I do not want to get into the water reform Bill too much—it is a terrible Bill and the Government ought to withdraw it—but on this issue of flood risk, the fact is that houses are still being built on places that risk flooding. Some of the solutions are much wider than just putting a few ditches around the housing project. Continue reading “New Housing: Flood Risk”
Back in 2001 I was a Green Party member of the London Assembly and we initiated the setting up of the Living Wage Commission. It has helped hundreds of thousands of Londoners get paid a bit more each week as employers have voluntarily adopted it’s calculations. Now, I’m suggesting we do the same for renters across the country with Living Rent Commissions that can calculate rents in their area. Continue reading “Renters Rights Bill Report Stage Day 3 – a Living Rent Commission”
These are simple changes, but they are important. They would change the lives of our ageing population for the better, now and in the future—and that is what a progressive Government should do Continue reading “My amendments to Renters’ Rights Bill Report Stage Day 2”
This amendment, which I feel strongly about, is designed to help renters and the Government. It aims to improve upon a good policy that creates warmer homes and cheaper bills. The climate benefits from the warmer home grant, as do landlords, so why not guarantee that tenants get cheaper bills without a rent rise for a couple of years? Continue reading “My amendment to Renters’ Rights Bill Report Stage Day 1”
In Kirklees, a Green councillor, Andrew Cooper, was one of the driving forces behind a street-by-street insulation programme. Reports on how that worked out afterwards highlighted how much people are concerned about cowboy builders but that they trust their local authorities. That street-by-street process works well, but to make that happen you need the data. That is what this amendment is designed to achieve. Continue reading “My amendment on Day 6 of Renters’ Rights Bill Committee Stage”
Taken together, these amendments would support people with disabilities to live healthier, happier lives by ensuring that they have specific rights to meet their needs Continue reading “My amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill on Day 4 of Committee Stage”
The Resolution Foundation found that private renters were spending on average a third of their income on housing costs. This is getting worse rather than better, and it is not just a London problem Continue reading “My further amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill”
Amendment 35 is an attempt to give tenants a guarantee that they will also get some direct benefit from the drive for net zero with two years of lower energy bills, without that saving being cancelled out by a landlord focusing on profiting from a government grant.
Amendment 71 aims to shift the debate firmly on to the needs of the tenant and to discourage landlords from constantly changing their minds about letting out their properties. It builds on the Government’s welcome attempt to get rid of no-fault evictions by adding a new clause to the eviction process that gives the tenant a one-month financial head start. Continue reading “My amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill”
The Renters (Reform) Bill is the smallest of steps; it must be tougher in order to be fairer.
Firstly we need rent controls, the Mayor of London has asked for these powers and Greens at all levels of government will fight to give him them. Local mayors and local authorities know their areas and understand the local housing market. This Government should give them the power to make that choice.
Secondly, we Greens would lengthen the notice periods for rent increases and stop landlords using spurious grounds to evict people.
Thirdly, we will support all the amendments that aim to make life easier for student renters. I declare an interest here, as I now have grandchildren who are starting out in the world as students, so they clearly have a vested interest in this. Continue reading “Renters (Reform) Bill Second Reading”
Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb 