HUNDREDS of town hall chiefs today warned Rishi Sunak against abandoning the Tories’ manifesto promise to ban no-fault evictions.
Across England 300 councils represented by the Local Government Association implored the PM to urgently pass the landmark Renters Reform Bill ahead of a general election.
GettyHundreds of town hall chiefs today called on Rishi Sunak to pass the Renters Reform Bill ahead of a general election[/caption]
It comes as The Sun can reveal the Bill has recently been changed to add a legal duty on councils to protect evicted tenants from homelessness – even after section 21 notices are abolished.
The number of no-fault evictions shot up by 23 per cent last year.
And the latest possession statistics show that during 2023, landlord claims increased significantly across all types of repossession.
Cllr Darren Rodwell, Housing spokesperson for the LGA, said: “This Bill was designed to deliver a fairer, more secure, and higher-quality private rented sector.
“The removal of ‘no-fault’ evictions would be a significant step towards tackling our national homelessness crisis.
“We urge the Government to stay the course and abolish Section 21 notices to provide renters greater security.”
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Michael Gove is desperately scrambling to bring the Renters Reform Bill back to the Commons in the face of fierce opposition from Tory landlord backbenchers.
The Housing Secretary has spent weeks locked in negotiations with MPs desperate to kill the bill – with time rapidly running out for it to pass into law.
The Sun last week revealed that Rishi Sunak has been blocking the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities from bringing the reforms to the Commons until the rebels have been placated.
Labour has pledged to back the Bill – but the PM doesn’t want to face the embarrassment of relying on opposition votes to get it through.
Over the past month Bill has been described as being on “the brink of collapse” by insiders.
But today a Whitehall insider told The Sun today that Mr Gove is “slightly more optimistic” and talks are slowly progressing.
The source said: “Tenant groups will be happy we have just amended the Bill to include a duty on councils to house people evicted from their homes even after no-fault evictions are abolished.
“We’re still working on the Bill and aim to bring it back to the Commons as soon as possible.”
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