NDM8091 Plaid Cymru Debate - The private rental sector
NDM8091 Plaid Cymru Debate - The private rental sector
NDM8091 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes that rising rents are adding to pressures
on households across Wales as the cost-of-living crisis escalates further.
2. Notes that Wales’s average rental values
have increased to £926 per month in June 2022, up by 15.1 per cent compared to
June 2021.
3. Notes the increased numbers on social
housing waiting lists, and the lack of social housing stock.
4. Notes that in the event of an eviction
there is a lack of appropriate housing provision and people face homelessness.
5. Believes that tenants must be protected
as a matter of urgency this winter.
6. Calls on the Welsh Government to
implement emergency measures to:
a) freeze rents in the private rental
sector;
b) place a
moratorium on evictions.
The following amendments have been tabled:
Amendment 1 Lesley
Griffiths (Wrexham)
Delete all after point 1 and replace with:
Believes that the UK Government is failing
to grasp their responsibilities to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and calls
for the UK Government to honour its commitment to uplift benefits in line with
inflation, including an immediate unfreezing and increase to local housing
allowance rates in Wales.
Recognises that:
a) social tenants in Wales are
protected from rent rises this winter;
b) from 1 December the Renting Homes
Act will offer tenants greater protection from eviction;
c) more than 25,200 people, presenting as
homeless, have been supported into temporary accommodation since the start of
the pandemic.
Welcomes:
a) the additional £6m to local authorities
that can be used to support payment of rent arrears or providing a rent
guarantee;
b) the £65m investment in transitional
accommodation capital programme to increase the amount of social housing,
ensuring more people have a place to call home.
If amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 2 will
be de-selected.
Amendment 2 Darren Millar
(Clwyd West)
Delete point 6 and replace with:
Notes the spiralling cost of temporary
accommodation spend for local authorities.
Amendment 3 Darren Millar
(Clwyd West)
Add new points at end of motion:
Notes the increasing number of section 21
eviction notices being issued by private landlords.
Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a) work with local authorities to better
promote the empty home loan scheme returning more empty houses into homes;
b) review and speed up the planning
application process to enable developers to meet house-building targets;
c) review what steps can be taken to convert empty space above retail units into affordable, centrally located housing.
Reason considered: Senedd Business;
Type: For information
First published: 06/10/2022