June 13, 2024 2:58 pm

Insert Lead Generation
Nikka Sulton

The Green Party has recently unveiled a comprehensive set of pledges designed to reform the private rental sector as part of their General Election campaign. They aim to secure four seats in the upcoming Parliament, positioning themselves to advocate for significant changes. Central to their campaign is a commitment to enhancing the living conditions of renters and addressing the challenges within the current rental market. The Green Party intends to push for policies that would impose stricter controls on rent increases, establish higher standards for energy efficiency in rental properties, and provide tenants with greater long-term security. These measures are intended to make the private rental sector more equitable and sustainable, reflecting the party’s focus on both social justice and environmental responsibility.

In addition to regulating rent increases and boosting energy efficiency, the Green Party’s pledges include proposals to improve tenants’ rights and protections. They plan to advocate for policies that would ensure more predictable and transparent rental agreements, offering renters a greater sense of stability. This includes eliminating no-fault evictions, increasing the minimum notice period for evictions, and introducing measures to support tenants facing unjust eviction between landlords and tenants, leading to a more secure and fair housing environment. Their proposals also extend to incentivising the development of new, affordable rental housing to alleviate the shortage of available homes and mitigate the upward pressure on rents caused by high demand.

The Green Party’s vision includes providing financial support for landlords to improve the energy efficiency of their properties, thus addressing both environmental and economic concerns. This aligns with their broader environmental goals, aiming to reduce the carbon footprint of the housing sector. By pushing for greener housing, they aim to lower energy bills for tenants and reduce the environmental impact of older, less efficient rental properties. In addition, they propose establishing a national register of landlords to ensure accountability and compliance with regulations, enhancing transparency within the rental market. Through these comprehensive reforms, the Green Party seeks to create a rental market that is fairer, more sustainable, and better equipped to meet the needs of both tenants and landlords in the long term.

 

The Green Party proposes several measures aimed at reforming the private rental sector:

  • Rent controls to enable local authorities to cap rents in areas where the rental market is unaffordable for many residents.
  • Stable rental tenancies and the abolition of no-fault evictions to ensure tenants can remain in their homes without the risk of sudden displacement by landlords.
  • Tenant rights to request energy efficiency improvements to their rental properties.
  • Private Residential Tenancy Boards to offer a cost-effective and quick solution for resolving disputes before they escalate to a tribunal.

 

The Green Party is prioritizing domestic energy efficiency. They propose a local-authority-led, street-by-street retrofit programme to enhance home insulation, provide clean heating, and adapt buildings to withstand extreme climate conditions. 

The plan includes a £29 billion investment over the next five years to upgrade homes to an EPC B standard or better. There is an additional £4 billion earmarked for insulating other types of buildings and £9 billion for installing heat pumps and other low-carbon heating systems for both homes and other structures.

The Greens also advocate that all new-build homes should meet Passivhaus or equivalent standards and that builders should integrate solar panels and heat pumps into these new properties. Additionally, the party promises to create 150,000 new social homes annually, through both new construction and the renovation of older properties. They also plan to abolish the Right to Buy scheme for council tenants.

Rental activists have expressed strong support for the Green Party’s manifesto proposals.

Dan Wilson Craw, deputy chief executive of Generation Rent, has commended the Greens’ stance. He highlights the positive impact of ending no-fault evictions, noting the severe consequences such evictions can have on renters.

Wilson Craw also emphasizes the importance of tackling unaffordable rents, which he identifies as significant factors in driving poverty and homelessness. He supports the plan for social landlords and community housing groups to acquire and refurbish poorly insulated homes, integrating them into the social sector. This approach aims to provide stable housing for those made homeless while reducing carbon emissions.

Furthermore, Wilson Craw approves of giving councils the authority to control rents, viewing it as a crucial measure to curb excessive rent increases. He looks forward to more details on the extent of these powers, which could help tenants remain in their homes and alleviate financial strain.

 

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