I am writing in these columns to point out some of the positive legislation that I am voting for on a daily basis in Parliament. The Renters’ Rights Bill, which received Royal Assent on October 27, is a historic step toward a fairer future for 11-million private renters in England.

This legislation will abolish Section 21 'no fault' evictions, ending a practice that has threatened thousands of renters with homelessness, and empowering tenants to challenge poor conditions and unreasonable rent increases without fear of retaliatory eviction.

For Cornwall this change cannot come soon enough.

Over the past decade, it has become common for landlords to evict tenants and ‘flip’ properties from long-term rentals to short-term holiday lets. The consequences have been stark: the Duchy has seen a 264.8 per cent increase in households placed in temporary accommodation—from 250 before the pandemic to 912 in March 2025—many of them families with children. Some are housed in holiday parks, caravan sites, or hotels up to two hours from home, often with poor transport links. This uproots families from jobs, schools, and support networks. Abolishing Section 21 notices, and requiring evictions to have good reasons, can only help.

The Act also strengthens renters’ rights in other key areas.

Tenants can now request to keep a pet, which landlords must consider and cannot unreasonably refuse. To support this, landlords will be able to require pet insurance to cover any damage to their property.

Renters will be able to end tenancies with two months’ notice, and rental bidding—where landlords accept offers above the advertised rent—will be banned.

Awaab’s Law introduces strict deadlines for social landlords to inspect and repair hazards such as damp and mould. For the first time, the Decent Homes Standard will apply to the private rented sector, with councils empowered to fine landlords who fail to act. This is critical for Cornwall, where 50 per cent of private rented homes fall below the Decent Homes Standard, compared to a national average of 21 per cent.

Everyone deserves a safe, secure home. That is a priority for this Labour government, and the passing of the Renters’ Rights Act brings us one step closer to that goal.

But to tackle Cornwall’s housing crisis fully we also need more homes.

Some of these solutions can be found locally - I’m proud to have chaired Cornwall Council Pension Fund when we invested in building 67 secure rental properties in Tuckingmill. Pension Schemes can be a real force for good and invest our savings in bricks and mortar for local people’s future.

The government has also announced a once-in-a-generation investment of £39-billion in new social and affordable housing. My priority is to make sure that a large chunk of that investment reaches Cornwall.

Finally, we must support those who do find themselves homeless and try to prevent it happening in the first place. On World Homelessness Day in October Cornwall was awarded £925,664 of central government funding to tackle homelessness and the Government is consulting on a national homelessness strategy with the aim of ending rough sleeping for good. The last Labour government virtually eradicated rough sleeping. We must start that work again.