Brighton Housing Campaign celebrates change in law and the end of ‘revenge evictions’

Home Sweet Home activists from Brighton and Hove are celebrating a change in the law, banning the practice of ‘revenge eviction’.

CAMPAIGNERS celebrated their victory by handing out free treats and leaflets outside the Theatre Royal to tell people about their rights as tenants under the new law, which should come into force in October 2015.

Campaigning by groups across the country, including Movement for Change’s Home Sweet Home campaign, put the practice of revenge eviction under scrutiny in November last year when the Tenancy (Reform) Bill was defeated in the Commons by two Conservative MPs who filibustered the bill.

As a result of that scrutiny and pressure, the changes proposed by the Tenancy (Reform) Bill were put into the Deregulation Bill as amendments in the House of Lords.

After weeks of uncertainty about whether the bill would pass through the House of Commons and the House of Lords before Parliament closed for the General Election, the Bill finally gained Royal Assent last week. In doing so, the bill outlawed the practice of revenge eviction for good.

The changes should come into force in October this year.

The change in law was warmly welcomed by Home Sweet Home campaign leaders.

Whilst speaking about the need to protect tenants against revenge evictions, Home Sweet Home’s Jack Spooner said: “For too long landlords and agents have been able to evict people from their homes rather than maintain the standards of the properties they let. An end to revenge evictions is an end to something completely unjust, and good tenants and good landlords should welcome this move fully.”

Candice Armah, Home Sweet Home campaigner and President of Brighton Students Union, added: “This is a huge win for private renters, not just within the university community, but for everyone who rents in Brighton and Hove and the rest of the country. It’s a fantastic example of what you can achieve when community groups come together and organise.”

The campaign is now calling for tenants to submit evidence to Brighton and Hove Council’s consultation on expanding its current landlord licensing scheme to new areas of the city. A discretionary licensing scheme already exists in the five Lewes Road wards, and the consultation wants views on expanding the scheme to cover other areas of the city in Brunswick and Adelaide, Central Hove, East Brighton, Goldsmid, Preston Park, Regency and Westbourne.

To view details of the proposed scheme and consultation click here: