A reception to celebrate the passing of the Renters’ Rights Act

Much of my life has been shaped by housing insecurity, homelessness and the fight for somewhere decent to live. So, last summer, it was surreal to join Generation Rent in delivering an 80,000-strong petition calling for greater affordability for renters.

I came to campaign naturally. My journey started in 2024, after I was commissioned by the i newspaper to write a piece on Right to Buy and my decade of experience as a property guardian. So, to find myself knocking on Number 10’s door only a year later was a huge moment.

This year, though, I was invited inside to celebrate the passing of the Renters’ Rights Act.

With my printed invitation in hand, my first stop was security. Security took place in a small hut, which reminded me of the cabmen’s hut in Notting Hill. The famous door was brilliantly shiny but surprisingly unassuming, and smaller than I expected. The decor seemed frozen in time and there was no visible technology, creating the sense that I had travelled back in time. The entrance hall was cramped, but staff kept people moving through. It was part office, part Georgian townhouse, part museum.

Then, our phones were locked inside a wooden box. It looked purpose-built and blended in with the antique furniture. Without my phone, I felt technologically naked, wondering how I would remember enough detail to prove to friends and family that this had, in fact, happened. 

As we were ushered upstairs, past Winston Churchill’s armchair, a steady flow of housing campaigners, MPs and smart-casual renters climbed with me. Portraits of former prime ministers lined the staircase as we climbed. I recognised some, including Attlee and Thatcher. At the top, there was just one space left. Presumably reserved for Keir Starmer’s portrait, it felt as though history was being written around me.

The reception rooms were noticeably grander and packed with people, but I  recognised a few familiar faces including Angela Rayner. Feeling anxious, I forced myself to speak to staff and campaigners from Shelter and The Big Issue whilst quietly playing a game of Spot-the-Renter.

For many in the room, it was a celebration. But for renters like me, who were due to return to insecurity, unaffordability and disrepair after the event, it felt surreal.

As the canapés and speeches flowed, I struggled to concentrate. When Prime Minister Keir Starmer began to speak, Angela Rayner took her place just to my left, but I found my mind wandering. Having previously written about Rayner for the i newspaper, I began thinking about social mobility and what had become unattainable for so many: the foundation and security of a council home. Standing beside the most powerful council house kid in the country felt extraordinary, particularly when so much of my own life had been defined by housing insecurity.

As I took the bus home, I reflected on mixed feelings. Beneath the politics of the celebration was real hardship. The Renters’ Rights Act is undoubtedly a positive step forward, but for millions of renters, housing remains a daily battle. Our housing system is skewed towards homeowners and landlords: homes are treated as assets, while council houses are few. But secure, warm and affordable housing should not be a luxury. It is the foundation for everything. Without it, there is no stability to build from.

If I’d felt brave enough to speak to Angela Rayner, I might have asked if we can be truly serious about ending the housing crisis if we can’t end Right to Buy, fund council housing and cap rents.

Maybe I’ll get around to it next time.

By Charley Hullah – Academy for Disabled Journalists Student