CONSERVATIVE GROUP AMENDMEnt

EVICTIONS

That the motion be amended to insert the text as shown in bold italics.

The Council notes and welcomes the campaigns by the Citizens’ Advice Bureau, Acorn and Shelter which call upon landlords not to evict tenants for the duration of the pandemic, and calls for;

1) Officers to actively contact landlords, letting agencies and housing providers to request that they;

· do not evict tenants for the duration of the pandemic;

· work with the council, tenants’ unions and representatives to find alternative solutions to eviction;

· desist from discriminatory practices that act as barriers to benefit claimants such as ‘no DSS’ policies, requiring 6-months rent in advance, homeowner guarantors and prohibitive terms and conditions;

2) The Council further asks the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Peter Kyle MP, Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP and Caroline Lucas MP urging them to raise the following matters when the Renter’s Reform Bill is debated in the House of Commons;

1) The ban on evictions be extended for at least 6 months;

2) The exemption to this ban which allows for eviction due to rent debt accrued during the past 6 months be removed;

3)    The introduction of a grant to help with Covid-related rent debt;

4)   The introduction of enforcement measures to prevent unlawful discrimination against benefit claimants by landlords and letting agents.

3)  Ask Peter Kyle MP, Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP and Caroline Lucas MP confirm that they will be voting for the Renters’ Reform Bill, which will enhance renters’ security and improve protections for short-term tenants by abolishing ‘no-fault’ evictions.

Proposed by: Cllr Mears                                          Seconded by: Cllr Barnett

Motion if carried to read:

The Council notes and welcomes the campaigns by the Citizens’ Advice Bureau, Acorn and Shelter which call upon landlords not to evict tenants for the duration of the pandemic, and calls for;

1) Officers to actively contact landlords, letting agencies and housing providers to request that they;

· do not evict tenants for the duration of the pandemic;

· work with the council, tenants’ unions and representatives to find alternative solutions to eviction;

· desist from discriminatory practices that act as barriers to benefit claimants such as ‘no DSS’ policies, requiring 6-months rent in advance, homeowner guarantors and prohibitive terms and conditions;

2) The Council further asks the Chief Executive to write to Peter Kyle MP, Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP and Caroline Lucas MP urging them to raise the following matters when the Renter’s Reform Bill is debated in the House of Commons;

1) The ban on evictions be extended for at least 6 months;

2) The exemption to this ban which allows for eviction due to rent debt accrued during the past 6 months be removed;

3)    The introduction of a grant to help with Covid-related rent debt;

4)   The introduction of enforcement measures to prevent unlawful discrimination against benefit claimants by landlords and letting agents.

3)  Ask Peter Kyle MP, Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP and Caroline Lucas MP confirm that they will be voting for the Renters’ Reform Bill, which will enhance renters’ security and improve protections for short-term tenants by abolishing ‘no-fault’ evictions.