Peer pressure: email a lord to fix renting

The Renters’ Rights Bill is going through the House of Lords. And you have the chance to apply some ‘peer pressure’ to make sure this bill can truly fix renting.      

The House of Lords is our next big chance to further strengthen the bill. Campaigners have already had some important wins on this bill. But we need the House of Lords to introduce rent stabilisation, limit guarantor requests, scrap the discriminatory Right to Rent scheme, and bring in a detailed landlord register. And we need to make sure they do this without delay. Renters have waited far too long for change.

Members of the House of Lords (also known as peers, lords, ladies, barons, baronesses, bishops and viscounts) have the power to turn these key changes into amendments that could become a part of the bill. And you can show them why they must do this to finally fix renting for England’s 11 million private renters. 

• Why 'peer pressure' works

  Unlike MPs, lords (also known as peers) don’t represent constituencies. Their job is to scrutinise and help strengthen legislation. And you can show them exactly what needs to change to make the Renters’ Rights Bill as strong as possible. You can use this action to generate a random member of the House of Lords for you to pressure (by email). 

  We know that lords read their emails - they often respond directly to campaigners. So, personalise your email, share your renting story, and show them why these four key changes are important to you. By doing this, you can really get their attention.

• The key changes renters need
  1. Rent stabilisation By limiting rent increases in line with inflation or wage growth, renters will be protected from the unfair rent increases that are currently forcing them out of their homes. Because, for many, a rent hike is as good as an eviction. 
  2. Limiting requests for guarantors Unfair requests for guarantors - who are often required to earn a very high salary, own their own property, and live in the UK - create unnecessary barriers to finding a home for many renters. This change would mean that landlords can only ask for a tenant to provide a guarantor in certain circumstances. 
  3. A detailed landlord register A fully functioning national landlord register would mean renters are empowered and equipped with all the information they need to be able to take action against rogue landlords and enforce their rights.  
  4. Scrapping the Right to Rent scheme This policy forces landlords to act as border officers, as they are required to check all prospective tenants’ immigration status before they can rent out their property to them. But this policy also has a much wider impact as it can block Black and Brown renters from accessing a home. Fear of fines or a prison sentence leads many landlords to screen out potential tenants who they think won’t easily pass the right to rent checks. They do this by looking at whether they have a UK passport or they make assumptions about their immigration status based on their accent, skin colour, or even name. This pushes already marginalised groups towards homelessness.