Shadow Housing Secretary served with eviction notice
Sir James Cleverly tells The Neg he blames his eviction on the Renters’ Rights Act which is hurting the very people it was supposed to help.
Shadow Housing Secretary Sir James Cleverly says he has been given notice to quit his rented home, blaming the incoming Renters’ Rights Act.
Cleverly told The Neg, “This was an entirely predictable outcome, and indeed we predicted it during the passage of this Bill. But this arrogant Labour Government didn’t listen to the warnings from us or the sector.
“And now good landlords are selling up and leaving the market, renters face fewer options and higher rates. Labour have hurt the very people they claimed they would help.”
“Good landlords are selling up and leaving the market, renters face fewer options and higher rates. Labour have hurt the very people they claimed they would help.”
He broke the news that he himself had become a victim of the Act, at the recent London Housing Summit, saying, “I have just personally received a notice from my landlord, who is selling the house that I rent.”
“That experience is replicated thousands of times across the country as a tenure type. The private rented sector is basically being regulated out of existence by this government,” he told public sector housing magazine, Inside Housing.
Wrong direction
Even though the idea was first floated by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, under a Conservative government, Cleverly has previously described the legislation as the “wrong direction of travel”, warning it risks a landlord exodus, reduced supply and higher rents.
It is not clear if the eviction occurred in his constituency in Braintree, Essex or in London.
It seems not even our politicians are immune to the effects of the Renters’ Rights Act.”
James Benson of Prime Portfolio, who has housed many MPs over the years and whose firm specialises in Westminster and Victoria, said: “It seems not even our politicians are immune to the effects of the Renters’ Rights Act.”
Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark, added: “The Renters’ Rights Act will bring profound change for those who rent across England, with the new legislation due to be introduced in three distinct phases.
“The first phase, due to take effect on 1st May, includes major changes which landlords must adhere to, including the abolition of Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions. However, it’s important to recognise that decisions within the rental market are rarely driven by a single factor.
“While the upcoming reforms are clearly part of the picture, landlords are also weighing a range of considerations, including taxation changes, rising interest rates, ongoing regulatory requirements, and wider economic pressures.”
The Conservative Government were listening to land lords and that was why it was taking them some time to come up with an Act. Labour have not listened and while the issues regarding RRA are all manageable they did not realise the unexpected consequences. We have all been triggered into examining our properties and certainly in my case we have increased rents by around 20%, tried to sell 4 properties which we removed the tenants, failed to sell then have relet the properties at much higher rents (this would have been illegal after May) and decided to sell up when market conditions are better. We now have a tenant that refuses to engage with my agent and the local council who probably thinks that after May their refusal to pay rent will still leave them in possession of our property. Which it won’t but the costs of court action which we have just started will cost us lots of money which will mean we will pay less in corporation tax.
James I agree with you but lets not forget it was your government that started this fiasco off originally. Yes it is going to hit tenants hard but banning tenant fees and stopping extra deposits didnt do them any favours either.
i have to disagree on tenants fees, as a number of lettings agents used to take advantage of tenants, espcially one very high profile agent who ripped tenants off with large tenancy fees, hence why this law came in, the majority of agents were punished because the minority of agents were too greedy