Darren Johnson remarks upon the Mayor’s failure to recognise the expense and lack of security of living in private rented housing in London, which has resulted in a 13% rise in homelessness.
Darren Johnson calls the Mayor’s aims of halving the number of homeless “distant dreams”. Image courtesy of κύριαsity.
Figures published today show that weak tenancy protections for private renters caused 1,440 people to become homeless in London from 1 July to 30 September 2013, up 49% from the equivalent period in 2012. Private tenants in the UK have among the weakest protections in Europe. The Mayor has so far opposed reforms to the regulation of private rented housing.
Overall, homelessness acceptances by local authorities in London rose 13% to 4,410 in that quarter, and the number of families stuck in B&Bs rose 20% to 2,690.
Darren commented: “The Mayor has failed to recognise that private rented housing is simply too expensive and insecure in London, made worse by benefit cuts. The tragic consequence is that councils struggle to help people into a stable home, and they end up living in sheds, sleeping on friends’ sofas or stuck in B&Bs.
“The Mayor’s aims of halving the number of people who are homeless and of ending rough sleeping are distant dreams if things continue in this direction. Nothing less than a radical change to private rented housing will do.”