Reform vow to evict social home tenants if they don't mow their lawn

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy SOPHIE CHURCH - POLITICAL REPORTER Published: 22:30 BST, 24 August 2026 | Updated: 22:30 BST, 24 August 2026

Reform would evict social home tenants who fail to mow their lawns or take out their bins, the party's chairman has proposed.Lee Anderson, Reform's chairman and chief whip, suggested on Monday that tenants should keep council homes to a 'reasonable standard' or face being kicked out.Mr Anderson's comments came as Reform on Monday fleshed out its plans to build 50,000 social homes a year prioritised for British-born workers.In a policy document, Reform said it would introduce 'strict criteria' for the maintenance of the new homes, with 'evictions required for repeated breaches of standards'.When asked whether people would be evicted if they didn't mow their lawn, Mr Anderson replied: 'What is wrong with expecting people who live in subsidised housing – paid for and subsidised by the hardworking British taxpayer – to keep their house to a reasonable standard?'He added: 'We see all sorts of people moving into these brand new houses and creating mayhem and disturbances on these brand new housing estates.'And the hardworking British taxpayer, the alarm clock people who get up at five, six o'clock in the morning, go to work and see the house next door with four foot of weeds, dust bin not been emptied for three weeks and a waft of weed coming out of the window – it's not acceptable.'They expect their taxes to go to decent people who are prepared to get up in the morning.' Lee Anderson, Reform's chairman and chief whip, suggested on Monday that tenants should keep council homes to a 'reasonable standard' or face being kicked out Reform's deputy leader Richard Tice said the proceeds from selling council homes would 'go back into building affordable homes' – with two built for every one soldMr Anderson previously said that tenants after the Second World War had 'a couple of chances' to ensure their property was well maintained.'If after that you didn't keep it up to a reasonable standard, you're out, and they gave it to another couple who would look after their property,' he said.Under the plans, Reform would build 50,000 new affordable homes a year requiring an investment of £10billion.Reform's business spokesperson Richard Tice revealed on Monday the policy would be funded partially by restoring Right to Buy – with larger discounts offered on the price of the home depending on the time a tenant has lived there.Mr Tice said the proceeds from selling council homes would 'go back into building affordable homes' – with two built for every one sold.He added: 'We know it works. It was a great success in the 80s and 90s. The mistake was not building more. This plan is about building over a decade another 500,000 affordable social homes. It's the right thing to do.'Reform would fund the remainder of the housing rollout through a British Sovereign Wealth Fund and increasing the debt levels of housing associations.The party revealed it would also explore using empty military housing for homeless veterans.But Reform's plans were criticised by rival parties.Shadow housing secretary Sir James Cleverly said: 'This is yet another unfunded announcement from Reform and shows they have not done the hard work needed and is so often the case their maths simply doesn't stack up.'And a Labour spokesperson said: 'Reform is so desperate to try and deflect attention away from the scandals Nigel Farage is drowning in, they have cobbled together unworkable and unserious plans which they can't answer even basic questions on.'Labour on Tuesday will announce £10billion for councils and housing associations to build affordable homes under the first wave of its £39billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme.Of the £10billion pledged, roughly £2.45billion will be given to mayoral areas - with £529million to Greater Manchester, £409million to the West Midlands, £445million to the North East, £441million to West Yorkshire, £380million to Liverpool City Region and £249million to South Yorkshire.The remainder of the £10billion will be given to 33 'Strategic Partners' - representing councils, housing associations and other providers.The Greater London Authority will provide at least £6billion separately for council homes in the capital.A Reform UK spokesman said: 'It is not unreasonable to expect that tenants of taxpayer-subsidised homes should maintain those properties. The British public should not be rewarding persistent neglect.'