Farmers won a significant victory in the House as their peers supported amendments to protect the housing of key farm workers under the tenant rights bill.
The amendment, defended by Crossbench Peer Lord Carrington in Lords, seeks to address a loophole in the law that allows landlords to recover their property only by directly employed workers.
This poses a great risk to agricultural businesses that often rely on seasonal or self-employed labor, especially during the peak of the agricultural calendar.
The NFU has sought change and argued that without it many rural employers would have a hard time acquiring their essential workforce.
This amendment was passed to 150 with a clear margin of 253 votes. It’s not a law yet, but it shows a huge step forward.
The bill now returns to the House, where lawmakers have the opportunity to consider changes in feudal lords.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw welcomed the revision and called it a “step in the right direction” to protect rural businesses.
“Farmers rely on being able to accommodate workers, including self-employed staff who play an important role in food production,” he said.
“Without this amendment, businesses could face planning their employees and keeping their daily operations running smoothly.”
Bradshaw pointed out that NFU had been working behind the scenes for several months in the issue, thanking Carrington Lord for defending the revision.
“It’s encouraging to see the Lord realize how important this issue is to agriculture, but there’s more to do,” he added.
He said the unions now hope that the government will “reflect the strength of its support for these amendments and adopt them as part of the bill.”
The Government’s tenant rights bill, which is currently progressing through Parliament, aims to improve tenants protection and streamline the UK’s eviction process.
However, the agricultural group raised concerns that the original bill failed to explain the unique housing needs of rural employers.
The law is now returning to the House of Representatives. There, there is an opportunity for lawmakers to consider changes made by their fellow lords.
