London boroughs have welcomed the government introducing its Renters’ Rights Bill to the House of Commons, hoping that reforms will ease skyrocketing homelessness pressures in the capital.
The cross-party London Councils group has emphasised its support for banning unfair evictions and for applying higher quality standards in the private rented sector – including the extension of Awaab’s Law to private landlords.
With local authorities playing a key role in the regulation of the private rented sector, London boroughs also highlight the need for sufficient resources to implement these new measures effectively.
Cllr Grace Williams, London Councils’ Executive Member for Housing & Regeneration, said:
“Three million Londoners live in private rented sector homes and undoubtedly deserve stronger protection.
“Boroughs support a ban on no-fault evictions. Too often we’ve seen Londoners turfed out of their homes for no good reason and made homeless, turning their lives upside down. With London’s homelessness pressures at record levels, banning these evictions is a crucial step forward.
“Boroughs will work both with the government and with landlords to ensure these reforms are as successful as possible. Part of that means ensuring boroughs are provided with the powers and resources we need to enforce the new rules. We will also work alongside minsters in tackling the other deep-seated issues driving London’s housing pressures and rapidly escalating homelessness crisis – especially the chronic shortage of affordable housing.”
Research published last year by London Councils revealed a 41% reduction in private rental listings in the capital following the Covid-19 pandemic – a key factor in exacerbating housing and homelessness pressures.
With the reduced availability of private rented sector properties in London, boroughs believe it is vital the government’s reforms support landlords and positively encourage them to increase standards.
London Councils estimates that 175,000 Londoners are homeless and living in temporary accommodation arranged by their local borough. This is equivalent to one in 50 Londoners overall.
London Councils’ latest borough survey shows a 10% increase in homeless London households living in temporary accommodation between April 2023 and April 2024. London accounts for 56% of England’s total number of homeless households.
London Councils additionally points to a report last year from a cross-party parliamentary committee warning that councils may lack adequate resources for enforcing new rules in the private rented sector.
The committee highlighted the precarious state of local government finances, the shortage of qualified enforcement staff, and a lack of reliable data. The report also stressed the need for more affordable housing to tackle the rocketing rental costs many tenants face.
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