Protest over 'attacks on tenancies' as MPs face final vote on Localism Bill

Published by Ross Macmillan for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Communities, Local Government

A national protest at Parliament next month will challenge the Government’s ‘attacks’ on tenancies and call for new council homes at social rents to be built.

The ‘Housing Emergency’ protest, organised by campaign group Defend Council Housing (DCH), comes in the same month MPs vote for the last time on the Localism Bill – which will introduce fixed-term tenancies for new tenants and give powers to councils to place homeless people into the private sector.

DCH is urging its supporters to contact their MPs and demand they oppose measures in the Bill which they say amount to “attacks on tenants rights and homeless access”.

The campaign group says massive cuts in housing budgets and housing benefit are "already showing in rising homelessness, rough sleeping and overcrowding".

The Government says the Bill, which will come into force next April, will "shift power" from central government back into the hands of individuals and councils.

Its controversial plans to introduce fixed term-tenancies - a minimum of which can be for just two years - for new tenants, it says, aims to create a more flexible system so that "scarce public resource can be focused on those who need it most".

Although it has said existing tenancies and rents of secure and assured tenants of social landlords are protected and respected, it has been revealed that it will be the landlords discretion as to whether a tenant moving from a social rented home to an 'affordable rent' home - let at near-market rents - retains their "security".

In addition, it says plans to allow councils to use the private rented sector to house the homeless, will free up social rented homes and will be accompanied by safeguards. The Government has also pledged to introduce minimum standards for private landlords to meet.

The protest will be held on the 15 November.