Lib Dems Protect Tenants from Revenge Evictions

Liberal Democrat Communities Minister Stephen Williams has announced measures giving tenants greater protection against rogue landlords. Thanks to Liberal Democrats in government, people living in rented accommodation will now be protected against revenge evictions.

Drew Durning, Lib Dem Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Stockton South, says "These measures will stop the small minority of rogue landlords in the Stockton area who ignore their legal responsibilities and threaten eviction to silence tenants from speaking out against sub-standard and unsafe accommodation.

"I am delighted that, thanks to Lib Dems in government, we have been able to introduce these important protections."

The amendments have been made to the Deregulation Bill, which will extend the existing restrictions on a landlord's powers to evict, where they don't protect a deposit or have a licence they are required to hold, to situations where a health and safety hazard has been identified by environmental health officers. The bill is on target to be passed into law well before the forthcoming general election.

The new measures follow campaigning from Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather. Sarah said: "Too many people are currently forced to put up with dangerous or unsanitary conditions because they fear eviction. Understandably, they don't want to leave their community or take their kids out of the local school - or face the costs of moving to another home. Now tenants will be able to report problems with their properties without fear of being evicted from their home."