Brighton and Hove campaigners push for clearer rights for tenants

A campaign group aiming to improve conditions for tenants in Brighton and Hove have won the backing of a councillor and housing expert Bill Randall.

The Home Sweet Home campaign – supported by the Movement for Change – has been promoting the rights and responsibilities of tenants in the private rented sector.

The campaigners met Councillor Randall, chairman of the Brighton and Hove City Council Housing Committee, last week to share their hopes and concerns.

And this evening (Wednesday 2 April) Home Sweet Home held at event at Brighton University Students’ Union to mark the latest phase of their campaign.

They said that Councillor Randall told them that the council would take action to ensure that tenants were better informed about their rights.

He talked about adding new sections to the council website and running a billboard campaign to signpost people to relevant information.

Cllr Bill Randall meets Home Sweet Home campaigners

The Home Sweet Home campaigners have spent months building a broad alliance of people concerned about tenancy matters.

They include councillors, students, residents and landlords, letting agents, Labour Party activists and trade union members.

They also include the Brighton University Students’ Union, Brighton Housing Trust, Churches Together in Sussex, the Southern Landlords Association, the Residential Landlords Association, the Sussex University Chaplaincy and the National Union of Studdents (NUS).

All want to see private rented sector housing conditions improve in the city.

Home Sweet Home leader Helena Mardon said: “It was a great step forward in our campaign and we’re starting to see real improvements that will make life better for people in Brighton.

“I’ve never been involved in city politics before so it’s great to see that we really can make a difference.”

Home Sweet Home leader and Labour activist Chris Henry said: “The negotiation was a great success.

“He seemed genuinely enthusiastic about what the group had achieved so far and was keen to help progress the Home Sweet Home project.

“We left the meeting very positive and with another meeting booked in with Councillor Randall next month to continue to work on these issues.”

Candice Armah, president of Brighton Students’ Union and a member of Home Sweet Home, said: “It was a really constructive meeting.

“We found common ground and made commitments to work on a number of important issues that will be a huge benefit to students in Brighton especially.”