Government is trying to sweep under the carpet the angry response from tenants at threats to secure tenancies and genuinely affordable rents. But Ministers have dropped planned cuts in housing benefit for the unemployed because of growing opposition.
The governments summary of responses to their consultation on the Localism Bill is extremely misleading. Tenant and other organisations are ignored.
Large number of organisations object in the strongest possible terms to proposed fixed-term tenancies. See some of the critical responses in our round-up. Despite a sham consultation and leading questions, the summary admits A large majority of respondents expressed the view that two years would rarely or never be enough for a general needs social tenancy. And two-thirds of local authorities said there was not enough private sector accommodation available for the homeless.
Hundreds of tenants from across Britain took part in a mass lobby of parliament on 15 Feb. Now we are demanding Councillors commit not to use fixed term tenancies, oppose up to 80 percent market rents, and not evict tenants in arrears due to housing benefit cuts.
Instead Councils should join tenants in lobbying against for investment in new and existing council housing to provide the homes we need, and call on other landlords to do the same.
Council tenants are joining with housing association and other private tenants in a Tenants section of the giant TUC protest 26th March. Organise a big delegation of tenants locally - use this poster and contact unions for transport.
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