February 11th 2024.
Lexi Levens, a neonatal intensive care nurse, found herself in a difficult situation when she was served with a Section 21 ‘no-fault’ eviction notice just before Christmas in 2021. Despite having enough space for her family, she faced rejection from landlords who did not want children, pets, or tenants on housing benefits in their properties. This is a common occurrence in today's rental housing market, where landlords have the luxury of choosing their tenants from a large pool of applicants.
Due to the high demand for rental housing, landlords in certain areas receive an overwhelming number of applications for their properties, giving them the ability to pick and choose who they believe will cause the least amount of hassle. Unfortunately, this means that some of the most vulnerable members of society, such as families with children, those on housing benefits, and pet owners, are often left struggling to find a place to live.
A survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of housing charity Shelter revealed that many private landlords have outright bans or preferences against renting to families with pets (57%), those on housing benefits (52%), and families with children (27%). Lexi's experience is a perfect example of how these discriminatory practices can make it extremely difficult for families to secure a home.
Lexi and her family faced several obstacles in their search for a new home. She recalls having conversations with letting agents where she was asked if she would sign a legally binding document stating that she would not have any more children if she moved into a three-bedroom house with only one child. These barriers were demoralizing and took a toll on her mental health. As the situation grew more desperate, Lexi had to turn to her local council for help, and they were able to provide her family with a place to live. However, this puts a strain on the already struggling services and could have been avoided if landlords were more open to renting to families.
The situation is not unique to Lexi. Anya Darr, a retired cat-owner, faced a similar struggle after being evicted from her home in Devon. She believes that even if the new Renters Bill is passed, landlords can still choose to reject families, making it difficult for families like Lexi's to secure a home. The bill aims to prevent discrimination against families and those on housing benefits and also proposes scrapping the Section 21 eviction process. However, the bill's effectiveness may be limited if landlords can still choose another applicant in the final decision-making process.
According to Tom Darling, campaign manager for the Renters' Reform Coalition, the new bill must be strengthened to ensure that landlords cannot discriminate against certain tenants. Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, also believes that improving tenants' rights and building more social housing is the key to solving this issue in the long term. She believes that the government's commitment to banning 'no DSS' and 'no child' policies in the Renters Bill is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done to ensure that everyone has access to a secure home.
In response to these issues, a spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities stated that the Renters Bill will make it illegal for landlords to have blanket bans on renting to those on housing benefits or with children, and it will also give tenants the right to request a pet that cannot be unreasonably refused. This is a step towards creating a fairer private rented sector for both tenants and landlords. However, it remains to be seen how effective the bill will be in practice.
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