Last week I had made a speech in the House of Commons in support of the biggest reform to the private rental sector in more than a generation.

The passage of Labour’s Renters Rights Bill will bring a host of new protections to renters across our community and it’s especially salient for Hatfield, where one in four households live in privately rented accommodation.

Private renters are at the sharp end of the housing crisis. Under a rule known as Section 21, landlords can currently evict their tenants at two months notice, without justification or explanation.

It’s known as a no-fault eviction and means renters live without any real security. In addition, the cost of renting has spiralled and far too many have little choice but to live in poor quality homes – with an estimated 1,300 people across Welwyn Hatfield renting a ‘non-decent’ home.

The last Conservative government promised to end Section 21 evictions back in 2019, but failed to do so. The Renters Rights Bill introduced last week will scrap no fault evictions for good and introduce more safeguards that will change the experience of renters for the better.

The Bill will also end the practice of asking for bids on the amount of rent you are willing to pay.

As it stands, landlords are free to invite closed bids for how much rent prospective tenants are willing to pay– playing people off against each other to maximise their return.

This will end, with landlords mandated to publish the rent in advance and fined if they breach the rules.

The quality of our private rented homes is just as important as the security of tenure. For too many people, once the battle to find a place to live is won, a new front opens with their landlord on the quality of their living conditions at home.

Renters will be finally protected by the Decent Homes standard which will hold rogue landlords to account for the standard of living they provide.

The Bill is a landmark moment for renters in Welwyn Hatfield and I am proud that it is a priority for our Labour Government.