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TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

Labour manifesto includes fees ban, rent controls and minimum tenancies

The Labour Party has published its full manifesto for the upcoming General Election on June 8. 

Titled 'For the many not the few', the manifesto says the population is coming under 'increasing strain' from falling living standards, growing job insecurity and shrinking public services.

The 128-page document dedicates just one page to the Private Rented Sector, alongside pages for home ownership and council and social tenants.

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Labour has proposed introducing an inflation cap on rent rises, making three-year tenancies the norm and implementing new consumer rights for renters.

The document says that these new measures would 'empower tenants to call time on bad landlords'. 

Jeremy Corbyn's party says that tenants currently spend some £9.6 billion a year on homes that can be classed as 'non-decent'.

It is therefore proposing to introduce new legal minimum standards to ensure properties are 'fit for human habitation’, giving tenants the right to take action if their rental property is sub-standard.

The manifesto also confirms that were Jeremy Corbyn to prove victorious in June, Labour would legislate to ban letting agency fees charged to tenants.

Labour also pledges to reverse 'the cruel decision' to abolish housing benefit for 18 to 21-year-olds as it risks increasing homelessness among young people.

You can view the manifesto in full here.

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    If politicians don't think the Private Rental Sector is fit for purpose then they should build an alternative rather than destroying a sector that is working fine without their help.

  • Kristjan Byfield

    Fees are almost certainly gone- we accept that. Rent controls? Good luck getting that through with BTL lending all based on the rental income. Ot's a nice soundbite but would be almost impossible to implement. With so many MPs (on both parties) being Landlords I doubt this would have any real legs anyway. And as for longer tenancies- several surveys have revealed that tenants dont actually want this, in fact they want the opposite- more flexibility. More politicians making silly soundbites that only resonante with the few. Build more social & affordable housing for benefit tenants, key workers and young people, stop 'right to buy' (or take 90% of profit if sold within 15 years), develop a sound housing strategy for London with prices restricted by % to certain income brackets & target buyers. Not rocket science really.

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    Look. It doesn't matter a damn what the Labour manifesto states. They are not going to get anywhere near Downing Street so it's just a complete waste of time listening to what they say. It's window dressing so just ignore it all and concentrate on running your businesses.

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