Our Better Deal for Renters campaign strives for a better system for Hackney’s 34,000 plus private renters. They make up 1 in 3 households. The campaign supports tenants, challenges the government, and works with landlords.
Read our Draft Private Sector Housing Strategy (PDF 238kb)
We will consult on this strategy in summer 2024.
Our commitment
The private sector is poorly regulated. This allows:
- substandard conditions
- mistreatment from landlords
- unstable tenancies
- extortionate rents
86.9% of Hackney residents think it’s important or very important to keep working on the Better Renting campaign. The campaign aims to improve the private rental sector and address issues with rogue landlords.
Not having enough homes to rent is considered the second largest challenge facing Hackney. That’s why we’ve pushed for the changes we want to see to make renting in Hackney better.
We’re campaigning for:
We will continue pushing the government to implement the promised end to Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions and the removal of end dates from tenancies.
We’re campaigning for borough-wide landlord licensing which legally commits landlords to meet acceptable standards. We will apply to the Secretary of State to renew and extend our existing landlord licensing scheme. We will continue to call for the passing of powers to Local Authorities to licence their landlords.
We’re campaigning for a ban on bidding wars so that the advertised price of a rental home is the final price that tenants pay.
In May 2019, Hackney had the third highest number of short-term lets of all London Boroughs. This reduces the amount of homes available in the borough, pushing up housing prices and increasing rents. We’re calling for licensing to better understand how this market is operating and how it impacts our borough.
We’re campaigning for the government to hold private landlords to the same standards and responsibilities as social housing landlords.
Support for private renters
See help for private sector tenants.
Working with landlords
We can only use the powers given to us by the government, so we’re calling on landlords to work with us and their private renters to create a fairer system.
Landlords can help by:
We’re encouraging landlords to be flexible, understanding and to give their tenants the support they need, even if that means going beyond legal requirements.
For example, providing assistance with rent shortfalls and time to make overdue payments.
Every property that sits empty is a missed opportunity for a family to have a safe and secure home.
See empty properties.
You need a property licence if you rent a property that meets the definition of being a house in multiple occupation (HMO) anywhere in Hackney.
Page updated on: 13 March 2024