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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Landlords 'earn £5.6bn a year from unsafe homes' | Landlords 'earn £5.6bn a year from unsafe homes' |
| (4 months later) | |
| Landlords are earning £5.6bn a year by renting out unsafe homes which fail to meet legal standards, a report says. | Landlords are earning £5.6bn a year by renting out unsafe homes which fail to meet legal standards, a report says. |
| The Citizens Advice study says 740,000 households in England live in privately rented homes which present a severe threat to tenants' health from problems like severe damp and rat infestations. | |
| Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: "Rogue landlords are putting profits before safety." | Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: "Rogue landlords are putting profits before safety." |
| The government said it had given councils new powers to tackle them. | The government said it had given councils new powers to tackle them. |
| The report, A Nation of Renters, says that among these 740,000 households are 510,000 children while 180,000 of them have a disabled resident. | The report, A Nation of Renters, says that among these 740,000 households are 510,000 children while 180,000 of them have a disabled resident. |
| And it says landlords are receiving £5.6bn a year on rent for homes with category 1 hazards - the most severe - which includes £1.3bn in housing benefit. | And it says landlords are receiving £5.6bn a year on rent for homes with category 1 hazards - the most severe - which includes £1.3bn in housing benefit. |
| The report also says: | The report also says: |
| Ms Guy added: "The government has rightly said it wants to tackle the country's housing crisis - it must make targeting dodgy landlords, giving tenants better rights and driving up standards a major part of that effort." | Ms Guy added: "The government has rightly said it wants to tackle the country's housing crisis - it must make targeting dodgy landlords, giving tenants better rights and driving up standards a major part of that effort." |
| Citizens Advice says there are now more than a million families raising children in privately rented homes in England - three times higher than a decade ago. | Citizens Advice says there are now more than a million families raising children in privately rented homes in England - three times higher than a decade ago. |
| It also says private renters are under-protected and that taking court action against a landlord can be a lengthy, complicated and expensive process. | It also says private renters are under-protected and that taking court action against a landlord can be a lengthy, complicated and expensive process. |
| The charity recommends that: | The charity recommends that: |
| The report is part of Citizen Advice's Settled and Safe campaign. | The report is part of Citizen Advice's Settled and Safe campaign. |
| In the last year more than 80,000 people asked the charity for advice regarding a problem with a privately rented home. | In the last year more than 80,000 people asked the charity for advice regarding a problem with a privately rented home. |
| The campaign called for an end to retaliatory evictions - where landlords unfairly evict tenants who have raised problems - which will be made illegal later this year. | The campaign called for an end to retaliatory evictions - where landlords unfairly evict tenants who have raised problems - which will be made illegal later this year. |
| Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said: "No tenant should expect to live in unsafe housing which is why we have already introduced a range of powers for councils to tackle rogue landlords backed by £6.7 million of government funding. | Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said: "No tenant should expect to live in unsafe housing which is why we have already introduced a range of powers for councils to tackle rogue landlords backed by £6.7 million of government funding. |
| "Tenants can also access our 'How to Rent' guide and model tenancy agreement so tenants and landlords alike are clear of their rights and responsibilities." | "Tenants can also access our 'How to Rent' guide and model tenancy agreement so tenants and landlords alike are clear of their rights and responsibilities." |
| And he added: "The majority of landlords provide decent well maintained homes and unnecessary and excessive regulation on the private rented sector, would push up prices and restrict choice for tenants." | And he added: "The majority of landlords provide decent well maintained homes and unnecessary and excessive regulation on the private rented sector, would push up prices and restrict choice for tenants." |