Citizens Advice has voiced its support for Labour’s proposed Renters’ Rights Bill, in particular its inclusion of Awaab’s law, but taken a swipe at landlords and agents too.

The ‘law’ had already been introduced to the social housing sector in the aftermath of the death of toddler Awaab Ishak, who died as a result of mould and damp in his parent’s council flat. The same legislation will now be extended to the private rented sector.

Citizens Advice research has found that 45% of private renters in England had experienced damp, mould or excessive cold in their homes and that half of them had been living with such conditions for over a year.

The data shows private renters are some of the worst affected by what Citizens Advice is calling a ‘generational decline in living standards’ and it’s pushing many of them to ‘breaking point’.

To compound the problem, the charity says they are currently helping almost 100 people a day with section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions, many of which are the result of complaints tenants made to landlords about cold, damp and mould.

Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, says: “A warm, safe home, free of damp and mould should be a fundamental right”.

She adds that the government must recognise the dire state of the private rented sector and bring in robust legislation to address three key areas: affordability, disrepair and security and should include…

• The Permanent linking of financial support for renters to real rent prices by matching Local Housing Allowance to the cheapest 30% of rents in an area
• The bringing in of strong legislation, as promised in the King’s speech, to reform the rental sector including a watertight ban on Section 21 evictions that closes all loopholes, so renters can feel confident when challenging housing conditions and unfair rent hikes
• A requirement for landlords to improve the energy efficiency of their properties by bringing them up to a minimum of EPC C.