Dear Councillor XXX,
You have been voted into the council chamber, because working-class people want a change from the politics of austerity and hopelessness, conducted by the previous Labour administration. In Hackney, many people are struggling with rising rents and insecure housing. Your councillors must change things, and change them fast.
The Renters Reform Act now prevents private landlords from sending no-fault eviction notices to tenants. However, it does not go far enough. Some landlords have already found a way round these restrictions by simply issuing huge rent increases, which tenants can’t pay. Tenants are then forced to move or have proceedings started against them due to non-payment of rent.
East London borough. It is based on a similar letter sent to Greens in
neighbouring Waltham Forest.
We are asking all Green Party councillors to take urgent action by:
- Introducing a compulsory register for ALL private landlords, and making rent controls a requirement of registration
- Setting rent levels after a debate by the full council, and after an open consultation with renters, tenants’ organisations, trade unions, and other anti-poverty campaigners about what that rent should be for a room, a flat, or a house. Landlords should not be allowed to charge whatever they like while local people are priced out
- Freezing council rents. At a time when so many people are already struggling, increasing rents for council tenants will only make things harder
- Building mass council housing. Kick out private developers who use social housing to boost their own profits. Housing for all is a social need and should not be a commercial venture. Create a campaign to fight for funding from the central government
Rent control
We very much welcome the Green Party policy of Rent Control and note the inclusion in the Hackney Green Party manifesto of local rent control, and the promise to protect private renters from rogue landlords.
Hackney Green Party also promised to “Work with neighbouring boroughs to establish a ‘Housing for London’ building company to build new, quality council homes and create local jobs.” Hackney, Waltham Forest, Haringey. and Tower Hamlets have new councils pledged to end the ‘do nothing’ Labour local council approach. This policy is now a serious possibility if the willingness is there to see it implemented.
As the controlling party on the council, you can push for these measures. To be clear, you have the power to do all the above as a council, you do not need to wait for a Green Party government to enact these changes. We are asking you personally to publicly support these measures and to fight for them within the council chamber.
There is growing anger locally about the cost of housing and the lack of affordable homes. Many people will be looking to see whether this new council is prepared to stand up to developers, big landlords, and act in the interests of working-class residents.
We ask that you respond to our letter without delay. We want to meet with you and discuss. We could assist in mobilising trade unions, the largest worker-led bodies in the region, to lend their support to this campaign.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely, XXX, on behalf of Hackney Socialist Party