The substantial majority of tenants are completely unaware of the Renters reform Bill, despite high profile PR campaigns about it from organisations like Shelter and activist groups such as Generation Rent.
A survey of over 2,000 private renters conducted by the TDS Charitable Foundation, which works to advance education about housing rights and obligations in the private rented sector, shows that more than four out of five tenants are unaware of the Bill and its contents.
The Bill contains controversial measures such as ending section 21 evictions, duplication the social housing sector’s decent homes standard in the private sector, and creating a new Ombudsman for private landlords.
The foundation says that while awareness of the proposed reforms has increased by 27 per cent over the last 12 months, a substantial 83 per cent of tenants still remain unaware of the Bill and its proposals. This was despite 69 per cent of respondents saying that reform of the sector was long overdue.
Following an explanation of the details of the Bill, 61 per cent apparently agreed that it will improve tenant rights.
On the proposed removal of section 21 evictions, 60 per cent agreed that this would provide more security and stability, and 40 per cent said it would make them more inclined to engage with the new Ombudsman for private landlords. However, 40 per cent of tenants did not agree that removing section 21 would contribute to a feeling of increased stability or were undecided on this matter.
A significant portion of tenants were pessimistic about whether the reforms would be implemented or bring about tangible change. 42 per cent of respondents said the Bill would change very little about the sector, and 37 per cent said they do not believe it will be implemented.
Dr Jennifer Harris, Head of Policy and Research at TDS Group, says: “The Bill represents the biggest set of changes to the rental market for over 30 years. Given this, it is worrying that so many tenants are unaware of what it is and what it seeks to achieve.
“It is vital that tenants feel able to challenge the minority of landlords failing to provide safe housing or a good enough service. This can only be achieved by ensuring renters understand the changes being made and are confident that they will help them to do so.
“The TDS Foundation will continue to work to ensure tenants fully understand and make use of their rights to ensure the Bill works. “
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Surveys usually show over 80% of PRS tenants are happy with their home and landlord.
Why would satisfied customers have any awareness of the RRB?
Shelter, Polly Bleat and Generation Rant appeal only to the lower end of the tenant market. 🤔 The ones who know all about their “rights” and none of their responsibilities. 😠
I and many other professional landlords, have professional tenants who do look after the property and who do pay rent on time etc. 👍 They have nothing to fear from Section 21 because they know that NO GOOD LANDLORD GIVES NOTICE TO A GOOD TENANT WITHOUT GOOD REASON.
That bloody socialist idiot James Schnieder was on GB News last night talking about housing and came out with using the tenancy deposit scheme monies for building houses. He also spoke about ramping taxes up for people who own multiple homes plus rent controls? Absolute idiotic comments.
Jacob Rees-Mogg's sister gave him a quick tuning in with the straight forward fact if you do that all the landlords would just sell up and you would have an even bigger problem. Then she said I have no houses so do not know too much about it.
He was Corbyn's chief political advisor which says it all.
Dr Jennifer should be helping people not harming them.
Most tenants just want to rent the home of their choice at a reasonable rent. Shelter, GenRent etc are politicising housing & making it more expensive all round. They may help the occasional individual but actually increasing the availability of stock would help many more renters!
They only help rogue tenants avoid or delay eviction and harm decent potential tenants who can't get homes held on to by these rogues.
They may not have heard of it 🤷♂️ But by god it will adversely affect them 👎🏻😬 with a lot of us selling up, their rents will 🚀 up .
Yes rents up to cover the additional risk, everything has a price attached to it
The TDS foundation. Is this anything to do with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme I wonder?
If so, this explains the pro tenant bias. Tenants money keeps TDS in healthy profit ( or ‘surplus’ as they would call it.)
Says it all I reckon.
The noose slowly tightens, prs takes its last gasp
Well said, Peter.
Suppose if 83% of Tenants were aware of the Renters Reform Bill and the main Reason why their Rents shot up 20/30% in jig time, there would be uproar and the Bill certainly wouldn’t see the light of day. Please tell them and stop pulling the wool over their eyes pretending to be their friend, while telling blatant lies about landlords.
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