Renters and landlords in South Gloucestershire are being invited to ‘sit on the sofa’ at Yate Shopping Centre to find out more about landmark changes to renting law.
A ‘pop up’ Living Room Roadshow is part of a West of England campaign called WE Rent and will be at Yate Shopping Centre on Wednesday 29 April, from 10am to 2pm, ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act coming into force on 1 May.
The roadshow is an informal opportunity for anyone with questions to come and sit on the sofa for a friendly chat about what the new law means for them, whether they rent or own a property they let out.
The new law, the biggest shake-up to renting in more than 30 years, abolishes Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, ends fixed-term tenancies, bans rental bidding wars and limits rent increases to once per year.
Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire Council is among more than 30 local organisations backing the WE Rent awareness campaign, which is running from 27 April to 1 May.
CEO Chantal Watts said: “Here in South Glos, we regularly help people who are threatened with homelessness as a result of Section 21 eviction notices, which will no longer be allowed from 1 May.
“We also see private tenants who need help after receiving an unfair rent increase and rent increases will be limited to once a year under the new law.
“Single mothers with dependent children, people of colour and people with disabilities are over-represented among the people we help with housing issues, and in the most severe cases they are facing homelessness.
“We strongly welcome this Act and hope it will help level the playing field between tenants and landlords.”
Laura Swarbrick is a physiotherapist from Downend, South Glos, who jointly owns a flat in Bristol with a friend. They have been letting it out for seven years, most recently through a letting agent, and have had the same tenant for the past three years.
Laura is broadly welcoming of the Renters’ Rights Act. With family members who rent themselves, she has a personal stake in the landlord-tenant relationship being a fair one.
She says: “Being a landlord is a privilege and a responsibility. You want your tenant to be treated like you’d want a family member treated. I’ve got lots of family that rent and I think the changes that come in with the Renters’ Rights Act are really important.”
Her message to fellow landlords who may be anxious about the changes is a pragmatic one: “As long as you’re being a good landlord, you shouldn’t have many problems. The important thing is to be informed. There’s lots of free information available online on the Government website and elsewhere. I don’t think it’s as complex as some people might think.”
Councillor John O’Neill, cabinet member responsible for housing at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “We want to ensure people in our area know all about the upcoming changes and this is exactly the kind of joined-up work across the region that helps make new legislation real for people.
“Whether you’re a tenant or a landlord, it’s important to understand how the Renters’ Rights Act affects you. The Living Room Roadshow in Yate is a relaxed, informal way to find out more information, so please stop by for a chat.”
Alice Tibbert, CEO of Housing Matters and lead convenor of the WE Rent campaign, said: “The Renters’ Rights Act is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for people renting in South Gloucestershire. But good law only works if people know about it and feel confident using it.
“That’s why organisations right across this region have come together, housing charities, the council, universities, letting agents, community groups, to make sure that when this law changes on 1 May, South Gloucestershire renters and landlords are ready.
“We’re looking forward to just having a chat with people to create a comfortable environment to help people know their rights. It could make a real difference to someone’s life.”
A free Renters’ Rights Guidebook in plain English is available to download at www.we-rent.org.uk, and printed copies will be available at the event.
