Renters launch national manifesto

The manifesto has called for rent controls and an end to Section 21 evictions.

Renters launch national manifesto

Renters and housing justice campaigners from across England have joined forces to launch a national renter manifesto in time for the General Election.

A number of industry names including Generation Rent, New Economics Foundation and ACORN wrote the manifesto calling for radical reform of private renting.

They want the abolition of section 21 evictions, the introduction of rent controls and an end to discrimination of tenants on housing benefit.

Dan Wilson Craw, director of Generation Rent, said: “The security of homeownership is closed off to millions of people who cannot save when their wage increases are simply swallowed up by the rent.

“Private renters are growing older and raising children in insecure, expensive homes, and will be thinking about this on the way to polling stations on 12 December.

“Any party that wants to run the country must offer renters stable and affordable homes, and this manifesto sets out how to deliver that.”

Miatta Fahnbulleh, chief executive of New Economics Foundation, added:“Private renting is broken – unaffordable, insecure and often unsafe.

“This manifesto outlines the policies we need to fix our housing system and improve conditions for the millions of private renters in the UK.

“The demand for change on private renting is growing, and the size of the renters vote is hugely influential.

“Political parties would be foolish to ignore this.”

Nick Ballard, national organiser of ACORN Community Union, added that restricting supply of a universal need of housing at times of crisis is profiteering.

Ballard said: “This needs to change.

“The next government must cap rents at 30% of local income, put a stop to the financialisation of housing and create a national database of landlords and rents to ensure decent, dignified and affordable housing for all."