Andrew Dismore

Dear editor,

In the 10 years between the 2001 and 2011 censuses, the numbers of households renting privately in Barnet rocketed by 55% to reach 26% of all households, reaching  34,854 households in total. Ever  since then, the numbers have continued to rise as a result of the huge development we are seeing in the borough. In Hendon there has been a huge increase  of people privately renting from “buy to let” landlords in Beaufort Park and the Pulse, as well as in former council homes, sold under ‘right to buy’ and now hoovered up by property speculators’ portfolios.

Families who rent deserve stability and security for themselves and their  children. They should not  be trapped by the insecurity of 6 month shorthold tenancies and the uncontrolled and unpredictable escalation of the rent they have to find each month. Even moving to somewhere else is fraught with additional unfair charges from letting agents who profit from both ends.

Labour is determined to help those who rent privately, with our plans for 3 year tenancies, an upper ceiling on any rent increases to prevent excessive rises, with rises  allowed no more than once a year,  and a ban letting agents’ fees for tenants.

Rogue landlords, like the one  I have heard about with many properties in Colindale  who jacks up rents to unaffordable levels and then evicts people when the impact of the housing benefit cap means they can  no longer afford to pay the higher charges, show the need for this kind of action.

I welcome Labour’s fair proposals to help so many people in Hendon and further afield, and I am sure most decent thinking  people in Barnet will agree.

Andrew Dismore

Labour parliamentary candidate for Hendon

79 the Burroughs

NW4 4AX