← Back to Westminster Hall Debates
Private Rented Sector Housing
15 March 2022
Lead MP
Ian Byrne
Liverpool West Derby
Lab
Responding Minister
Eddie Hughes
Tags
TaxationHousingEmploymentForeign AffairsEnergyLocal Government
Word Count: 12932
Other Contributors: 12
At a Glance
Ian Byrne raised concerns about private rented sector housing in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
Mr. Byrne asks for the Government to take urgent action so no future tenant will go through similar experiences. He urges the Minister to scrap section 21 and present a White Paper addressing systemic issues in the private rented sector, aiming for a renters reform Bill that abolishes no-fault evictions, drives up standards, and creates a national landlord register.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Mr. Ian Byrne is concerned about the current system in the private rented sector which fails to provide homes that are safe, secure and affordable for everyone. He highlights issues such as landlords leaving tenants with health conditions like asthma in damp properties without a gas supply during winter, families living in fear of bailiffs due to section 21 eviction notices, and children suffering from poor housing conditions leading to serious health impacts or even death. Nationally, one in five homes in the private rented sector is classed as non-decent, and 12% have hazards that could cause serious harm including death or permanent disability.
Apsana Begum
Lab
Poplar and Limehouse
Does my hon. Friend agree that a centralised national landlord register is needed to ensure accountability, so tenants know before moving in whether their landlords have been compliant, especially regarding health and safety?
Dan Carden
Lab
Liverpool Walton
Discussed the booming private rented sector in Liverpool, noting it accounts for 32% of housing stock and is overwhelming local authorities with complaints. Emphasised the need for more regulation and funding to address issues like damp, mould, cold, and vermin.
Ellie Reeves
Lab
Lewisham West and East Dulwich
My hon. Friend makes an important point about people in the private rental sector not being able to enforce their rights due to lack of legal aid, agreeing that restoring legal advice would help prevent problems from escalating. Ellie Reeves highlighted the impact of substandard private rental homes on her constituents, noting that 21% of such properties did not meet the decent homes standard. She shared a case where a constituent's baby developed a cough due to second-hand smoke from other tenants and faced unfair fees when trying to move out. Additionally, she criticized the Government's delay in abolishing section 21 no-fault evictions, which leaves vulnerable individuals like those suffering from health issues or fleeing domestic abuse at risk of sudden displacement.
Florence Eshalomi
Lab Co-op
Vauxhall and Camberwell Green
The Member highlighted the challenges faced by private renters in Vauxhall, with average house prices around £600,000. She mentioned that tenants often spend over a quarter of their income on rent and face health-damaging conditions like mould. The MP shared an example of a constituent living in substandard student accommodation, emphasizing the need for fair funding to local authorities for better enforcement and protection against unscrupulous landlords.
Grahame Morris
Lab
Easington
Mr Morris highlighted the issues affecting his constituency in east Durham and praised the successful selective private sector rented scheme in Liverpool. He expressed concern about the impact of absentee landlords on former mining communities, noting that many residents view the Government's levelling-up rhetoric as a joke. Morris also criticized past government policies for undermining social housing viability and warned about the influx of absentee private landlords leading to poor quality housing conditions. Grahame Morris pointed out that the proposed scheme would benefit landlords as well, referencing an upcoming implementation in County Durham based on a successful model promoted by his hon. Friend Ian Byrne in Liverpool.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Mr. Shannon highlighted the high cost and poor quality of rental properties in Northern Ireland, citing an example where a constituent paid £850 for a house with a broken gas boiler during winter. He mentioned that nearly half of those in private rental accommodation receive some form of housing support. The speaker also pointed out outdated fitness standards for housing, which do not address thermal comfort or energy efficiency adequately. The shadow Minister highlighted that there are landlords who do their job well and those who do not. Jim Shannon asked if the government intends to bring non-compliant landlords up to the standard of responsible ones, emphasizing that rental accommodation is more than a cash cow; it includes an obligation to care for tenants.
Justin Madders
Lab
Ellesmere Port and Bromborough
Mr. Madders highlighted the issues in the private rented sector, such as lack of regulation, poor living conditions, and high rent prices. He provided an example of a property with significant disrepair issues that led to tenant eviction despite ongoing complaints. Mr. Madders pointed out that tenants often fear retaliation from landlords when they raise concerns about their properties.
Karen Buck
Lab
Battersea
Ms Buck highlighted the disparity within the private rented sector, noting improvements overall but significant issues in certain sub-sectors. She emphasised the need for enforcement capacity, both from local authorities and through legal aid provisions, which have been shrinking. Additionally, she raised concerns about temporary accommodation provided by local authorities, citing numerous cases of poor living conditions.
Kim Leadbeater
Lab
Spen Valley
Apologised for not being present at the start of the debate and highlighted that people in leasehold properties also suffer from poor conditions due to management companies' failures.
Greenwich and Woolwich
Pennycook highlighted the importance of addressing substandard housing in the private rented sector, emphasizing that despite improvements over decades, one in five homes still do not meet decent home standards. He urged for updates to national standards, better enforcement by local authorities with adequate funding, and enabling tenants to enforce standards through legal aid. Pennycock also called for faster action on abolishing no-fault evictions. Matthew Pennycock asked why the Government has replaced a commitment to a renters reform Bill with a White Paper, seeking assurance that a comprehensive Bill will be introduced in this Parliament.
Robert Goodwill
Con
Hindmarsh
The MP thanks Ian Byrne for his work on the issue of private rented sector housing and agrees with the points made.
Nadia Whittome
Lab
Nottingham East
I am regularly contacted by constituents whose private landlords are refusing to fix issues such as black mould and rat infestations, which have a disastrous impact on their health and wellbeing. Tenants who withhold rent from landlords failing to maintain properties face breach of contract with no protections.
Government Response
Eddie Hughes
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Gary. Given that I have a bit of a cold, it might be easier for me to conclude two or three minutes early, to give my voice a rest. We are committed to driving up standards in the private rented sector and improving housing quality. Since 2004, landlords have had to ensure their properties are free from serious category 1 hazards, and in 2016 we strengthened local authorities' enforcement powers by introducing financial penalties of up to £30,000, extending rent payment orders and introducing banning orders for the most serious offenders. Councils have been using these powers effectively; for example, Burnley Borough Council has netted fines and costs of more than £85,000 over two years.
We are amending regulations to make it mandatory for both social and private landlords to install a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation where a fixed combustion appliance is used. There has been a marked improvement in standards since 2010, with the proportion of homes containing serious hazards halved. However, 12% still contain serious hazards, which is not good enough. We are consulting on introducing legally binding decent home standards and exploring a register of private rented properties to target enforcement more effectively.
We will abolish no-fault evictions to protect tenants from revenge evictions when they complain about poor standards and commit to requiring all private landlords to belong to a redress scheme. We have committed to halving the number of non-decent rented homes by 2030, with the biggest improvements in the lowest-performing areas. The levelling-up White Paper will outline these ambitions.
We are also working closely with the devolved Assemblies on issues such as the new homes ombudsman and have been addressing problems in social housing with increased staff numbers at the housing ombudsman and regulator for social housing.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.