星空传媒

Homelessness could increase after the closure of a campaign to support private tenants, activists have warned.

The Campaign for Bedsit Rights, run by charity Shelter, ended last month following the implementation of the 2004 Housing Act, which met the campaign鈥檚 main aim of licensing private landlords.

However, a leading member of a London tenants鈥� group said the campaign had been wound down just when it was needed most.

Jackie Peacock, chair of Brent Private Tenants鈥� Rights Group, said: 鈥淚f we don鈥檛 get this [implementation of the act] right, there will be a massive increase in homelessness.

鈥淭he act contains the details that enable councils to make a real impact in the private rented sector, but only if they use it properly.

鈥淭he bedsit briefing that the campaign circulated regularly was a practical, useful document that many of the better local authorities placed quite a lot of reliance on.

鈥淎lthough it is quite true that the act was one of the campaign鈥檚 major issues, now we have got it on the statute books it means it is where the campaign starts 鈥� not where it ends.鈥�

If we don鈥檛 get the 2004 act right, there will be a massive increase in homelessness

Jackie Peacock, Brent Private Tenants鈥� Rights

Peacock argued that good work could be lost without guidance 鈥� and heavy-handed approaches from councils could cause private landlords to leave the sector, increasing housing problems.

The Brent tenants鈥� group this week launched its own Better Renting programme, which will provide landlords and tenants with a tenancy agreement compliant with the legislation and a landlords鈥� advice line offering information, advice and support.

There are currently 1.5 million private tenants living in shared houses, flats, bedsits, bed-and-breakfasts, hostels and shared flats in England and Wales.

A Shelter spokeswoman said the charity was planning a new campaign to make sure the Housing Act 2004 was 鈥渇ully and

effectively implemented鈥�. She said: 鈥淲hile we have no plans to produce further editions of the bedsit briefing, improving the living conditions of people in the private rented sector remains a key priority. We are therefore looking at how we can deliver the same kind of service in a more effective way.鈥�