Tell MPs to make homes fit for human habitation

On January 19th 2018, MPs have an important opportunity to make rented homes safer.

On that day, Karen Buck MP's Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation and Liability for Housing Standards) Bill has its second reading in Parliament. If it passes, all rented homes - private or social - would need to be 'fit for human habitation', and renters could take legal action against landlords who didn't maintain the property in a decent condition.

The Bill covers communal areas, ensuring renters in blocks could take action around safety complaints, something that tragically was denied at Grenfell Tower. Millions of renters currently live with poor conditions and they need redress when their landlord won't act.

The Bill is a Private Member's Bill, meaning it is brought by a single MP and doesn't currently have government backing (though Karen has secured support from MPs of other parties). Even without official government backing, we can make sure the Bill passes this parliamentary stage if we can get enough MPs to turn up and vote for it.

Previous Bills have been defeated when opposing MPs have 'talked it out', meaning it doesn't have enough time to be debated and voted on. But this can be avoided if we can get at least 100 MPs in Parliament that day who are williing to vote for it. Every MP we can get is therefore vital. 

Please email your MP asking them to attend the debate and vote for the Bill - all renters deserve a home that is fit for human habitation, and should have the legal mechanism to take action against poor landlords.