Member

The root of the problem is supply. We have a massive shortfall of private rented sector accommodation because—we all know this—we have not built enough social homes. My fear about the Bill is that a lot of the amendments will disadvantage the people who by rights would have been in social housing a decade ago. They would have been scooped up by a local authority landlord or a social registered provider and have a safe and secure home, in most circumstances. That is now not the case. While we have an undersupply, we will always have a power imbalance between a tenant and a landlord, and landlords are not all like the noble Lords, Lord Hacking and Lord Fuller. The renters have formed their own coalition around the big issues. They are the ones who, day in, day out, are dealing with the failure of the private rented sector.