Hopkins 'clarifies' comments about tenants on housing benefit

Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday, the housing minister said he wanted to ‘clarify’ his remarks that were broadcast in a Panorama documentary about homelessness, in which he said it was ‘perfectly legitimate’ for landlords not to give tenancies to people on housing benefit.

His remarks last week attracted derision from Labour’s shadow housing minister Emma Reynolds, who branded them ‘appalling’.

During Communities and Local Government questions in parliament, Labour MP Diana Johnson asked Eric Pickles whether he agreed with his minister on the removal of people on housing benefit by landlords.

‘May I clarify what I said?,’ asked Mr Hopkins. ‘It is not appropriate for a landlord to remove somebody just because they are on housing benefit, but an individual can make a commercial choice about who they want to live in their accommodation.

‘It seems that the Labour party, in its forthcoming manifesto, will prescribe who can live in an individual’s house. A private investor who has purchased a house should have the opportunity to choose who lives in that house.’

In January, large private landlord Fergus Wilson revealed that he had sent out eviction notices to all of his tenants on housing benefit.

Homelessness charity Shelter is warning that if Mr Wilson’s policy spreads, areas around the country will become ‘blackspots’, where people on housing benefit are simply unable to rent.

Mr Hopkins also said a ‘model tenancy agreement’ would be published shortly, which will give landlords and tenants the choice to agree longer-term fixed tenancies.

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