Our Fairer Renting campaign is working to improve the renting system in Hackney. Find out more about how we’re working with the government, landlords and renters to create change.
Have your say on fairer renting in Hackney
The private rented sector in Hackney has grown a lot over recent years, with some landlords providing badly managed and unsafe homes.
We want to hear your views on introducing landlord licensing for private rented sector properties to help offer more protection for private renters.
There are over 34,000 private renters in Hackney, and they make up almost 1 in 3 households. On top of this, 86.9% of Hackney residents think it’s important or very important for us to work on the Fairer Renting (formerly Better Renting) campaign.
This campaign is our commitment to improving the sector for everyone. It aims to:
support tenants
challenge the government
work with landlords
The private renting sector doesn’t have enough rules in place to keep renters safe. This causes:
poor living conditions
mistreatment from landlords
unstable tenancies
expensive rents
That’s why we’ve pushed for the changes we want to see to make renting in Hackney better.
We’re campaigning for:
A better deal for private renters – fair rent and quality homes
We will continue pushing the government to stop:
Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions
removing end dates from tenancies
We want to see the government give more powers to local authorities. This would allow councils to control rents, bringing them in line with inflation and real changes in income.
Landlord licensing across Hackney
We’re consulting on proposals to introduce landlord licensing across Hackney. This would mean that landlords need to get a licence before they can rent out a property. It’s part of our commitment to use our power to:
raise standards in the sector
make sure landlords meet their responsibilities
guarantee safe homes and fair treatment for tenants
It’s important that we hear from both renters and landlords about how we can create safe and decent housing in Hackney. Find out more and have your say on the link below.
A ban on bidding wars
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.
Licensing of ‘Airbnb’ style short-term lets
In 2024, Hackney had the fifth most short-term lets of all London boroughs. Short-term lets reduce the number of homes available in Hackney. This then raises housing prices and increases rents.
We’re calling for licensing to better understand the impact of short-term lets and their effect on our borough.
Raising the standards in the private rental sector and extending Awaab’s Law
We’re campaigning for the government to hold private landlords to the same standards as social housing landlords.
In September 2024, the government updated the proposed Renters Rights Bill to include the:
extension of Awaab’s Law
end of Section 21 ‘no-fault evictions’
We will continue to campaign to make sure the bill is put into action as soon as possible.
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.
If you’re a landlord, you can help by:
Supporting your tenants
We’re encouraging landlords to:
be flexible and understanding
give their tenants the support they need, even if it means going beyond legal requirements
For example, being supportive of rent shortfalls and time to make overdue payments.
Using empty properties
Residents say that not having enough homes to rent is the second largest challenge facing Hackney.
Every property that sits empty is a missed opportunity for a family to have a safe and secure home.
You need a property licence under the mandatory HMO licensing scheme if you rent out a property in Hackney that meets the criteria for mandatory licensing — usually HMOs occupied by five or more people forming more than one household.
Guides on renting
We have made how to rent guides that include information on:
your rights
your responsibilities
where you can access help and advice for both tenants and landlords