A mother-of-two fears she could be made homeless days before Christmas after reporting her landlord for installing an illegal gas boiler in her daughter’s bedroom.
Louise*, 53, is a self-employed renter living in London with her two daughters. She has fought three eviction notices after she discovered her landlord illegally installed an unregistered gas boiler in a bedroom in 2018.
Louise complained to her local council, and days later, she was served a Section 21 “no fault” eviction notice. She believes this was a “revenge eviction” because of her complaint.
She is calling for more rights for renters who are subject to illegal behaviour from their landlord or estate agent.
“When I discovered the truth, it was really frightening because my daughter was suffering from headaches and the boiler was in her bedroom,” Louise said.
“I reported my landlord to the council, but they didn’t even reply. My landlord then served us with a Section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction notice, because I complained.”
As the landlord missed the deadline to provide the safety documents, required by law, the first Section 21 was rendered void by the court.
Louise told i: “This time, it’s a different story.”
She is believed to be one of 3.7 million renters dealing with illegal behaviour from their landlord or estate agent, according to new research from Shelter, affecting nearly half of England’s renters.
This includes landlords and estate agents entering their home without giving notice or asking for permission or for failing to fix essential safety and household supplies such as smoke alarms, central heating or water supplies.
In total, Nearly one in 10 of private renters, equivalent to 731,000 people, said they have been assaulted, threatened or harassed by their landlord or letting agent.
Ahead of the Conservative Party conference, Shelter is warning that the Government’s upcoming landmark Renters’ Reform Bill must include a National Landlord Register to give renters the power to fight back against law-breaking behaviour.
Louise also said she is “caught in a Catch-22” situation as she has been turned away by estate agents because she claims Universal Credit.
The local council has turned her away because she is five months short of living in the borough for five years, a new rule introduced to cope with the rising number of homeless people and a limited social housing supply amid the pandemic.
“I’m entitled to Universal Credit to top up my wages, but we are being turned away from properties because I am claiming benefits,” she said.
“Every month, the landlord sends me a letter, warning he will charge me for repairs I pointed out four years ago.
“I know how the landlord behaved was not right, but I feel powerless. When you’re paying to rent a home, people should have more rights. Landlords can do what they want in this country.”
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Home is everything. Yet millions of private renters across the country don’t feel safe or secure in theirs because of landlords and agents who flout the law. People should not have to put up with broken safety alarms, strangers bursting into their homes unannounced or the threat of harassment and violence.
“Enough is enough. Nobody is above the law and renters are tired of being powerless to enforce their rights. The Government has promised voters a fairer private renting system that punishes illegal behaviour by landlords and letting agents.
“To deliver on this promise, its Renters’ Reform Bill must include a National Landlord Register that makes landlords fully accountable and helps drive up standards across private renting.”
The Government said a White Paper which will outline reforms for the private rented sector will be published “in due course” this autumn.
This will repeal Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988, a pledge made by Theresa May in 2019, improving security for tenants by putting an end to evictions where the landlord doesn’t have to provide a reason.
Calls have grown for the Government to publish the White Paper after it was omitted from the Queen’s Speech – outlining the Government’s priorities for the year ahead – in May.
An MHCLG spokesperson told i: “Private renters have the right to live in a safe, respectful environment and to be treated fairly – that’s why we’re committed to delivering a better deal for renters.
“We’re cracking down on the small number of rogue landlords who neglect their properties and exploit their tenants, and we’ve given councils stronger enforcement tools, including fines of up to £30,000 and banning orders.
“A white paper will also be published in due course that will set out proposals to create a fairer private rented sector that works for both landlords and tenants.”
*Name changed to protect identity
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