During ROTA’s research on housing, homelessness and race discrimination, the Renters Rights Bill 2024-2025 has been going through Parliament.
In December 2024 ROTA made a written representation to the Renters Rights Bill Impact Assessment Team pointing out that people from B&GM communities were among those most likely to be affected by housing discrimination. See HERE
We are concerned that at the Third Reading of the Renters Rights Bill on 14th January 2025, no amendments were debated that specifically refer to race discrimination in the rental market.
The Bill fails to recognise that Black and Global Majority and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people are among those most likely to experience discriminatory rental practices. Refugees and asylum seekers are also at risk of experiencing discrimination leading to extreme housing hardship and homelessness.
Although provision is made for the Secretary of State to make regulations prohibiting discriminatory rental practices, thus strengthening the protection of ‘members of particular groups’ or ‘vulnerable individuals’ such generalisations are not helpful.1
ROTA, together with organisations including Shelter and Crisis, has identified a link between homelessness, housing insecurity and educational disadvantage. This appears to disproportionately affect Black and Global Majority families, who face the additional barrier of race discrimination.
During the Third Reading of the Bill it was acknowledged that poor, insecure or temporary housing has an adverse effect on the education of children and young people. Constant moves cause educational and social disadvantage and can affect mental health. It was further noted that substandard accommodation for students combined with high rents and punitive contracts from letting agencies is known to affect the ability to study and can contribute to mental health issues.
ROTA continues to investigate these issues.
The Bill reaches its Second Reading in the House of Lords on 4th February 2025.