Stability, security, and safety

Meet Jeff. He’s 25, moved to Bristol as a student, and is now a policy and housing worker at Black South West Network. “When I think of home,” he says, “I’m thinking of stability, security, and safety.”

Supporting Black people

We all need to feel safe and secure in our homes, and the new Renters’ Rights Act is a significant milestone to create this for more renters than ever. Before these changes, gaps in legislation put disproportionate pressure on some groups of renters. As Jeff explains, “Looking at research from housing organisations around the country, Black and racially minoritised people face rent hikes at a far more frequent rate, and at a far higher rate than our white British peers. We also know they are more likely to be in insecure job roles, have informal job arrangements, and on zero-hour contracts.” The changes in housing legislation are a step-change towards addressing this. Changes, Jeff emphasises, that will “essentially help Black and Racially Minoritised people reach parity in what they experience in terms of rent increases.”

Stability, security, safety

The new legislation arrived too late for Jeff, who has recently experienced huge challenges as a renter. Everyone in his shared house was issued a Section 21 (“no fault”) eviction, with no reason given by the agent. He remembers this distressing experience vividly, and says “It was early December 2025, I received an eviction notice to leave by early February. But the worst part about that was that it coincided with my stepsister passing away, and my mind was extremely occupied with the fact that I was about to get kicked out of my house.” His sense of stability, security, and safety were shattered; something shared by so many people who have experienced sudden and unexplained evictions.

Increased cohesion

The need that we all share to feel safe is something he thinks about when he meets people through his work. Reflecting on the difference it will make to renting, he says, “I think this is especially prevalent now where there's a lot of turmoil around migration and Racially Minoritised people, and people of different faiths. Giving them safety and security means that they'll be able to engage with the community and engage in local businesses, local activities, and even leisure activities for their children, which will inevitably increase community cohesion.”

Home is a foundation

Our homes are the foundations for every aspect of our lives. It can only be a good thing that renting has just got fairer. The new changes deliver a fairness for all of us, not just some of us. The stability, security, and safety that Jeff highlighted now have greater protection by law. “With the Renters' Rights Act,” he reflects, “you can't evict a tenant through Section 21 anymore. Now that I've moved into a flat …  I can finally consider that a home."

For more information about the Renters' Rights Act, visit our region's dedicated website or download the free guide. For further housing support, download the Early Doors handbook.

Renters' Rights Act Handbook

Renters have new legal rights from May 1st 2026. For help understanding the new rights, visit We-rent.org.uk to find information and organisations near to you that can support you.

You can also download the free guide to the Renters' Rights Act here:

RENTERS' RIGHTS HANDBOOK

Housing Support Handbook

A tool for anyone facing money worries or housing problems in Bristol, with information on housing, finances, employment, immigration, food and wellbeing. 2025 edition. Created by our Early Doors service.

DOWNLOAD HOUSING SUPPORT HANDBOOK 2025