Today Ed Miliband will pledge a fairer deal for renters as home ownership remains at its lowest level for 30 years
Today Ed Miliband and Emma Reynolds will set out what action a Labour government will take to help ‘Generation Rent’. There are now nine million people renting homes, many of whom are young people or families just starting out.
The housing shortage is making it impossible for young people to afford homes – the average house price is eight times higher than the average wage. During this government we have also seen the lowest levels of housebuilding in peacetime since the 1920s. House of Commons analysis shows that on current trends, the average deposit of a home in the UK will be £72,000 by 2020 – it is little wonder that home ownership is at its lowest level for thirty years.
Today the Labour leader and the shadow minister for Housing will reveal how ‘Generation Rent’ will be better off by an average of £624 each under a Labour government. They will pledge to ban rip-off letting agent fees, legislate for three year tenancies to give renters security and peace of mind, and end excessive rent rises by putting a cap on rent increases during the new three-year tenancies.
Ed Miliband is expected to say:
“The amount needed for a deposit on a home has risen beyond the reach of millions of young people and families starting out.
“As well as building more houses and helping people get on the property ladder, a Labour government will take action immediately to make life better for all those renting their home.
“Moving house is an expensive time anyway and there is no reason why Generation Rent should be ripped by rules which don’t apply to property owners.
“The first Queen’s Speech of the next Labour government will set out legislation to ban letting agent fees charged to tenants. It will save Generation Rent £2.5 billion over the next parliament. And it will save the typical renter £624.”
Meanwhile Ms Reynolds will visit Hampstead & Kilburn, calling on young voters to make their voices heard in the election. She will be kicking off a national campaign to visit seats with high levels of private renters to highlight Labour’s policies.
Ms Reynolds is expected to say today:
“Renters have to work two days a week – the equivalent of working every day until the 28th May this year – before they pay the rent. But in return they get no stability, poor standards and they have to pay hundreds of pounds in rip-off letting agent fees.
“We are also committed to tackling the root causes of this crisis by getting at least 200,000 homes built a year by 2020.
“From now until the General Election I will be in key seats talking to voters about our plans for housing. And as part of voter registration week, I will be encouraging private renters, who are one of the most under-registered groups, to get registered so that their voice can be heard in May.
“Generation rent deserves a fairer deal. Only a Labour government is set on delivering it.”
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42 Responses to “Generation Rent will be £2.5 billion better off under a Labour government”
Guest
Yes, quite, your obvious adherence to that creed means that others saying it is quite redundant.
Your calls for ending trade and lowering GDP, as you blame the Other for everything, as you try from your little foreign haunts where you, of course, will be able to travel from and to (but not the 99%, oh no!)…
It’s all about lowering wages for you, as you try and stop British people from affording shelter, and use your PC bigotry against the left. Your mock cares about immigration are obvious, as you whitewash 35 years of insufficient house building with a cry of hate.
Leon Wolfeson
The problem being that they’ll simply raise rents to cover it.
It’s largely meaningless, and I can see absolutely no savings whatsoever.
Moreover, three-year contracts mean higher charges immediately, meaning people reliant on housing benefit will see large rises against a HB which is deliberately disconnected from housing prices, leaving them unable to afford shelter anywhere near their work and causing mass displacement.
Rent control has to be part of a sensible answer, this is a puff PR piece which falsely claims savings.
Leon Wolfeson
And if you don’t want a 3-year tenancy, with the built-in assumption that fees MUST rise every year?
You’re going to have a lot of people on technically illegal tenancies because they can’t afford the rises, not to mention the major rent hike the official contracts will have.
Nicholas Poulcherios
As long as they are fair regulations the tenant pays the rent,and the landlord pays also Mortgage…remember this not all landlords have 100% income. I know my friend who spent £2000 repairs 2 years ago for damages by the tenants. They must be responsible for their repairs must realise services cost money.Do the garden,and care for their repairs,light bulbs and blockages to gutterings. No VAT added to maintenance bills,and Agents must not charge anything for repeated contracts,since they already get 10% every month for management. % rates for mortgages to let should be kept low like it is for ordinary houses; not like Maggie’s time higher than a credit card! How is the landlord expected to have low rents. One has to think over this and protect both sides. When the Housing allowance includes the Rent that rent must be given to the Landlord direct if a person on benefits is housed. You have situations where the tenant drinks smokes and does not pay the rent, he has to go and given a short notice to avoid frictions,and tensions…not to keep solicitors getting richer.What security and fairness does the Labour policy gives the Landlords? What about drugs/drink..and the police. Landlords should not be expected to investigate the past of their Tenants. But Landlords have the right to refuse to house tenants that are not safe for their accommodation.
Nicholas Poulcherios
The fee for finding and vetting a tenant should be paid once by the tenant; the landlord pays the agent 10% every month from the tenants rent, for management. Any repeated Tenancies should be left for the Landlords to ask or do it themselves. Last Labour’s rental policy was a disaster and a nightmare,I mean the one before Maggie’s. Blair kept it unchanged. The Tories sold All council houses to private housing associations and built nothing more!