Parliament has been urged to support the Renters Reform Bill which would end Section 21 evictions amid concerns that landlord MPs could vote against the proposed legislation.
Some MPs who own rental properties say they will be among landlords leaving the market due to what they call an “unconservative” policy on Section 21, according to the Telegraph.
Campaigners from the Renters Reform Coalition have urged them to reconsider, pointing out that polling “shows broad public support for pro-renter measures in the bill and even those that go well beyond the legislation, including from Conservative voters”.
The Bill will have its long-awaited second reading in the House of Commons today – meaning it will be carried over into the next Parliamentary session after the King’s Speech, in November.
According to the Telegraph, the government is trying to prevent a potential rebellion over the new measures, by encouraging MPs opposed to the bill to abstain from the vote.
Potential rebels see the bill as anti-landlord and warn it risks worsening the shortage of privately rented homes as property investors will sell up due to the policy.
Research by 38 Degrees earlier this year, revealed 87 MPs, including 68 Tories, or around a fifth of the party, and five cabinet ministers – are currently earning income as landlords.
Many more Labour MPs are also landlords.
Tom Darling, from the Renters’ Reform Coalition said it was “shocking” the bill had not made more progress, and added: “There’s a particular warning for the Conservatives who, perhaps contrary to received wisdom, had one in four of their voters from 2019 living in the private rented sector. That support is now in freefall.”
Labour have pledged not to block the bill, meaning it is likely to pass.
A government spokesman said: “The Renters Reform Bill delivers on our manifesto commitment to create a fairer private rented sector for both tenants and landlords.
“We are progressing the Bill through Parliament with a second reading, so we can create a private rented sector that is fit for the 21st century.”
Concerns of ‘exodus’ by private landlords are groundless, says think-tank
