The Conservative’s record on housing is one of seven years’ of failure.

In the private rented sector, tenants are now spending £800 million every month on homes which the Government classes as ‘non-decent’. Around a quarter of this – some £2.3 billion a year – is paid by housing benefit. Of course there are very many good private landlords, who provide high quality accommodation, and carry our repairs and maintenance promptly. Many of us will have seen such success stories on daytime TV show Homes Under the Hammer. Yet weak regulation by the Conservative government of the minority of rogue landlords brings the whole private rented sector into disrepute, and profiteering levels of rents in some areas, where rogue landlords exploit vulnerable people, contribute to sky rocketing housing benefit payments, paid for by taxes.

The next Labour government, in contrast, will act in the interests of the many not just the few by delivering a consumer rights revolution for renters. We will improve standards, security and affordability for people who rent their homes from a private landlord. Good landlords will have nothing to fear from these proposals, which will be targeted only at the minority who abuse their tenants.

Labour will guarantee new legal minimum standards to ensure that all homes are at least ‘fit for human habitation’, give councils new powers to license landlords, allow private tenants to report those that rent homes that are unsafe, and will introduce tough new fines of up to £100,000 for landlords who fail to meet minimum standards.

Under Labour, no one will be denied their basic consumer housing rights or help to address their concerns.

Published and promoted by Steve Abbott of 71 High Street, Corsham, SN13 0HA on behalf of Andy Newman, 5 Elm Hayes, Corsham, SN13 9JW