Nov

Green Party calls for rent freeze in England – but are Ministers listening?

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The Green Party has joined the growing chorus of calls for a winter rent freeze in England to stave off evictions and homelessness.

It wants the government to introduce an immediate freeze on rent rises and a ban on no-fault evictions until at least the end of March – and for it to urgently bring forward the promised Renters Reform Bill.

The party points to MoJ statistics that show no-fault evictions are at their highest since 2017 and that evictions for rent arrears are at their highest on record, although new housing minister Felicity Buchan recently told a meeting of landlords that the Government would ‘never allow it’.

“Households already face soaring energy and food costs – the last thing they need, on top of everything else they have to contend with, is unaffordable rent rises and the fear of being evicted,” says co-leader Carla Denyer (main picture).

“Rising private rents and increasing evictions have also been cited as major causes of a dramatic increase in homelessness in London and other cities.”

Welsh hope

Following Scotland’s lead where emergency measures have become law, the Green Party hopes the Senedd will use its devolved powers to do the same, although this looks unlikely as Labour voted down a call to freeze rents in Wales last month, warning it could backfire if landlords remove homes from the market.

However, there is a long-standing precedent for the move in Europe. In France, a five-month respite for renters at risk for eviction lasts each year until 31^st March while there are also winter eviction bans in Austria, the Brussels and Wallonia Regions of Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Romania. Last month, the Irish government signed-off on a winter eviction ban that will last until April.

Pic credit: The Green Party

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