Campaign group Generation Rent has warned that the government is running out of time to keep its manifesto promise to protect renters from arbitrary eviction and nearly 11,000 households have faced such evictions since the Renters Reform Bill was introduced into parliament.
The group estimated that around 10,633 households have faced a no-fault eviction since the first reading of the Renters Reform Bill was published in May.
The government has confirmed that the first debate will not take place until after party conference season, which take place in early October.
The group added that the final session of the current parliament begins on 7 November, so there is only two weeks for a second reading to take place before the government sets a new legislative agenda.
Generation Rent said that the government had first committed to abolishing Section 21 evictions in 2019 and made it a manifesto commitment.
It continued that if no progress was made on the bill it was “unclear” if the government would pursue it in the last year of parliament.
‘Risk the Bill may never become law’
Generation Rent’s chief executive Ben Twomey said: “The longer the government delays the Renters (Reform) Bill, the more renters will face the agony of an arbitrary eviction, with the cost and stress that entails. Time is running out for parliament to make progress and there is a real risk that because of delays, the Bill will never become law.
“Given the popularity of the legislation, it would be shattering for renters if the bill doesn’t get its second reading before this session of parliament ends. We cannot let this chance at reform disappear before our eyes.”
Twomey has written to Housing Secretary Michael Gove to urge him to hold the second reading as soon as parliament returns from conference recess.
Anna is currently the deputy editor for Mortgage Solutions and editor for Specialist Lending Solutions. She has worked as a journalist since 2019, having secured her Gold Standard NCTJ diploma from News Associates in a fast-track six-month course.
She started her career as a report at specialist publication The Insurance Insider covering a wide range of areas before joining Mortgage Solutions and Specialist Lending Solutions in 2021.
In her role, she helps put together and structure the news agenda for the day and writes up press releases, reports, interviews, analyses and exclusives across both titles. She also commissions blogs for Specialist Lending Solutions and hosts online masterclasses and in-person events across the business.
She has been shortlisted for three journalism awards, which include BIBA Journalist and Media Awards Scoop of Year Award in 2020, Headline Money Mortgage Journalist of the Year Award (B2B) in 2022 and 2023.
Prior to being a journalist, Anna worked in ecommerce across Snow + Rock, Cycle Surgery and Runners Need websites, and before that worked at specialist financial PR firm Rostrum.
In her spare time, Anna enjoys reading, seeing live music, and cooking for friends and family. When she gets a chance, she also enjoys hiking, skiing and indoor rock climbing.
