RLA News Service

As MPs and Peers returned from a summer recess the RLA has been leading calls for the Government to use the Welfare Reform Bill, now being considered by the House of Lords, to introduce the principle of tenant choice – allowing tenants to decide who they would prefer the housing element of the new universal credit to be paid to.

In lobbying for the measure, the RLA has co-ordinated the organisation of an alliance of organisations supporting Tenant Choice bringing together social and private rented sector landlords and managers, tenants organisations and those with an interest in housing finance such as the Money Advice Trust and the Council for Mortgage Lenders.

All groups agree that given that the government is committed to the principles of choice and responsibility, those same principles should be extended to tenants on benefits giving them the opportunity to decide what would be best for their own circumstances. Furthermore, the support of the Council for Mortgage Lenders is a clear sign that tenant choice would better support the wide housing sector to access much needed finance to provide new housing.

A meeting has been held in the House of Lords, hosted by Lord Best and addressed by the RLA, National Housing Federation and Council of Mortgage Lenders outlining the case for tenant choice. This has resulted in Lord Best tabling an amendment to the Welfare Reform Bill providing for tenant choice, which is due for consideration in October following the party conference season.