Rightmove Advert – Example of Landlord Voter Suppression
One of our supporters recently flagged a dodgy Rightmove rental listing for a 2-bedroom cottage in Hertfordshire for £1,450 per month, with a shocking condition: the new tenant would not be able to register to vote.
We have heard anecdotally that this happens, often because the landlord wants to avoid the property being identified as a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) or to secure a lower council tax rate, but it is rare see it stated so explicitly in a public advert. Let’s be clear: regardless of the landlord’s motive this is completely wrong – landlords cannot deny tenants their democratic right to vote. So we decided to take action.
We shared this advert across our social media platforms, spreading awareness of this example of landlord voter suppression and calling out letting agents who think it’s okay to include this line in their adverts. These posts quickly gained traction, with local MP Alistair Strathern highlighting this case on Bluesky. Within hours, the letting agent had removed the listing. This was a small but important victory, proving that calling out unlawful practices works.
However, the problem goes far beyond one advert.
Across the country, millions of renters are either intimidated into not registering to vote or, more commonly, face structural barriers to getting on to the electoral roll. Frequent moves, insecure housing and complex registration processes lead to a distinct democratic inequality amongst our demographic.
Generation Rent’s latest democracy research found that through an automated voter registration system, which automatically updates electoral records when people update their address with the council, HMRC or the DVLA, could increase private renter registration rates from 66% to over 90% in England. Automated voter registration would make it harder for landlords to insist that tenants don’t register. In addition, new measures in the Renters’ Rights Act like the forthcoming Private Rented Property Database could also help Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) at councils identify renters who might otherwise fall through the gaps.
Representation of the People Bill and Registration Without Application
The Representation of the People (ROTP) Bill was published last month and proposes major changes to our democratic system, with key measures including lowering the voter age to 16 for all UK elections, expanding the list of accepted voter IDs, and introducing more automated forms of voter registration, which the government is calling Registration Without Application (RWOA). This follows a strategy we published last summer.
This Bill would allow EROs to register eligible voters directly, without requiring an application – though citizens would get a chance to opt out. EROs would gain new powers to acquire data from relevant government departments and public bodies. Additionally, inclusion on the Open Register will become opt-in rather than opt-out, while anonymous registration would remain available.
The Bill also enables piloting of RWOA for parliamentary and local elections, to help get the system right before rolling out more widely. In Wales, automatic voter registration pilots were carried out in early 2025 across Carmarthenshire, Gwynedd, Newport and Powys, primarily using council tax and other local government data. These proved successful, with over 14,500 new electors added to the register, equating to 2-8% of local registers, with the vast majority of new registrations being accurate and valid. However, reliance on council data alone failed to capture many private renters, highlighting the need to expand the range of government datasets feeding into the system.
MPs debated the Bill for the first time on Monday 2 March 2026. Whilst there was strong support for these RWOA measures from the MPs that attended, concerns were raised about electoral register accuracy, how its phased rollout approach might lead to disparities in increased voter turnout across the country, and how RWOA will make sure people are eligible to vote.
How can the Bill be strengthened further?
We strongly support the ROTP Bill and believe RWOA has the potential to transform voter registration for private renters. However, further improvements are needed.
Firstly, there is no clear timeline for nationwide rollout. Without one, the reforms may not be fully operational before the next General Election. A firm implementation date is essential.
Secondly, EROs should have access to a wider range of public body data sets, including DWP, DVLA, HMRC and NHS data, to make sure as many private renters as possible get picked up by the new system. As previously mentioned, the forthcoming Private Rented Property Database (expected in late 2026) should also be incorporated to help identify renter households that may otherwise be missed – e.g. because they don’t drive or get benefits. Passport Office data could assist with verifying voter eligibility and reduce administrative burdens.
Finally, greater clarity is needed on how quickly individuals, particularly private renters who are frequently moving home, will be added to the electoral register after moving to avoid uncertainty of their registration status ahead of elections.
We will be working with MPs and other stakeholders to strengthen these provisions and make sure that as many private renters and other under-represented groups are able to exercise their democratic rights before the next General Election.
