current
format.”
Bid to delay the Bill
Baroness Scott also pledged to push for extensive debates on amendments to
delay the Bill’s process through the Lords – suggesting she could postpone
proceedings until at least the autumn.
She apparently expressed frustration at the lack of statistical proof that
landlords were exiting the market due to the Bill, prompting attendees to
help in gathering such data.
Defending the Tories’ reluctance to adopt Awaab’s law, Baroness Scott
argued that landlords lacked the organisation to meet strict repair
timelines.
One attendee suggested that landlords should be compelled to improve their
systems to meet the law.
RRB is ‘inevitable’
However, not all the attendees were happy with the meeting’s direction,
with some saying the Bill’s implementation was ‘inevitable’.
They also pushed for its quick passage into law with minor tweaks to bring
clarity for landlords.
The policy officer at campaign group Acorn, Anny Cullum, told the Guardian:
“The comments by Baroness Scott have confirmed what we suspected: that
there is a coordinated attempt by landlords and their supporters within the
Lords to frustrate the progress of the Renters’ Rights Bill.
“Unelected and unaccountable Tory peers are using underhand tactics to
deliberately delay this vital legislation even more – legislation that many
of them supported in its previous guise under the last government.”
Impact on student landlords
Simon Thompson, the managing director of Accommodation for Students, said:
“It’s not a sign of plotting if senior Tories are collaborating with major
property figures about the Renters’ Rights Bill.
“It’s important that politicians understand what the Bill’s impact will be
on the PRS – especially the student accommodation sector.
“That is good practice and, hopefully, Baroness Scott learned a lot about
what private landlords are facing.”
He added: “There will be lots of student landlords looking the Bill’s
progress with dread – this law will undoubtedly reshape the landscape of
PRS.”
Landlords need six months
Meanwhile, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has urged
ministers to clarify when the measures in the Renters’ Rights Bill will
take effect.
It warns that the government’s summer deadline now appears unattainable
with the Bill’s scrutiny in the House of Lords delayed until after Easter.
Ben Beadle, the chief executive of the NRLA, said: “Given the extent of the
changes, at least six months will be needed to ensure a smooth transition
to the new tenancy system.
“Anything less will be a recipe for confusion and chaos.”
