Politics Home | Shadow Housing Secretary Blames Labour’s Rent Reforms For Eviction From His Home

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Speaking to PoliticsHome, the shadow housing secretary, himself a former landlord, said that the Renters’ Right Act was forcing “good landlords” like his in Essex out of the market.

The reforms, which ministers describe as the most significant changes to renting brought in by a UK government, include the banning of “no-fault” evictions, meaning landlords must provide a valid legal reason for eviction, the ending of fixed-term contracts, and putting a stop to “bidding wars” which result in tenants paying more than the advertised price.

Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed, has called the legislation “the biggest leap forward in renters’ rights in a generation”, saying it is “levelling the playing field between renters and landlords”.  

However, Cleverly, the Tory MP for Braintree, claimed it was forcing landlords nationwide, including his own, to sell their properties, creating a “spate” of evictions.

The former cabinet minister, who told The House magazine he is considering running for London mayor, explained that he rented a property in the northern part of his Essex constituency after selling his old home of 10 years.

“The key bit of this is the arrogance with which [Labour] approached this process. They just refuse to listen to the points we’re making because it was we who were making those points,” he told PoliticsHome.

“Unfortunately, now the people who are suffering are the people who could and should have a decent supply of properties in the private rented sector, and they don’t.

“The people who they claim to want to protect are the very people who are being disadvantaged by this and it didn’t have to be like this. If the Labour Party weren’t so arrogant and unwilling to listen, it wouldn’t be happening.”

Legal advice firm Landlord Action this week reported a sharp rise in landlords asking for help with tenant evictions ahead of the legislation coming into effect on 1 May. “As Section 21 is phased out, landlords are acting now while they still have certainty, because many are not confident in what replaces it,” said Landlord Action founder Paul Shamplina.

Critics of the reforms say new costs and regulations facing landlords will ultimately result in fewer rental properties, which in turn will likely lead to rent going up.

Legislation to reform the rental sector was first introduced by the Conservatives when they were last in power, but failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the 2024 general election. Keir Starmer’s Labour went into that election with a manifesto promise to pass a stronger version of the bill, giving tenants more rights.

A Labour source told PoliticsHome: “The Shadow Housing Secretary will be furious when he finds out who is responsible for allowing no-fault evictions to continue. 

“It’s his Conservative Party that failed to ban them during their 14 years in office. 

“Labour in government is putting things right and ending this unfair practice to protect renters from suddenly being thrown out of their homes for no reason. If he has changed his views and now agrees with us, he should cross the floor and join Labour.”