NRLA General Election Hub – keeping you up to date
A new General Election Hub to keep NRLA members fully abreast of the latest party-political policies on private rented housing has been unveiled today.
As you will no doubt be aware, the Conservatives’ Renters (Reform) Bill fell at the final hurdle last week, after running out of time in the House of Lords. This means that whichever party comes out on top on 4 July will need to bring any reform plans forward from the very start of the – sometimes lengthy – parliamentary process by which Bills pass through into law.
Manifestos
While Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the election last Wednesday, neither Labour nor the Conservatives have published their manifestos – detailed documents outlining proposals on which they will fight the election. The content of these manifestos and how they relate to housing will be added to the hub when they are made public.
Labour has already made six key election pledges; to deliver economic stability, cut NHS waiting times, launch a new border security command, set up a green British energy company, crack down on anti-social behaviour and recruit thousands of new teachers.
Housing is notable by its absence from this list, although the party has – like the Conservatives previously – pledged to end section 21 repossessions should they come to power.
And while Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said publicly there ‘may be a case’ for rent controls ‘in certain areas’, a Labour party spokesman has subsequently gone on record stating rent controls ‘are not national Labour party policy’.
Until the eleventh hour, the Conservatives had hoped to get their Renters (Reform) Bill through ahead of Parliament being prorogued last Friday; and, while they too are yet to make a firm statement on housing, it is likely, should they be voted in, that they would being forward reforms too, although it is unclear as to how similar they will be to previous plans.
NRLA manifesto
The NRLA will also be publishing its own manifesto on the key issues the political parties need to consider moving forward. This will include the growing supply and demand crisis within the sector that is forcing rents up – and the importance of maintaining landlord confidence to encourage them to remain in the sector and continue to invest.
More information
For all the latest on the General Election and political pledges as regards housing check out our hub here and follow us for breaking news on our news site and social media channels.
