logo
Mum's rent petition signed by more than 40000 people

Mum's rent petition signed by more than 40000 people

Bridget, from Darlington, is campaigning to limit rent rises for tenants. She says: "My landlord recently hiked my rent by £100. I've been renting privately all my adult life, but getting a sudden rent hike still comes as a shock and has been very stressful, especially as the landlord gave us just one month's notice.
"This is nearly a 20% increase. As a single parent living with my two children, with one income to live on, the impact will ripple through my life. I feel broken down by this system."
The petition, which can be signed here, is still growing.
This isn't the first issue Bridget has had with rented homes, after extreme damp in a previous home led to a hospital trip after she developed pneumonia.
"I hoped this new home would be better, but once again, I've suffered a huge blow to my security," she says. "Rents in my local area in County Durham are high, and I cannot simply jump to another more affordable option."
She - like many others - is also facing increased bills and food costs.
"I was already struggling to cover my essentials; this shock rent rise will put even more of a strain on me," she says. "My mental health has been badly affected, and I worry about the long-term impact this will have on myself and my family."
Important reforms in the Renters' Rights Bill are currently passing through Parliament. These will help to make renting fairer in England, including ending Section 21 evictions, which currently allow landlords to evict tenants without needing a reason.
"But they do nothing to stop shock rent rises like the one my family has faced," says Bridget.
"While the government says tenants will be able to challenge 'unreasonable' rent rises at tribunal, decisions will be based on what the rent would be if your home was re-let – not what you can afford.
"As long as landlords can price their tenants out of their own homes with unaffordable rent rises, renters will still effectively face unfair evictions and be threatened with homelessness."
Private renters are being HIT with relentless rent hikes.
The impact? Thousands are being pushed into debt and homelessness.
It's time for change. Sign our petition and demand better⤵️https://t.co/AOy1ytWmCv https://t.co/ZxBJ8UbnxQ — Generation Rent (@genrentuk) May 12, 2025
Research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation showing more than a third of private renters are living in poverty after housing costs. Meanwhile, Generation Rent's research has shown 9/10 renters say the experience of renting has negatively impacted their mental health.
Generation Rent's winter 2024 survey found that the majority of renters (61%) reported that their landlord had asked them to pay a higher rent in the past 12 months with almost a quarter (24%) reported an increase over £100. This compares to just 9% reporting hikes of this size in July 2022, almost a threefold increase.
Meanwhile, the 2024 English Private Landlord survey found one in five landlords hiked the rent by 15% or more the last time they renewed or extended a tenancy.
The most common reason that renters reported they had been given for their rent increases, was not because their landlord faced increased costs, or was struggling more, it was simply because of the rising rewards of the market.
Recommended reading:
Almost a third (31%) of landlords had blamed higher market rents, while a further 7% stated that the increase was because of letting agent advice.
The petition adds: "This is indefensible. If renters are to finally feel secure in our own homes, we need protections from shock rent rises.
"Private landlords should not be able to raise the rent higher than inflation or wages. The Government can and must act to change this."
Sign my petition, which has the full backing of Generation Rent, to demand the government introduces a cap on how much landlords can raise the rent.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Simple mistake everyone makes when frying eggs and how to fix it
Simple mistake everyone makes when frying eggs and how to fix it

Daily Mirror

time21 minutes ago

  • Daily Mirror

Simple mistake everyone makes when frying eggs and how to fix it

Whipping up a batch of fried eggs is a simple process, but there are a few easy-to-forget steps that can make a massive difference to your breakfast, brunch or dinner Whether it's nestled in a full English, crowning a bowl of ramen or paired with a portion of chips, nothing quite matches the taste of a flawlessly fried egg. ‌ You might reckon you've got your egg-frying game down pat, but there are plenty of easy-to-overlook steps that novice cooks often miss in their quest for crispy edges and a lush, runny yolk. ‌ Just because it's a quick job doesn't mean there aren't loads of ways to jazz up your eggs – and you could be making blunders without even knowing it. ‌ Foodie news hub, Mashed has put together a comprehensive guide highlighting the easy-to-forget steps when frying eggs that, if remembered and applied, can lead to cracking results. From the type of eggs you're using to whether you're sizzling them in fat or oil, there are numerous tricks to take your eggs up a notch, with one glaringly obvious, yet frequently ignored, error, reports the Express. Think back to the last time you fried up some eggs, perhaps for a lazy Sunday brunch or as a hangover remedy. Can you recall which pan you used? ‌ By opting for the wrong kind of pan to fry your eggs, you're setting yourself up for a flop, which can be sidestepped with a top-notch non-stick or cast iron pan. If you're going for the latter, make sure it's well-seasoned to prevent your eggs from sticking or breaking up while they're bubbling away. This nugget comes courtesy of Joseph Provost, a chemistry and biochemistry professor at the University of San Diego. ‌ Mashed has quoted Joseph speaking to the Washington Post, revealing that "most pans, even the really good ones, are actually filled with little cracks and crevasses," which means when they're heated up, the metal expands and egg liquid gets caught in those tiny gaps. To dodge this culinary pitfall, opt for a non-stick solution, which acts as a slick barrier between the pan's surface and your eggs. Bear this tip in mind next time you're frying up eggs – it could be the game-changer you never knew you needed. ‌ For those on a quest for the ultimate fried eggs, consider cooking them in some form of fat – it adds taste and creates an additional protective layer on any pan, echoing the previous advice. It's also wise to preheat the pan before introducing the eggs. This principle holds true for most foods when frying, searing, or aiming for a golden crunch. If you're using fat, as suggested, wait until the pan is sizzling hot before adding it, then let it heat up a bit more before popping in your eggs. And here's a final nugget from the egg aficionados: let your eggs reach room temperature before cracking them open. If you cook straight from the fridge, you risk a rubbery white and an overdone yolk.

Public urged to back ban on destructive fishing in protected areas
Public urged to back ban on destructive fishing in protected areas

South Wales Argus

timea day ago

  • South Wales Argus

Public urged to back ban on destructive fishing in protected areas

The Wildlife Trusts are calling on members of the public to lend their voice to support for moves to ban 'bottom trawling' – in which fishing gear is dragged across the seabed destroying habitats and scooping up a wide array of species – in protected areas of English seas. A consultation is being run by the Marine Management Organisation until September 1, which includes bans on bottom trawling in 41 offshore marine protected areas (MPAs) that have been designated thanks to the importance of their seabeds, in moves to better protect 30,000 square kilometres of sea. The call from The Wildlife Trusts to support the bans comes as polling for the charities reveals that eight out of 10 people agree that marine wildlife should be treated with the same care as species on land. Conservationists say bottom trawling bans can help restore important marine habitats (Alexander Mustard/2020VISION/PA) The survey of more than 2,000 people by Savanta also revealed that many people did not realise bottom trawling could still take place in many protected areas – with more than a third (36%) believing an MPA designation meant all wildlife and seabeds are protected from damaging activities. Daniele Clifford, marine conservation officer for The Wildlife Trusts, said the UK's seas were full of 'incredible marine life', with habitats from cold-water corals to sandbanks, muds and chalk reefs supporting species from fish to whales, and storing huge amounts of carbon. But much of that marine life is threatened, facing pressures such as destructive fishing practices. Putting in marine protected areas was a 'tried and tested' method to help nature's recovery, but while many had been designated in British waters, they were not doing well because they were still being affected by pressures such as bottom trawling, she said. The fishing method can destroy the habitat on the seabed, and the nets 'literally sweep up everything in their path', Ms Clifford said, creating a huge amount of bycatch, besides the one or two species targeted, which is then thrown back. 'If land-based nature reserves were being bulldozed, there would be an outcry. 'And yet bottom trawling has been going on for many years in these MPAs. It's about time proper management was implemented,' she said. 'We know that when you reduce pressures on marine life, it helps support their recovery. It's possible to recover our seas, we just need to remove those pressures.' Unlike on land where active management may be required to help habitats and species recover, seas are more able to bounce back on their own if those pressures are removed, Ms Clifford said. 'You allow nature to do its thing and recover naturally. 'The benefit of this measure is our seas will recover – and we know people want healthy seas,' she said, adding restoring wildlife in MPAs had benefits for wider ocean health and fish stocks. The UK's seas are full of marine life but much is threatened, conservationists say (Alex Mustard/2020VISION/PA) Where bans have already been implemented in inshore MPAs, Ms Clifford said there were 'astonishingly' signs of recovery quite quickly, pointing to cold-water corals starting to recover within two to three years of restrictions in Lyme Bay, on the south coast, along with increases in scallops and lobsters. And off the coast of Sussex, largely vanished kelp beds are being helped to recover in a major marine rewilding project thanks to restrictions on bottom trawling introduced in 2021. The kelp was hit by stormy conditions in the 1980s and bottom trawling, leaving only 4% of the habitat remaining, affecting both an array of wildlife using it for shelter and food, and society which benefits from its role in reducing storm impacts and supporting fish stocks. The habitat's restoration is 'a long process,' according to George Short, kelp recovery co-ordinator for Sussex Wildlife Trust, one of the partners in the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project. 'One of the key things about our work is letting nature lead in its own recovery. 'It's been impacted for decades, it's not an overnight recovery,' she said. But nearly five years into the project, monitoring shows mussel beds – which form the hard bed on the seabed that kelp grows on – are starting to recover, as are the black sea bream once targeted by the trawling, she said.

Public urged to back ban on destructive fishing in protected areas
Public urged to back ban on destructive fishing in protected areas

South Wales Guardian

timea day ago

  • South Wales Guardian

Public urged to back ban on destructive fishing in protected areas

The Wildlife Trusts are calling on members of the public to lend their voice to support for moves to ban 'bottom trawling' – in which fishing gear is dragged across the seabed destroying habitats and scooping up a wide array of species – in protected areas of English seas. A consultation is being run by the Marine Management Organisation until September 1, which includes bans on bottom trawling in 41 offshore marine protected areas (MPAs) that have been designated thanks to the importance of their seabeds, in moves to better protect 30,000 square kilometres of sea. The call from The Wildlife Trusts to support the bans comes as polling for the charities reveals that eight out of 10 people agree that marine wildlife should be treated with the same care as species on land. The survey of more than 2,000 people by Savanta also revealed that many people did not realise bottom trawling could still take place in many protected areas – with more than a third (36%) believing an MPA designation meant all wildlife and seabeds are protected from damaging activities. Daniele Clifford, marine conservation officer for The Wildlife Trusts, said the UK's seas were full of 'incredible marine life', with habitats from cold-water corals to sandbanks, muds and chalk reefs supporting species from fish to whales, and storing huge amounts of carbon. But much of that marine life is threatened, facing pressures such as destructive fishing practices. Putting in marine protected areas was a 'tried and tested' method to help nature's recovery, but while many had been designated in British waters, they were not doing well because they were still being affected by pressures such as bottom trawling, she said. The fishing method can destroy the habitat on the seabed, and the nets 'literally sweep up everything in their path', Ms Clifford said, creating a huge amount of bycatch, besides the one or two species targeted, which is then thrown back. 'If land-based nature reserves were being bulldozed, there would be an outcry. 'And yet bottom trawling has been going on for many years in these MPAs. It's about time proper management was implemented,' she said. 'We know that when you reduce pressures on marine life, it helps support their recovery. It's possible to recover our seas, we just need to remove those pressures.' Unlike on land where active management may be required to help habitats and species recover, seas are more able to bounce back on their own if those pressures are removed, Ms Clifford said. 'You allow nature to do its thing and recover naturally. 'The benefit of this measure is our seas will recover – and we know people want healthy seas,' she said, adding restoring wildlife in MPAs had benefits for wider ocean health and fish stocks. Where bans have already been implemented in inshore MPAs, Ms Clifford said there were 'astonishingly' signs of recovery quite quickly, pointing to cold-water corals starting to recover within two to three years of restrictions in Lyme Bay, on the south coast, along with increases in scallops and lobsters. And off the coast of Sussex, largely vanished kelp beds are being helped to recover in a major marine rewilding project thanks to restrictions on bottom trawling introduced in 2021. The kelp was hit by stormy conditions in the 1980s and bottom trawling, leaving only 4% of the habitat remaining, affecting both an array of wildlife using it for shelter and food, and society which benefits from its role in reducing storm impacts and supporting fish stocks. The habitat's restoration is 'a long process,' according to George Short, kelp recovery co-ordinator for Sussex Wildlife Trust, one of the partners in the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project. 'One of the key things about our work is letting nature lead in its own recovery. 'It's been impacted for decades, it's not an overnight recovery,' she said. But nearly five years into the project, monitoring shows mussel beds – which form the hard bed on the seabed that kelp grows on – are starting to recover, as are the black sea bream once targeted by the trawling, she said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store