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.”
42 Responses to “Generation Rent will be £2.5 billion better off under a Labour government”
Guest
There’s this thing called a “deposit”, you may have heard of it. Moreover, no surprise you’re determined to have tenants pay for landlord’s lack of basic maintenance, and have to do the repairs for them at no cost to the landlord.
You are, of course, also demanding eviction-on-demand, hence meaning that if tenants won’t pay for repairs, you’ll chuck them out (and no doubt charge them anyway)
Whining, too, because you *choose* to pay an agent…
Kryten2k35
General upkeep is the responsibility of the tenant. But things like the boiler, gutter cleaning, paving, pointing and looking after anything the house came with (fridge, freezer, showers, cookers) is the responsibility of the landlord or agent.
Absolutely they should foot the bill of those things.
We’ve lived in rented accommodation for 10 years and only had the landlords out twice (though he sends gas engineers yearly to check the property as is law, I presume). Once because the boiler broke and again because the fridge broke.
LB
Deluded. You think 7,300 bn is a little amount of money
Nicholas Poulcherios
Hi Kryten2k35.Basic rules of safety no one has to be made or legislate.Peoples’s safety is common sense and of paramount importance as lives are at risk. I know of a Landlord who also had a mortgage,because he loathed the thought of shares…so he did depend on the regular rent…and he put down 25% in the 1980 for this mortgage.It needed a lot of upgrading GCH,DG and placed Fire Alarm system and heat detectors in the Kitchen.The council needed housing for the Local University; They offered help and also approved of the place for 5 students and as he did not have any more funds left he accepted the council grant.. With that he had to keep the house for the university for 2 years.He used the money for a new Kitchen and a new bathroom .He also had to pay for the gardening, and also the water rates!! Proper basins in the all double rooms,and furnished it from local pine wood firms and John Lewis..Desks and bookshelves,office chairs etc.Fully furnished.He met with the students parents/and students on two occasions students left owing £340, and the other £450 pounds…last ones needed and asked for a reference moving on to London Lodgings having passed their exams!.. The landlord started a second full time job from the year before and fortunately the property was not at risk. He did not even mentioned the arrears but on their receipt first time round only. He knew the students character and blossoming youth they promised once they started their business in Graphics 5of them, the other in furniture with the£340.pounds.after 2 years he did not really think he will get his money….but he did! the Furniture one was also epileptic, but he started his business; The others came to see him thanked him for the reference and not black listing them…”this never entered his head”,gave him £450 pounds a lovely paper weight, for his desk and a £20 pound Book token from W.H.Smith’s bookshop. We have a fine body of responsible young men and women our country should be proud of,and same for parents and single mums. Maggie Thatcher went overboard on the % rates higher than a credit card for the buy to let properties! Why? And they kept rising.15-17%. One could not increase rent half way the contracts also half way the students crisis of their exams. No such thoughts came into Maggie’s mind. Overdrafts with the Banks temporary, but the landlord pays. Next the local council started demanding council Tax from landlords for the summer brake as the house was furnished…compulsory clause by the council even if the house was designated exclusively for students and later on same houses past on for head Tenancies by the college…1990 to 2013.On 2010 there was a marked change in student behavior and attitudes…the damages were never less than £2000 and mattresses toasters kettles pinched, rubbish and large superstores trolleys left full of empty heavy booze bottles. It took £400 alone to clean the garden. They filled the loft with rubbish also. A total damage of more than £3000. The house was under an agent this time a lot was not documented. It went to Rent tribunals only because they refused to pay what the Landlord asked for payment the garden clearance on this occasion £300. pounds. They paid instead a total of ££400, as more was added for additional damages. The hostile attitude and the vanity of getting a degree got into their heads? Perhaps also the rough deal they got from the politicians and paying higher fees played a much bigger role on their feelings. Left bills unpaid,changed energy co. and not changing back…and expecting the Landlord to pay! Chaos! This Landlord took it off the college, turned it Unfurnished only had a cooker and a freezer and fridge. Agencies too need to be controlled as they are not always transparent with payments for this and that. Buy to let properties should also have a low %Rate and Tenancy agreements must have a protected clause to prevent % rates going higher in the middle of a contract. They pay and clear their bills and telephones and Council tax when they go. Do not pester the Landlord to pay for these! Councils should built council housing not for sale and the Tenants should be responsible for maintenance repairs.Home care insurance should not have VAT on this and neither should there be VAT on Agents management fee. Landlords can have a Home service care Insurance to cover GasCH, and all the system, Electrical, pluming and gutters. But clumsy dirty cooking and kitchen sinks blocked with lard is not one of them. It also covers Safety annual checks of Gas Boiler Gas fire and gas cooker. the tenant has the copy of the Insurance N0, and Telephone; same details given to the Agent to oversee this and a copy to the Landlord. A direct debit keeps also easy reference. of costs when Tax returns are due. Maggies and Cameron’s economy very ruinous,they are a scandal. To think they say to the people they know the economy better than the Labour Socialists. They have a nerve! Ed is the man for the people all peoples in UK. I certainly had enough of Cameron and Tories dishonesty and propaganda. I shall Vote Labour. #webackEdM Sorry it took so long I had to do some reading and writing in between.
Guest
No, I’m not you,but thanks for talking about yourself as you spout nonsense.
Your knowledge of pensions is effectively nil.