MP presses for immediate action in Parliament to protect struggling renters
On the floor of the House of Commons this afternoon, local MP Tim Farron called for the Government to do more to support those struggling to the pay rent because of the pandemic.
This week the Government announced they would not be reintroducing a ban on evictions which, but instead asking bailiffs not to enforce eviction notices until January 11th.
However, this will still mean that tenants continue to receive eviction notices over the Christmas period.
Speaking during an Urgent Question , Tim said: "Simply asking bailiffs not to physically remove desperate people who can't afford to pay their rent until January 11th will not allow the Secretary of State to keep his promise that no one will lose their home due to a drop in income because of COVID.
"How he could keep that promise would be, for example, to raise the Local Housing Allowance so that nobody finds that is less than the rent that they owe.
"He could also make sure, given that a third of those who are excluded are those who are private renters, that those people who are excluded from financial support since March are no longer excluded and are given the support they need.
"And finally, given the Government is in the mood for rushing through legislation at this moment, why doesn't it keep its manifesto promise and scrap Section 21 evictions, and do it now?"
Responding, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Rough Sleeping and Housing, Kelly Tolhurst said that the Government is "still committed to abolishing Section 21" but that any further action taken "must be balanced and considered to achieve the right outcomes for the sector".