The Green Party today unveiled their manifesto for the 2024 general election, laying out an ambitious agenda centred around renter rights, social housing expansion, and significant strides in energy efficiency.

For renters, the manifesto promises transformative changes: the introduction of stable rental tenancies, the abolishment of no-fault evictions, and the imposition of rent controls empowering local authorities to combat exorbitant rents. They envision the creation of private residential tenancy boards, offering a swift, informal, and cost-effective platform for dispute resolution before matters escalate to tribunals.

On the social housing front, the Greens propose an ambitious target of 150,000 social homes per year, achieved through both new constructions and the refurbishment or purchase of existing older properties. They advocate for a community right to buy for local authorities, simultaneously planning to terminate the individual 'right to buy'. To enhance energy efficiency, their plans include a hefty £29bn investment in home insulation, alongside £9bn allocated for installing low-carbon heating systems. Tenants would also gain the right to demand energy efficiency improvements.

Reacting to this announcement, Dan Wilson Craw, deputy chief executive of Generation Rent, remarked: "The Green Party are right to put an offer to renters at the centre of their manifesto. We welcome their commitment to ending no-fault evictions and their recognition of the devastating impact they can have."

He continued, highlighting the broader social implications: "Unaffordable rents are a huge driver of poverty and homelessness. Plans to help social landlords and community housing groups purchase and refurbish poorly-insulated homes and bring them into the social sector will mean more people made homeless will find a stable home, while also cutting carbon emissions."

Addressing the proposed rent controls, he said, "Powers for councils to control rents will be an important mechanism to slam the brakes on the wild rent rises that tenants are facing, keeping us in our homes and easing the pressure on our wallets. We hope the party will set out more details about how far councils could intervene."

Wilson Craw also commented on the ambitious housing target: "The goal of 150,000 new social homes per year is positive, but aside from a brief mention of new build, it is not clear how many new homes would be built under Green plans to make sure there are enough homes in areas people want to live."

On the topic of energy efficiency, he noted, "Private renters are at a higher risk of fuel poverty than other tenures, so we are pleased to see the Greens’ ambition on driving up energy efficiency in private rented homes. Funding for insulation is essential, but they also recognize the need for renters to have a right to ask for this."

This manifesto showcases the Green Party's dedication to addressing some of the most pressing issues faced by renters and those in need of social housing, while also pushing for substantial investments in energy efficiency to combat fuel poverty and reduce carbon emissions.