Two things you can do to improve the rental sector

Tired of the increasing cost and decline in the quality of living? Renters have two opportunities to improve the quality of their housing, but we can’t allow this to be an excuse to further drive up rents, says Mark Whiley, Coordinator of Barking, Dagenham and Havering Green Party.

Like many people in their mid 30s, I’ve been escaping poor quality rental housing and sharp rental increases for most of my adult life. I moved house, on average, once a year between 2010 and 2016 before getting some rent stability living in Berlin, Germany for 8 years in the one apartment.

Rents, bills and the cost of general goods (not luxuries) here are high in comparison. “Awful April”, as it’s being termed in the media, has seen the utility companies hit us with price rises as well as sewage. Government has not sought to intervene, reforming the energy price cap, for example, could have lessened our bills as they had promised with GB Energy. Or they could have followed Green Party policy to insulate homes nationwide, and created new Green jobs. Or decouple the electricity price from the marginal gas price.

Improving energy efficiency in our homes

However, there is good news if your rented home is poorly insulated. In November, new legislation will force landlords to ensure all rented properties have an Energy Performance Certificate rating of at least C. According to the Office of National Statistics*, only 41.2% of private rented accommodation in Havering currently meets these standards. Making improvements to the majority of privately rented homes in the borough will make them more energy efficient – reducing bills.

What tenant and community organisations, like ACORN, are warning is that this could be used as justification for rental rises. We can’t let this good policy that promotes investing in private housing stock be undermined by landlords keeping tenants in cold, draughty homes.

Action 1: Respond to the government’s consultation (before May 2nd) on a minimum EPC rating using ACORN’s guide

https://consultation.havering.gov.uk/premises-licences/lbh-selective-and-additional-licensing

Ideally, Greens would like to see certain controls placed on rents. You could, for example, designate certain improvements as unjustifiable for rent increases. This would be a variation on a type of control used in Germany that prevent luxury improvements being used to justify increases.

Improving and extending licensing in Havering

There’s also additional good news for renters living here. Havering’s private rented sector has been steadily increasing, prompting the council to consult on two new licensing schemes. One is for HMOs in selected areas, the other for all non-HMO privately rented homes in the borough.

It’s my view that licensing schemes generally raise standards in the sector, and are a good thing for both renters and reputable landlords alike – pushing bad landlords out of the sector.

You can have your say on the proposed schemes below.

Action 2: Respond to Havering’s consultation on new rental licensing schemes

https://consultation.havering.gov.uk/premises-licences/lbh-selective-and-additional-licensing

Remember, these consultations typically get a lot of responses from landlords and not renters. We want the typical rental in Havering to be of good quality, and we want the government to get serious on making rentals affordable again.

If we’re priced out of putting deposits on houses, because we’re giving it all away in rent and bills, then generations will be stuck without the bank of mum and dad. That isn’t the society we want in Britain.

*Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C or above, England and Wales, ONS March 2024.

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