English | Cymraeg Tel: 029 2076 5760 Connect: Twitter

Where next for the voice of renters?

Tenants are being short-changed in a system where decisions remain largely in the hands of government, landlords and their agents, says Steve Clarke. How about a Commissioner for Renters to hold them to account?

2017 would have marked the 30th anniversary of the founding of a national collective representative voice for renters, the Welsh Tenants Federation.

Less we forget, the rationale was to enable representation, unencumbered by landlord influence. This independent body was supported by leading political and social reformers of the 80s to ensure knowledge transfer to tenants about their rights, and to help them shape evolving national housing and communities’ policy.

It was required because of poor policy decisions and injustices experienced by renters over decades. These included; estate design, demolition, rent policy, damp, asbestos, disrepair, abuses of tenancy rights. Of course, there were the inevitable structural challenges faced by communities in decline: unemployment, welfare, debt, illegal lending, predatory drug pushers and housing conditions. But the key was to provide for a Wales-wide network to support volunteer representatives so that they could make a difference.

Although over the past 40 years much has changed in legislation and policy, it remains the case that it’s still the application of law and policy that falls short of aspirations. That was and is largely due to an issue of culture, resourcing and indifference on how to tackle deep routed issues in our feudal housing system. While it is pleasing to see legislators and regulators beginning to address them, powerful landlord lobbying, resourcing and the lack of well-informed tenant advocates where it really matters continue to result in consumers being short changed in the power stakes.

For the social housing sector, obligations to be informed and consulted under Sec105 of the Housing Act 1985[1]were always insufficient to ensure tenants issues are acted upon. More than 30 years on, the situation hasn’t changed a great deal despite case law, the Human Rights Act and the aspirational tributaries that emerged through European treaty obligations.

The problems remain, that to be informed, consulted and indeed participate, is largely led by landlord invitation and very much within their control, with few statutory obligations to have individual or collective voices acted upon. The tragedy of Grenfell[2]is a reminder of how being listened to is certainly not a requirement for action. Decisions reached remain largely in the hands of government, landlords and their agents and therefore our current participation processes remain grossly and tragically deficient if tenants want to address issues that cost money.

Participation, far from liberating our national voice, has confined it to a mosaic of localism with little real influence on the core national issues for renters. The catastrophe that was Grenfell has therefore taught us the voice of renters has not been fully empowered through voluntary participation with landlords and government. As a consequence there will no doubt be further tragedies and continual injustices unless we fundamentally change the approach.

It is also a sad indictment of our times, that the renter’s value to society is still predicated solely upon their ability to maintain a positive rent account, and that the resulting consequence of arrears can quickly force people into a spiral of decline which may lead to rough sleeping and homelessness only to be addressed by the same system that created the problem. And it is still the case that the presumed intentionality of their demise is a significant factor in their receipt of humanitarian support, undermining the very principle of a universal welfare safety net to obtain and maintain a home.

Some would also question how far we have actually travelled from the ‘no Irish, no blacks, no dogs’ only to be replaced with ‘no dogs, no welfare claimants, no mental health, no children, entry to your premises without consent’ and no-fault evictions within our housing system. We have also, it would seem, despite the comforting and aspirational words of policy, arrived at a time where there is still a significant imbalance in the standards of housing, where the rights, obligations and responsibilities are still predicated on what sector you belong, rather than established universal principles for all.

There is still therefore a significant road to travel to achieve a society where there is an explicit right to an affordable, secure home, with safeguarded standards, protecting a right to a home as a citizen equally and equitably across providers. Government must therefore ensure their light touch approach to action, does not continue to bequeath an unbearable and oppressive burden of weight for the poorest to carry.

Perhaps a good start to addressing these issues for renters would be to have a new system of representation enshrined in statute that would give renters a more powerful voice. Perhaps a ‘Commissioner for Renters’ with significant intervention and investigatory powers to hold to account, not just the sectors, but to challenge government itself for the delivery of a universal right to housing for all at a price they can afford, with codified principles in statute linked to the declaration of human rights and a constitutional right to housing.

Such a commissioner might just be able to ensure a legislative framework exists not just to participate – but to ensure the renters views are acted upon at the very highest levels and down through the delivery chain.

Steve Clarke is a former worker for Welsh Tenants

[1]http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/68/section/105/1992-07-13

[2]https://www.grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk/


Sign up to our email newsletter

Every two months we'll email you a summary of the latest news & articles on the WHQ website. Better still, if you're a fully paid up magazine subscriber, you'll get access to the latest members-only articles as well.

Sign up for the email newsletter »

Looking to advertise in our magazine?

Advertising and sponsored features are a great way to raise your profile with our readership of housing and regeneration decision makers in Wales.

Find out more »