Teresa has today backed plans to protect people who rent their homes from the risk of death because of fires by ensuring that landlords have smoke alarms installed in properties they let out.

Evidence shows that house fires in which a smoke detector raises the alarm are discovered more rapidly and lead to fewer casualties. Official statistics reveal that privately rented homes have a lower percentage of smoke alarms when compared to owner occupied, local authority or housing association properties.

Nine million people are living in rented homes today, over a million families, and over two million children. Backing the mandatory installation of smoke alarms in the private rented sector is the latest part of the campaign to build a safer and more secure private rented sector. 

Teresa said:

“We know that smoke alarms save lives and that privately rented properties are the least likely to have smoke alarms.  

 

There are a growing number of people and families in my constituency living in the private rented sector and they deserve better. That’s why I’m backing plans to ensure that people have safer homes that offer greaterstability and security.”

Teresa has backed plans announced by Labour today for a better deal for those renting their homes privately.

Teresa has been a strong advocate for the tightening of regulations across the private rented sector since her election. This announcement comes following the Westminster Hall Debate she led on Housing in London in February this year, during which she specifically highlighted this problem, and the urgency with which the needs of private renters needed to be addressed. 

One of the biggest causes of the cost of living crisis in our country is the price of renting or buying a home. That’s why a Labour government will make sure that Britain builds 200,000 more homes a year by the end of the next Parliament, so that more families can fulfil their dream of home ownership.

Nine million people are living in rented homes today, over a million families, and over two million children. With tenants in Erith & Thamesmead facing rip-off fees from lettings agents and insecure tenancies, Labour has announced the biggest change in a generation to make the system fairer for renters.

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Teresa is today calling for greater action to combat Tuberculosis (TB) throughout the world.

Every year, over 1 million people die from a disease that many people consider to have already been eradicated.

TB is airborne, infectious, drug-resistant, and found in every country in the world. Yet, in the UK, more people associate it with badgers than they do with humans.

On this World TB Day, 24^th March 2014, parliamentarians from around the world have come together to call for renewed action against the disease.

The statement has been signed by over 130 representatives from across the G7 countries and the European Parliament.

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Teresa is urging local residents to sign-up to The Big Deal campaign to beat the Big Six energy companies and save hundreds of pounds on their energy bills.

Teresa has personally signed-up to the deal because the more people that get involved, the more money that that can be saved for everyone.

The Big Deal is a national campaign for cheaper energy. It brings people together to harness their collective buying power and deliver lower bills. The initiative launched nationwide last week, and has already received support from senior figures in every major party. Five thousand people signed-up in just a few days.

Similar schemes across the world have led to savings of 16.5%. In Britain, the equivalent would be about £200 per person.

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Following the publication of her initial findings, Teresa has written to the Government, and local Councils in her constituency, to call on them to offer greater support to care workers, and to ask how this can be achieved.

After publishing her initial findings at the beginning of February 2014, Teresa thoroughly reviewed the responses she received to her care worker survey to determine the best course of action to take. She has now written to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable MP, as well as to London Borough of Bexley and the Royal Borough of Greenwich, to state her concerns and to outline her suggestions for improvement.

In her letters, Teresa wrote:

“It was clear from the responses I received that many care workers find their work very rewarding, and feel they are making a valuable contribution. However, it was also clear that many also felt over-worked, under-valued, and under-paid. Their concerns can be summarised as follows:

 

• Very low wages not commensurate with the hours worked and the effort expended;

• Lack of job security and uncertain employment contracts (some claimed to be employed on zero-hour contracts);

• Unavoidable expenses incurred when travelling between clients, which are not covered by employers;

• Lack of proper training courses, and no opportunities for personal development and career progression;

• Lack of a proper professional support network offering practical advice, assistance, and pastoral care;

• Long working hours due to staff shortages and financial cut-backs – some remarked that owing to privatisation across the sector they felt that the needs of clients were being negated by monetary considerations;

• The poor social status of care workers, and the widespread lack of understanding of the importance of their work and their role.

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