Commonweal sends open letter to Angela Rayner, Secretary of State at MHCLG 

Commonweal Housing, on behalf of 25 housing sector organisations, has sent an open letter to Angela Rayner, the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), calling for urgent action to improve and enable move-on from homelessness services in to the Private Rented Sector (PRS) for single people.

This call to action comes in response to the charity’s latest report, ‘No Access, No Way Out’, which reveals the shocking state and scarcity of private rented housing options for single homeless people looking to move-on from homelessness services, leaving individuals trapped with no way out. 

The open letter details Government recommendations aimed at improving access to the low-cost end of the PRS, as outlined in the report.

Key recommendations for MHCLG include: 

• Ensure that the new Renters’ Rights Bill is robust enough to increase the rights of those who are accessing the cheapest end of the market including those who have experienced homelessness.  
• The Bill must deliver a more secure PRS, a stronger approach on the enforcement on poor conditions and illegal practices, and an end to discrimination by agents and landlords when advertising for and selecting new tenants, for all renters even those who are most disadvantaged in the market.  
• Address the imbalance between supported options in ‘exempt accommodation’ and more affordable, fully independent options for people with lower support needs.  
• Work with HM Treasury to explore new mechanisms for incentivising landlords, delivered through the tax system, which move the burden away from local authorities providing cash offers at the point of tenancy sign-ups.  

The letter was signed by more than 20 organisations and individuals in the housing sector and those who work with individuals facing the injustices highlighted in the report. These include St Mungo’s, Single Homeless Project, Homeless Link, The Passage and Housing Justice.

Ashley Horsey, Chief Executive at Commonweal Housing, said: “We are grateful for the organisations who have signed this letter to Angela Rayner and supported us in sharing the learnings from No Access, No Way Out. We are eager to work with policy-makers to convey the injustices facing people experiencing homelessness and improve access to the PRS through joint-working.”

Please follow the link for more information on the report, including key findings and recommendations on our website here >>