Revealed: Political cost of broken promise to renters as parliament returns

As Parliament returns from recess this week, it’s exactly five years since the Conservatives first promised to ban no-fault evictions. But with a general election now just months away, and too many people having sleepless nights worrying about keeping a roof over their head, time is running out for the government to keep their 2019 manifesto pledge on this. 

That’s why, this week we are publishing a new poll, commissioned by 38 Degrees and conducted by Survation, which reveals the political cost of breaking a long-held promise to renters, as voters believe the Conservative Party backs landlords over tenants. The results speak for themselves: 

• 43% of renters say they’d be “less likely to trust the Conservatives at the next general election” if the long anticipated Renters Reform Bill is not delivered.
  
• Meanwhile most Brits would see a rumoured ‘indefinite delay’ to a ban on no-fault evictions in the bill as a broken manifesto promise.
• Whilst the vast majority of the public presented with a summary of the bill support it (66% support, just 7% oppose), 60% of renters and 57% of the general public say bringing forward the bill with a delayed ban would not be in line with the Conservative Party’s manifesto promise.
  
• New measures to “bolster landlord protections” in the bill are unlikely to please the public, with 60% of Brits saying landlords don’t need any more protections. By contrast, 56% think renters do need more support (74% of renters). 
• Despite this, half of all voters say the Conservative Party is most likely to act in the interest of landlords, compared to just 13% who believe they’ll act in the interests of renters.

Last year, research by 38 Degrees revealed around 20% of Conservative MPs make money as private landlords, and this research has continued to hit the headlines every time the bill has been delayed or watered down. But public opinion on this was clear too:  Following reports of a Parliamentary ‘landlord lobby’ trying to weaken the Renters Reform Bill, the vast majority (79%) of voters think it’s a conflict of interest for landlord MPs to try to influence the legislation. 7 in 10 (70)% of all voters think these MPs should not be able to vote on any laws that benefit landlords.

With a general election only a matter of months away, the poll further revealed widespread worry about the conditions endured by renters, showing:

• The majority (52%) of non-renters say they’re concerned about the living conditions of friends and family who are private renters. 
• More than one in five private renters (22%) has avoided asking for repairs due to fear of eviction while 32% endure “poor conditions” in their home. 
• One in 10 renters (10%) report enduring a no fault eviction while 29% say they “feel insecure” in their rented home.   

The Government is running out of time to fulfil its promise to renters – and if it fails to impose a proper, immediate ban on no-fault eviction, voters will see that as the betrayal, and broken promise that it is. 

2024 is a chance for change, and for renters, that change means being given rights they can rely on . From the renters terrified that asking for repairs could cost them the roof over their heads, to the home owners worried about the conditions their loved ones who rent are forced to endure, voters – including many in marginal seats right across the country – care about renters’ rights. They’ll vote to protect them – and they’ll punish any politician they see as taking the side of landlords over ordinary families. 

See the full polling table for private renters and for the general population.

Methodology

Renters poll: Fieldwork Dates: 5 th April – 10th April 2024

Data Collection Method: The survey was conducted via online interview. Invitations to complete the survey were sent out to residents of the UK aged 18+ who privately rent a home.

Population Sampled: Online interviews of residents of the UK aged 18+ who privately rent a home. Data were weighted to the profile of individuals aged 18+ in England. Data were weighted by age, sex,  region, education level, and annual household income.

Sample Size: 2,009

General population poll:  Fieldwork Dates: 5 th April – 10th April 2024

Data Collection Method: The survey was conducted via online interview. Invitations to complete the survey were sent out to residents of the UK aged 18+ who do not privately rent a home.

Population Sampled: Online interviews of residents of the UK aged 18+ who do not privately rent a home. Data were weighted to the profile of individuals aged 18+ in England. Data were weighted by age, sex, region, education level, and annual household income.

Sample size: 1,180