Shelter is asking for public support for radical changes to the Renters Reform Bill, now going through Parliament.

The campaigning charity is seeking to get 150,000 supporters for a petition calling for changes to the Bill, which will shortly have its Third Reading in the House of Commons.

A statement on the charity website says “It’s crunch time. The government promised that their Renters Reform Bill would create a fairer, safer system for renters. But after months of parliamentary debate, it’s disappointing and full of loopholes for rogue landlords to squeeze through. This is not the Bill we were promised. But we know this Bill can be strengthened for the better.”

It doesn’t set out specific amendments to the Bill but goes on to say: “An effective bill will end all unfair evictions; outlaw discrimination against renters with kids or claiming benefits; create a robust national landlord register through the new property portal; protect renters’ rights to homelessness support when they’re served with an eviction notice.”

The charity claims that every day 172 private renting families in England are handed a Section 21 eviction – that’s one every eight minutes – and it adds that the constant threat of being evicted for no reason is making renters stressed, sick, and scared for their future. 

It goes on: “And on top of this, families and people on low-income face prejudice and discrimination at every turn. Coupled with an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, the private rented sector has become almost uninhabitable. And we won’t settle for anything less than new laws that have a real, tangible impact on people’s lives. 

“We’re calling on the government to truly listen to private renters – and to use this last chance to make the Renters Reform Bill as strong as it always should’ve been.”

In recent weeks the Renters Reform Coalition – a loose alliance of some 20 pro-tenant groups including the London and Greater Manchester Renters Unions, the National Union of Students, Generation Rent and Shelter – has called for specific changes to the Bill.

The coalition says it wants tenants to be given four month notice periods when being evicted, and also for tenants to be protected from eviction for two years from the start of a tenancy rather than the six months proposed in the Bill.