I was in the House of Commons on Friday 19th January to show my support for the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation and Liability for Housing Standards) Bill. The Bill was brought to the House by Labour MP Karen Buck and has the support of Government and members of all political parties. It looks to ensure that tenants are given greater protections against hazardous living conditions and rogue landlords by giving them the power to take their landlords to court over breaches of contract. Currently, tenants have to rely on their local authority to serve an enforcement notice against the landlord and have no power to take action themselves.
The Government has been clear since the publishing of its comprehensive Housing White Paper last year that it is committed to fixing a housing market that is simply not working for British people and this is another important step towards fulfilling that commitment.
Housing charity Shelter were in Parliament as the Bill received its second reading in the House of Commons and a number of MPs joined them in the historic Westminster Hall in the Palace of Westminster to publicly show their support for the Bill. I commend my Labour colleague Karen Buck and the Government for working together in bringing this Bill’s important measures to the House and working towards a change in the law that will empower and protect tenants in rented properties. During the debate I praised the Bill for shifting the onus of responsibility for making sure rented homes are fit for habitation more towards the landlord. Landlords will have to be far more pro-active in making sure homes are adequate as opposed to reacting to tenants requests for repairs and maintenance - as has historically often been the case.
I am delighted to have seen the cross party work that has gone towards the Bill, something that shows that the Government want to address problems in the housing market in as effective and non-political a way as possible. I look forward to seeing this Bill pass through the House and hope that it will provide better and safer living conditions for my constituents and people across the country.