Leaders from Movement for Change’s Home Sweet Home campaign in Brighton & Hove met with Emma Reynolds MP, The Labour Party’s Shadow Housing Minister, and shared their experiences and stories of renting in Brighton.
At a private rented home, they outlined the aims of their campaign and how they have taken action to change the situation locally, as well as discussing with her Labour’s plans for reforming renting if elected in 2015. The meeting was a house meeting of campaign leaders and supporters, and took place at the rented home of one of the campaigners.
The campaign is organised by Movement for Change, a national organisation that works to change the nature of politics by working with those directly affected by big issues in local communities.
Home Sweet Home leaders, Labour Prospective Parliamentary Candidates, Brighton Housing Trust Representatives and Candice Armah of Brighton Students Union were amongst those at the event.
They asked Reynolds to work with them to ensure that policy reflects their experiences on the ground, a request she accepted. This will culminate with an appearance together at Labour Party Conference this year.
Following the house meeting, Home Sweet Home activists took the shadow minister onto the streets to listen to other renters in the city to help them decide on the next steps of their campaign.
The visit follows major success for grassroots campaigns in major cities across the UK led by Movement for Change, as Ed Miliband pledged to make rents more predictable, ban rip-off letting agent fees and issue three year tenancy contracts.
The Labour Party Leader’s policy announcement was a response to campaigners directly affected by poor conditions and irresponsible landlords in the private rented sector, showcasing Movement for Change campaigns turning grassroots campaigning into party policy.
Emma Reynolds, Labour’s Shadow Housing Minister, said: “It was great to meet the private renters in Brighton who have been campaigning successfully to improve standards in their local area.
“The issues the people in Brighton face are the same as many renters across the country. There are nine million people who rent, including over one million families with children, and they deserve a stable home and that is why a Labour government will take action to deliver them a fairer deal.
“We will ban letting agent fees on tenants and we will legislate to make three year tenancies with predictable rents the standard.
“It was great to hear from renters in Brighton first-hand about their campaign because Generation Rent has been ignored for too long. The Tories and Lib Dems have failed to act but the next Labour Government will and give renters the peace of mind they need.”
Home Sweet Home leader Chris Henry, added: “It was great to have Emma Reynolds here in Brighton to hear what we have been organising for. Brighton and Hove has a lot of problems with its housing market- as our campaign highlights. However, these problems aren’t just happening here in Brighton. Every day people in the UK live in terrible conditions in houses which are cold, damp, mouldy, and in dire need of repair. Every day people live with the high costs or renting such as letting agent fees, huge deposits, and hidden charges they never saw coming.
“Even if it’s not high prices and low quality, you worry about the strength of your contract and the service you’re going to receive – is the letting agent you’ve signed with a crook or not? Will the landlord actually do the repairs he promised? That’s why it’s so important to take the work we’ve been doing locally up to the national level – we need to see national change.”
Home Sweet Home leader Lydia Snodin, concluded, saying: “As much we can fight it here in Brighton, there has to be national action to make a difference to all those living in private rented accommodation who need change to happen now. That’s why it’s fantastic that Emma agreed to hear what we have to say, and tell us what she plans to do about it if Labour win next year.”
Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion Purna Sen, said: “The recent Home Sweet Home campaign, led by Movement for Change, has highlighted some of the worst aspects of the private rental sector that impacts on many local tenants. Not least of all, they have drawn attention to the failure of landlords and letting agents to fulfil their basic responsibilities to maintain properties and carry out repairs.”
Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Hove and Portslade Peter Kyle added: “The housing market in Hove has a huge private rented sector, and Home Sweet Home has done an important job in highlighting the problems some people are experiencing. It is really inspiring to see so many young people getting involved in the campaign and fighting back against these problems.
“When I was a student here in Brighton I wish I had found a group of people who could’ve fought against some of the things we put up with from bad landlords. It’s been fantastic to have Emma Reynolds here today to listen to what campaigners have to say and to see her take that away to help shape Labour’s offer for 2015- we are the party that are out listening to people and the concerns they have.”
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