Some historic new legislation has now been introduced to ban ‘no-fault’ evictions in England, it has been announced.
Aiming to “level the playing field” between tenants and landlords, and set to provide greater protections and security from eviction for millions of renters nationwide, the new Renters’ Rights Bill has been introduced to Parliament today and it will ban Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions for new and existing tenancies.
The Government has also chosen to extend Awaab’s Law – named in memory of Greater Manchester toddler, Awaab Ishak – into the private rented sector under the new bill, as well as end blanket bans for those on benefits or with children.
Banning Section 21 will reassure tenants, both new and existing, that they can challenge bad practice without the fear of retaliatory eviction, according to the Government, as it’ll mean landlords will need to provide a valid cause to end a tenancy early.
‘No-fault’ evictions are now banned in England under historic new legislation / Credit: Maria Ziegler (via Unsplash)
Nearly 26,000 households in England faced homelessness as a result of a Section 21 eviction just last year alone, shocking Government statistics have revealed.
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“Renters have been let down for too long and too many are stuck in disgraceful conditions, powerless to act because of the threat of a retaliatory eviction hanging over them,” declared Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, as she unveiled the landmark new Bill today.
“Most landlords act in a responsible way, but a small number of unscrupulous ones are tarnishing the reputation of the whole sector by making the most of the housing crisis and forcing tenants into bidding wars.
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“There can be no more dither and delay.
Renters have been let down for far too long.
This Labour government is taking action where the Tories failed – introducing new legislation today.
Our Renters’ Rights Bill will end no fault evictions and give stronger protections to 11 million renters.https://t.co/9H6wCBDgTp
“We must overhaul renting and rebalance the relationship between tenant and landlord, and this Bill will do just that so tenants can be reassured this Government will protect them.”
Further measures announced as part of the new Renters’ Rights Bill include a ban on rental bidding wars, making landlords and letting agents legally required to publish an asking rent for their property and prevented from asking for, encouraging, or accepting any bids above this price, and also a ban on in-tenancy rent increases written in to contracts.
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The latter will prevent landlords from implementing higher rents mid-tenancy, and only allow them to raise the rent once a year to the market rate.
The Government says the introduction of the new Renters’ Rights Bill is a “crucial step towards ending the housing crisis”.
Featured Image – Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
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Historic hidden library in Manchester city centre reveals £11m transformation plans
Emily Sergeant
Ambitious plans to transform one of Manchester’s greatest historical hidden gems have been announced.
Founded all the way back in 1806, The Portico Library – which is hidden in plain sight on Mosley Street, in the heart of the city centre – played a central role in Manchester’s rise as the world’s first modern city, and since then, it has been serving as a window into the past and a providing a place of inspiration for anyone who needs it.
But now, these new transformation plans, titled The Reunited Project, will ensure the building not only survives, but also thrives as the UK’s most sustainable historic library for generations to come.
The Portico Library‘s transformational scheme is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and will look to ‘reunite’ the historic building’s three floors for the first time in over a century, creating a fully-accessible and sustainable cultural library.
Crucially, plans will see a step-free entrance and lift installed to make the library accessible to all.
There’ll also be new exhibition and event spaces introduced as part of the scheme to explore the stories of Manchester’s communities and the city’s heritage.
There will a Northern Bookshop, showcasing regional and emerging writers, and independent publishers, as well as a creative Portico Kitchen, which will celebrate the city’s food culture, writing, and history.
A place for school groups, families, and all people to explore Portico’s collection and experiment creatively also forms part of the plans.
“Portico Reunited is about more than restoring a building,” explained Dr Thom Keep, who is a Librarian & the Chief Executive of the Portico Library, after the transformation plans were submitted to Manchester City Council.
“It’s about opening doors to stories, ideas, heritage and communities across Greater Manchester.
“These plans secure Portico’s future, unlocking the power of heritage to inspire Manchester’s visitors and residents to explore, share, and celebrate their stories and the city’s literary and global heritage.”
If the plans are approved by the Council, The Portico Library will close for around 18 months for construction, during which it will continue to engage the public through its ‘Portigo !’ pop-up programme.
Featured Image – Portico Library
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Government announces homebuying overhaul to fix country’s ‘broken’ housing system
Emily Sergeant
The Government has announced what it’s calling the biggest shakeup to the homebuying system in this country’s history.
In a bid to ‘rewire a chaotic system which has become a barrier to homeownership for thousands nationwide, the Government has today (Monday 6 October) unveiled proposals that it says will speed up the long-drawn out and costly process of buying a home by four weeks.
The Housing Secretary says this will not only save people money, but unnecessary stress too.
The proposed new plans would see sellers and estate agents required to provide buyers with ‘vital’ information about a property upfront – including the condition of the home, leasehold costs, and chains of people waiting to move.
It’s hoped this will help end any last-minute chain collapses and ultimately give greater confidence to first-time buyers when they’re making one of life’s most important decisions.
The Government has announced plans to fix the country’s ‘broken’ housing system / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
Binding contracts could also be introduced to stop people walking away from agreements after buyers painstakingly spend months in negotiations to hopefully halve the number of failed transactions.
The new reforms are also proposing that prospective buyers are provided with side-by-side information on estate agents and conveyancers, including their track record and expertise, alongside new mandatory qualifications and Code of Practice to drive up standards and work to rebuild trust in the industry.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer took to Twitter this morning to address the proposed new homebuying overhaul, commenting: “I promised that my Government would fix the broken housing system.
“Buying or selling a home will be faster, unlocking the dream of homeownership and allowing hardworking people to focus on the next chapter of their lives. That’s national renewal.”
I promised that my government would fix the broken housing system.
Buying or selling a home will be faster, unlocking the dream of homeownership and allowing hardworking people to focus on the next chapter of their lives.
Emily Sergeant -
11th September 2024 
