Why it’s vital that the Government gets the Renters’ Rights Bill right - Miles Goring
The long-awaited Renters’ Rights Bill has been working its way through the House of Lords this month. It’s massively important to the once-homeless people I meet every week, and it’s vital that the Government gets this key legislation right.
I’m part of a small organisation in York called Lived Insights, which harnesses the expertise of people who have faced severe hardship and shows how systems could be made better. This week, I chatted with one of our members, who we’ll call Alex, at our drop-in cafe, to ask what ‘good’ would look like when it comes to the housing system.
Rents in York are sky-rocketing and something needs to be done about it before evictions and homelessness become the new growth sector in today's political landscape.
We all know that the cost of living is a real concern for us all, including many people
fortunate to be able to own their own property. It's not just the mortgage payment or rent
payment, it's all the associated utilities that need paying to maintain the place.
My chat with Alex was a really frank and honest look at what could happen if nothing changes and what’s at stake for him directly.
Alex had been homeless due to ill health and relationship breakdowns and now rents from a social housing provider at £530 a month, having spent three years going through our local housing resettlement process. He feels his rent is reasonable for a one-bed flat, but it accounts for 45 per cent of his monthly income and he receives no housing benefit.
He has lived in York for over 30 years, having worked and brought up his family here.
He says: “It’s a beautiful city, I see why rents might be higher than other cities - it's got
great connections for transport and a vibrant feel. Yet rents continue to rocket, I hear that
regularly from others who are trying to get places.”
I asked Alex what happens when money gets tight towards the end of the month, and what would happen if he didn’t have a safe place to stay. He says: “Even if it means I can't get a food shop every week, I’ll sit with extra clothing on. I'll miss some appointments because I can’t afford public transport to get to them.
"The main thing for me is nothing matters more than having a safe place to sleep, but I ask those who hold the power: is this really a human, dignified way to live?
“Returning to homelessness or becoming mentally and physically unwell frightens me. My old days of accessing emergency services, costing serious amounts of money on state finances would likely return, and this is before I even speak of dignity.”
So what would Alex like to see? There’s one clear step that the House of Lords could push for: a mandatory rent cap of 30 per cent of average incomes. Alex’s rent is 45 of his income, and essential bills, including statutory ones, take up most of the remainder. He has no treats or luxuries, other than in his dreams.
A 30 per cent rent cap would be huge for Alex and thousands of others across our region alone.
“If that happened, that's like me having an extra £180 a month, a game-changer for sure,” says Alex. “I could visit places, get something new for the flat rather than donated stuff from wellwishers, save some rainy day money for emergencies, maybe even get some reduced yellow-sticker stuff at M&S food hall once in a while,” he chuckles.
Miles Goring is a director at Lived Insights.