Writing for this week's Redditch Standard (May 26th), Rachel said:
“Many people in Redditch live in privately rented homes, and as Housing Minister I’ve recently announced a once-in-a-generation overhaul of housing laws.
“To ensure tenants live in safer, fairer and higher quality homes, we’re delivering landmark reforms of the private rental sector through the Renters (Reform Bill), which I believe gets the balance right between protecting tenants and landlords.
“For renters, our reforms deliver on the Government’s 2019 manifesto commitment to abolish section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions which will empower tenants to challenge poor landlords without fear of losing their home.
“Our once-in-a-generation reforms build on the strong progress this Government has already made over the last decade to increase protections for tenants, including giving councils stronger powers to drive criminal landlords out of the market by introducing Banning Orders through the Housing and Planning Act 2016; and shielding tenants from excessive deposits and fees through the Tenant Fees Act 2019.
“For landlords, the new Bill will make it easier for them to regain possession of properties when they need to – so they can sell their property if they want to, move in a close family member, or when tenants wilfully do not pay rent.
“The reforms will also strengthen powers to evict anti-social tenants, broadening the disruptive and harmful activities that can lead to eviction and making it quicker to evict a tenant acting anti-socially.
“I’m proud to have helped deliver this landmark Bill which will ensure everyone can live somewhere which is decent, safe and secure.”
