Reform UK proposes eviction for social tenants over garden standards
The party’s new housing plan links property upkeep to residency rights, aiming to prioritise British-born married couples while expanding association borrowing.
Reform UK has outlined a proposal that would see social housing tenants evicted if they fail to maintain their gardens and properties to a specified standard. The measure is central to a broader strategy designed to remove foreign nationals from existing social homes and prioritise young, British-born married couples for new allocations.
Party chair Lee Anderson argued at a press conference that subsidised housing, funded by the taxpayer, warrants a reasonable standard of care. He drew a parallel to historical Labour government policies, noting that council tenants were previously required to be married, keep properties decorated, and undergo regular inspections by council officers. Anderson questioned why similar expectations should not apply to those living in homes subsidised by the "hard-working British taxpayer".
The policy explicitly defines eligibility for new housing, granting highest priority to British-born working couples with children. Under the proposed rules, individuals born abroad to British parents temporarily overseas would be considered British-born. However, those born abroad to foreign parents, even if they have lived in the UK as British citizens for almost their entire lives, would not qualify.
Deputy leader Richard Tice stated that the policy is deliberately designed to promote marriage. He acknowledged his own marital status, noting he is divorced and remarrying later this year, but argued that promoting the institution of marriage is a valid political ambition. Tice also highlighted the financial mechanics of the plan, which relies on allowing housing associations to increase the accounting value of their homes to access greater borrowing capacity for new construction.
The borrowing proposal has drawn criticism from the housing sector. Andy Hulme, chief executive of Hyde, one of the country’s largest housing associations, warned that the changes could exacerbate financial difficulties for cash-strapped providers. Hulme argued that as closely regulated charitable organisations, associations must balance borrowing against repayment affordability, and that the new debt levels could lead many to violate banking agreements or tip into default.
The plan is part of Reform UK’s promise to oversee a boom in social housebuilding through both councils and housing associations. While the party asserts the measures will drive construction, industry insiders remain sceptical about the financial sustainability of the proposed borrowing structures.
