Bristol East
Labour MP Kerry McCarthy has accused the Government of failing to protect
tenants in privately-rented accommodation from rogue landlords.
Ms McCarthy
is worried that as the private sector continues to expand, tenants are now
facing a lack of security, poor quality accommodation and record rents.
She said
this combination puts families and young people living in Bristol under
considerable pressure.
In Bristol,
private rents have risen 4.1 per cent over the past year, with 60,000
households reported to be renting privately in the city.
She said:
"In cities like Bristol, families and young people are becoming
increasingly squeezed by increasing rents and they have little security in
terms of tenancy agreements.
The
Government cannot go on ignoring this problem. Renting privately has to be fair
for both the tenant and the landlord. I know from attending the Housing Benefit
Poverty Hearing in Bristol, that tenants have had enough of rip-off fees from
letting agents, instability from landlords and ever rising rents."
